Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession

This book encompasses all that counseling is today—addressing the history of counseling and the theory behind its practice; exploring the multicultural, ethical, legal environments in which counselors operate; and, examining the variety of skills today's counselors are expected to exhibit. Up-to-date references to contemporary theorists, trends, and challenges in the field ensures readers learn the current best practices and the most recently-adopted theories—prepares them to practice in today's settings, with the most recent tools and information. Incorporation of multicultural and gender issues throughout the material broadens the scope of the book. Six chapters are dedicated to specific populations with whom counselors work and professional arenas in which they practice. Includes American Counseling Association and NBCC Ethical Guidelines for the practice of internet counseling. Emphasis on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) categories prepares future counselors for the “nitty-gritty” of diagnosis—addresses the stringent requirements of documentation demanded by third party payers. A key resource for counseling certification.

Samuel T. Gladding is a professor of counselor education and director of the counselor education program at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has been a practicing counselor in both public and private agencies since 1971. His leadership in the field of counseling includes service as president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW), Chi Sigma Iota (counseling academic and professional honor society international) and the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Gladding is the former editor of the Journal for Specialists in Group Work and the author of over 100 professional publications. In 1999, he was cited as being in the top 1% of contributors to the Journal of Counseling and Development for the 15-year period, 1978-1993. Some of Gladding's other recent books are: Community and Agency Counseling (with Debbie Newsome) (2nd ed., 2004); Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th ed., 2003); Family Therapy: History, Theory, & Process (3rd ed.,2002); Becoming a Counselor. The Light, The Bright, and the Serious (2002); The Counseling Dictionary (2001); and The Creative Arts in Counseling (2nd ed., 1998).

Gladding's previous academic appointments have been at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Fairfield University (Connecticut). He received his degrees from Wake Forest, Yale, and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC), and a Licensed Professional Counselor (North Carolina). Gladding is a former member of the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling and of the Research and Assessment Corporation for Counseling (RACC). He is also a Fellow in Association for Specialists in Group Work.

Dr. Gladding is married to the former Claire Tillson and is the father of three children—Ben, Nate, and Tim. Outside of counseling, he enjoys tennis, swimming, and humor.