Becoming a Counselor: The Light, the Bright, and the Serious

by Samuel T. Gladding

Through the use of memorable and often humorous autobiographical vignettes, Dr. Gladding shares his experiences as one of the field's most beloved and respected leaders. His personal experiences reflect universal themes in becoming a helping professional, and both novice and seasoned counselors will benefit from his knowledge, skill, and the wisdom drawn from more than 30 years in the profession.Topics addressed include personal growth; finding what works and learning from failure; basic skills and counseling processes; creativity in counseling; multicultural and spiritual considerations; the influences of colleagues, friends, and family; working with groups and families; professional development; leadership; and termination. Each section of the book contains Points to Ponder to facilitate classroom discussion and personal reflection.

Genres: Counselling, Psychology, Nonfiction

183 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Samuel Templeman Gladding

Reviews

[Chris Burd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did. It's an easy read, and the stories are amusing. However, I thought that many of the stories stretched to fit a particular point that Mr. Gladdings was trying to make, or a life lesson that he was trying to impart.

[kylajaclyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This guy is something else. He thought smoking a roach meant smoking an actual cockroach. He slut-shamed a girl (early on, and this made me want to quit the book) who was promiscuous by saying the clothes she wore weren't helping matters. He had to do RESEARCH on sex when he had to do sexual counseling with a couple before he was married. And when a friend mistakenly thought he smoked marijuana, he wanted to die and thought it was the most embarrassing thing in the world. This book also contains a myriad of cliches. The author loves to hear himself talk. None of this stuff was new or helpful as I get deeper into the world of Counseling. I don't recommend it at all.