The central lessons of this book are framed on one side by a theoretical overview in which essential therapeutic concepts and techniques are synthesized, and on the other side by a detailed review of frequently encountered concerns such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, couple/marital issues, and psychopharmacology. From the general to the specific, Good and Beitman keep their discussion grounded in the core processes of psychotherapy--engagement, pattern search, change, and termination--that facilitate therapeutic change.

In Counseling and Psychotherapy Essentials, students have a textbook that seamlessly connects their classroom experience with their actual work with clients, preparing them to be effective clinicians.