Counsellors, psychotherapists and other health and social care professionals are increasingly called upon to work therapeutically with young people. In this title from the Living Therapy series, the author provides deep insight into applying the person-centred approach to counselling when working with young people. Two fictitious dialogues provide an understanding of counselling from within two key settings: a youth counselling service and a school counselling service. One of the young people is struggling with family, friends and drug problems; the other client with bullying at school and problems at home.

This book uses fictitious dialogue as a method to enable the reader to appreciate the nature of counselling young people through the application of person-centred counselling theory. It provides deep insights into what goes on in counselling sessions, into th counselling relationship and how this links into the counsellor's own supervision. It is essential reading for all counselling trainers, supervisors and trainees, and for novice and experienced counsellors. It also provides useful approaches and frameworks for other caring professions, and many valuable insights for clients themselves.

"Richard has caught wonderfully in this text the sensitivity and delicacies of therauetic interaction as well as the complex process through which young people have to steer in their development towards adulthood. Richard's important and engaging text combines believable stories of young people with the provision of theoretical comment and developmental questions for the practitioner. I trust that this book will reach a wide audience of all those who are interested in and committed to the welfare and development of young people."

Colin Lago, Formerly Director of the Uniersity of Sheffield Counselling Service in his Foreword

"This book goes a long way in explaining why the person-centred approach is so powerful with young people. t teases apart many of the fears, hurts, disappointments, familial problems and social assaults that encourage adolescents to close off, turn to drugs, attack others. After a clear and concise explanation of the theory, Richard takes us on amazing journeys into the hearts and minds of the clients described in this book. They are struggling with many of the obstacles in the path of most children trying to grow up in this period of social toxicity. The book is a real gift to anybody interested in raising or counselling young people."

Peggy Natiello, psychotherapist, educator, trainer, writer and consultant in the person-centred approach. Arizona, USA in her Foreword

CONTENTS: Introduction * Part 1 - counselling a young person in a youth counselling setting * Session 1 - first contact - the counsellor keeps it low key * Session 2 - getting focused, becoming angry, finding calm * session 3 - effects of the dope and a difficult dilemma * supervision 1 - the counsellor explores her feelings and receives encouragement and support * Session 4 - Jodie doesn't attend * Session 5 - the relationship develops, giving Jodie tough choices * Session 6 - fear of becoming a woman * Session 7 Jodie has spoken to her mum, relationship changes * Supervision 2 * Session 8 - saying no to pills and appreciating her mum * Session 9 - back to school, seeking out new friends * reflections on the counselling process

Part 2 - counselling a young person in a school setting * session 1 - the client does not attend * session 2 - working with silence and the struggle to speak * supervision 1 * session 3 - the need to alert the school to bullying * session 4 - client adjusting to feeling different * session 5 - tired of it all, the client falls asleep * supervision 2 * session 6 - a new friend but home life makes Nick sad * session 7 - the client does not attend * session 8 - problems and Nick is grounded - supervision 3 * session 9 - Nichj finds satisfying experiences through music * Final reflections * references * Further Reading * Useful contacts * Index

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