"Loving every page as I devour every word. I'm sure you've heard this many times; you're insight is profound, challenging and stirring. By the time I had reached page 40, I had two huge realizations of my own regarding family of origin issues. I welcomed the tears of healing." - D.R., Canada As an easy-to-understand guide to counseling and listening skills, this book is for the average caring person. While providing a basic overview, the ideas and descriptions guide the reader above the basic level while maintaining a clear explanation of how counseling works. The treasure of practical skills and concepts will assist both the student and the interested lay person looking for ways to help friends and family who face common and difficult life challenges. The range of the situations includes grief and loss, solving conflict, marriage and relationships, dealing with depression, healing childhood experiences affecting adult life, and much more. The style of the manual is conversational with numerous examples of the wording of helpful statements. The motivated reader will learn how to be a healing listener and what to say to someone who is crying, how to help a person arrive at solutions to problems, and how to become assertive. This book has a healing effect simply by reading it.