The Heart of Counseling: A Guide to Developing Therapeutic Relationships

With a unique emphasis on the bond between client and counselor, Cochran and Cochran's counseling skills text teaches students concrete and detailed steps for developing the therapeutic relationship. Each of the book's thirteen chapters addresses a specific therapeutic relationship skill-builder: how to listen therapeutically; how to strive for empathy; how to express empathy; how to strive for unconditional positive regard; the art of being genuine; getting started with new clients; the ongoing structuring of the therapeutic relationship; helping clients get started; managing client crises with therapeutic relationship skills; ending therapeutic relationships; considerations for providing therapeutic relationships across cultures; and using therapeutic relationships in non-counseling situations.

Dr. Jeff Cochran's counseling experiences have ranged from elementary school to universities. He has served as counselor in school, university, and agency settings, and has counseled in several states and overseas. He earned his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech, and his BA and MA at Appalachian State University. His most frequent scholarly interests include Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and other applications of the Person-Centered approach (PCA); counseling services for children and youth with behavioral and emotional difficulties, such as conduct disorder; and the power and potential of therapeutic relationships. Jeff Cochran teaches the initial practicum course at SUNY-Brockport.