Values Clarification in Counseling and Psychotherapy
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■ ADVANCE PRAISE FOR VALUES CLARIFICATION IN COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY “ Th is important book addresses an essential component of counseling and psychotherapy that is too oft en overlooked in training programs and the professional literature. With clear guidelines, and lots of clinical examples, Dr. Kirschenbaum demonstrates not only how to help clients clarify their values on issues such as relationships, love and sex, work, money, substance use, religion and spirituality, politics, and meaning in life, but also how to resolve their confl icts around such values and thus promote clients’ living more consistently their highest purposes. Deeply relevant to seasoned counselors and therapists as well as students, this book not only provides practical instruction, but philosophically astute expositions of what values are, their central role in human life, and how the values clarifi cation process can be applied with multicultural sensitivity to diverse populations. It is highly recommended for anyone who practices counseling or psychotherapy.” andre marquis, ph.d., Associate Professor, Dept. of Counseling and Human Development, Warner Graduate School of Education, University of Rochester; author, Th eoretical Models of Counseling and Psychotherapy . “Counseling and psychotherapy is by no means a ‘value free’ enterprise; both clients and mental health professionals have preferred values and beliefs. Furthermore, both profession- als and clients may need help in understanding and clarifying their values in the therapeutic process. Dr. Kirschenbaum has developed an excellent book that not only helps mental pro- fessionals develop the skills necessary to facilitate client value clarifi cation, but also assists professionals in understanding and clarifying their own personal values, and thereby avoid- ing the juxtaposition of those values onto clients in therapy. richard e. watt s, ph.d., University Distinguished Professor of Counseling, Sam Houston State University, immediate past editor of Counseling and Values. “It is not oft en that a book has the potential to truly modify what therapists and counsel- ors do. Th is one does. Kirschenbaum presents a cogent and easily understood framework for working on values in counseling and therapy sessions, along with numerous examples of exercises that therapists and counselors can use in doing so. Th is book is a helpful, compre- hensive, and insightful aid for working with clients’ values as an integral part of counseling and therapy. It is an important resource that all counselors and therapists should read care- fully and utilize its contents in their practice.” david w. johnson, ed.d., Psychotherapist, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, author, Joining Together: Group Th eory and Group Skills, 8th edition . “With this book, I fi nally have a resource on values clarifi cation to offer my students who are contemplating their theoretical orientation. Dr. Kirschenbaum has infl uenced my integrated approach to counseling and will continue to infl uence my students with this valuable book. My students will be more prepared to provide mental health counseling services because they will be armed with practical values clarifi cation strategies to complement the other approaches that our program teaches.” robert h. rice, jr., ph.d., Director of Clinical Internships, Mental Health Counseling Program, St. John Fisher College “Dr. Kirschenbaum’s new book provides a fresh look at values clarifi cation and how concepts can be applied in a variety of counseling and psychotherapy sett ings. Building on his seminal work in the fi eld, Dr. Kirschenbaum provides many useful strategies that can be used in indi- vidual and group work. It is a must read for practitioners who want useful tools for working with client values, goal sett ing, decision-making, and action planning.” lorraine j. guth, ph.d., Professor, Department of Counseling, Indiana University of Pennsylvania “Howard Kirschenbaum meets a vital and insuffi ciently addressed need in the fi eld of coun- seling and psychotherapy by making relevant an issue important to all of our clients—the values by which they live. He makes a compelling case that the process of values clarifi cation and realization in action is critical to the client’s sense of self and functioning. To a large degree, we are our values. Fundamental questions such as “What kind of person do I wish to be? “How do I want to live?” “What is the meaning and purpose of my life?” and “What val- ues do I want to guide my life?” are key to our clients’ making eff ective choices in their lives. Kirschenbaum, one of the founders of the values clarifi cation movement, helps us understand that clarifying values enables clients to identify their priorities, make informed choices, and live with more conviction, meaning, and direction. Further, as clients clarify their values, they live a more grounded life, improve their mental health, and oft en contribute to the well-being of others as well. Th is book is conceptually sound, grounded in research, and convincing in its message that all clients will benefi t from their therapists’ sensitivity to and willingness to assist clients in sorting out and implementing their values. Perhaps the greatest strength of Kirschenbaum’s book is its breadth and richness in providing practical guidelines for the therapist to help clients address their values issues.” david j. cain, ph.d., Psychotherapist, California, editor, Humanistic Psychotherapies: Handbook of Research and Practice . “ Th is well-writt en text is rich with material about values clarifi cation, an eff ective technique designed to help people in making life’s complicated decisions and choices. Th is book will be a great resource for helping professionals in implementing values clarifi cation into the counseling and psychotherapy process.” k. dayle jones, Coordinator, Mental Health Counseling Program, University of Central Florida, Orlando; Chair, ACA DSM-5 Proposed Revisions Task Force. “I began using Values Clarifi cation with adolescent groups over 30 years ago, and now, as a therapist and Counselor Educator, was excited to see this new work focusing on usage with clients, students, and supervisees. Th e text is replete with strategies and case examples appli- cable to a wide variety of populations. Kirschenbaum describes using values clarifi cation not only from the obvious Person-Centered perspective, but also articulates connections for usage from Cognitive Behavioral, Existential, Narrative, Solution Focused, and other perspectives where the concordance might be initially less apparent. In the fi nal chapter, Kirschenbaum att ends to the research citing the effi cacy of values clarifi cation, making this a very comprehensive and accessible handbook.” judi durham, ph.d., Department of Counseling & Family Th erapy, Saint Joseph College, Connecticut; former President, North Atlantic Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. “An elegant presentation of how values clarifi cation, counseling, and psychotherapy can merge to off er us powerful, practical new tools. A treatise both remarkably clear and wise.” merrill harmin, ph.d., Professor Emeritus, Southern Illinois University; author, Values and Teaching . “In my practice, in addition to providing my patients with relevant information, I fi nd that asking good questions to help them clarify their values around health issues increases the likelihood of bett er outcomes. Th is book provides valuable tools for helping professionals to assist their clients to fi nd their authentic selves and ways to realize their intentions to live healthier, fuller lives.” mary miller, m.d., Internal Medicine, Connecticut, author, Value Dilemmas for New and Expecting Parents . “ Th is book is a treasure trove of methods, tools, case studies, and theory, all with the most practical hands-on ways to use them. It is fi lled with originality, creativity, and solid founda- tional thinking. What a gift for a young counselor or therapist, and just as valuable to estab- lished ones. It is the culmination of a lifetime of brilliant teaching, profound counseling, and creative leadership Kirschenbaum has brought to the profession.” sidney b. simon, ed.d., Professor Emeritus, Psychological Education, University of Massachusett s, and coauthor of Values Clarifi cation: A Handbook of Practical Strategies . “Dr. Kirschenbaum, one of the early developers of Values Clarifi cation, describes in clear and accessible language how dozens of Values Clarifi cation strategies can be eff ectively used in the practice of psychotherapy. Th ese strategies rapidly cast a sharp light on unconscious areas of confl ict and inconsistency, and off er a path to their resolution. In my 35 years as a psychotherapist, they have proved their usefulness over and over again.” marianne preger-simon, ed.d., Psychotherapist, Whately, MA, author of Heart by Heart: Mothers and Daughters Listening to Each Other “ Th e author draws upon his extensive professional experience and impeccable qualifi ca- tions as one of the original authors who brought the values clarifi cation movement into prominence in the 1970s. Th e current book clarifi es the history of the approach, process of employing such a strategy in a professional sett ing, and outcomes of such a process, while off ering a wealth of time-tested strategies along with suggestions for implementation. Members of the helping professions will fi nd specifi c examples that relate to the topics of