A COUNSELING SKILLS PRIMER: 3-Minute Microskills Videos for the Visual Learner

Book Synopsis: Nina Spadaro, Tiffany Rush-Wilson, and Rives Thornton virtually bring counseling skills to life in this multi-media e-book. Integrating straight-forward written descriptions with clear video demonstrations of each skill greatly enhances the learning experience of the reader. The authors explain and demonstrate microskills, which are the building blocks of the helping professions and the core of all therapeutic relationships. In addition, the concept of mesoskills is introduced for the first time – a concept that incorporates how to assemble the microskills together to effectively conduct the different stages of the therapeutic relationship, from the initial meeting of clients to their final sessions. The mesoskills are artfully described as well as demonstrated on video for the reader to fully understand these crucial concepts that have so much positive impact in the counseling relationship. This book is essential for all individuals who want to be effective as a helping professional and is applicable with any theoretical orientation.

Reviews: Donna Sheperis: Spadaro, Rush-Wilson, and Thornton bring fresh eyes to the art and science of teaching counseling skills in this innovative, multi-media text. By focusing not only on traditional microskills, but also how these microskills interact to form mesoskills, the authors move beyond the basic building blocks of skill development and truly teach how to conduct counseling sessions. Students and educators will appreciate the organization and clarity of the text. The accompanying video segments offer multiple perspectives for executing the skills as they are taught. In all, this book is a valuable contribution to the teaching and training of helping professionals!

Ed Jacobs, PhD West Virginia University: Counseling Skills Primer delivers in a simple, clear way! The authors do a masterful job presenting the necessary basic skills that need to be in all counselor’s tool box. The use of the numerous video clips certainly adds great clarity. What is so valuable about this book is there are three counselors showing three different styles of effective use of basic counseling skills. Students will enjoy and learn from this book.

Dr. Kelly Coker, Associate Professor, MA in Counseling Programs, Palo Alto, University: A Counseling Skills Primer: 3-Minute Microskills Videos for the Visual Learner fills a significant gap in the preparation and training of professional counselors. Counselor educators know the importance of teaching students the appropriate clinical skills to prepare them for the field, but rarely do the resources and textbooks used break these skills down in such a methodical way as A Counseling Skills Primer.This primer provides a developmental and hands-on opportunity for counseling students to move through key microskills and mesoskills. Through readings, video demonstrations, client monologues, and worksheets, student gain knowledge, practice skills, and assess their progress. The video clips throughout the primer provide direct examples of the concept being discussed and often provide examples of both “deficient” skills and “proficient” skills. The narrative then breaks down what was evident in each clip that the student should attend to and practice. The video clips are short, to the point, and provide examples from different counselor’s approaches that specifically target the skill being identified.As a counselor educator for almost 20 years, I can attest to the difficulty of helping counseling students to both learn and integrate key microskills into their work with clients; both in practice, role-play settings and field experience settings. The focus on mesoskills takes the counselor in training beyond the basic skills of establishing the relationship and obtaining information and moves into how to facilitate counseling sessions towards identified goals and how to attend to the complexities occurring within each session.