Counseling Tools For Nonprofessionals: Practical Mental Health Strategies With a Christian Perspective

An easy read textbook teaching nonprofessional counselors, volunteers, 12-step, church and group leaders, and anyone who wants to build more professional counseling skills. This book addresses the common counseling needs presented including how to manage people’s problem behaviors in a volunteer, work or relational setting. Includes: Relational issues from premarital, marital, to grief counseling over a death or other loss. Dialogues for most issues so you will know what to expect, what to say, and why. Educational content to alert you to manipulations, defenses, behaviors and the mind-set of troubled people. Who you should try to help or refer elsewhere. How to assess the person and the problem. The "why’s" of people’s behavior and the "how’s" to help them. Supervisory instructional tips for managers of nonprofessional counselors. The administrative basics of managing a counseling/support service. Tools/handouts for clients to open their eyes, to help set goals. A faith-based, non-denominational Christian perspective, with Scriptures. A Knowledge Test and answers.

Gretchen has 32 years of experience in the field of human services including foster care, advocacy for people with mental health issues and physical disabilities, as well as in management developing policy and monitoring mental health support services in New Jersey. After moving to Arizona in 2010 she was the counselor for six years for a Christian non-denominational church along with her private practice in Mesa. Besides her credentials, Gretchen has had a lot of life experience especially learning from her own and other's relational problems and in doing recovery work for either herself or alongside her partners. Her priceless and positive life lessons learned have provided her with a "been there" empathy with clients. Learn more at gretchenjacobscounselor.com.