Personal Reflections on Counseling

Book excerpt: “Gerald Corey’s Reflections is an absolute delight! Each chapter is packed with nuggets of wisdom he has gained over the decades. What makes the book particularly engaging is that it invites us into Corey’s inner world and we feel as though we are reading a series of letters from a friend. This book could serve as an excellent supplemental reading in an introductory course or as a useful resource for advanced students as they navigate the complexities of graduate school and look ahead to their careers.” —Barbara Herlihy, PhD, University of Texas at San Antonio “In this inspirational book, Gerald Corey shares his most heartfelt personal reflections and lessons learned as he describes his journey over a 60-year counseling career. He is honest, self-disclosing, humble, and insightful in this compendium that encourages readers to embrace their vision and entertain their dreams. This is a must-read gem that provides an opportunity for counseling students and young professionals to learn from the master.” —Robert Haynes, PhD, Psychologist and author, Borderline Productions In an easy-to-read, question-and-answer format, Dr. Corey provides sage insight on a broad range of topics concerning professional issues, career development, the counseling process, and work-life balance. Responding to an array of questions often asked by students over the years, he uses candid personal examples to highlight key lessons and engage readers in an active process of personal and professional self-reflection on their own journeys. Topical question themes include creating your professional path, mentoring and being a mentee, surviving graduate school, benefiting from personal therapy, focusing on self-care and wellness, becoming an ethical counselor, managing value conflicts in counseling, using self-disclosure therapeutically, dealing with difficult clients, getting the most out of supervision, and becoming a writer. In each chapter, reflection questions encourage readers to consider their own views and experiences related to the questions raised, and recommended readings provide suggestions for further information. Gerald Corey, EdD, ABPP, is professor emeritus of human services and counseling at California State University, Fullerton. *Requests for digital versions from the ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]