A BRIEF ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING provides students with the unique knowledge and skills needed as they begin their journey toward building an identity as a professional counselor. In a concise format, Neukrug addresses the 13 aspects of Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice outlined in the 2016 CACREP Standards, which will form the foundation for students' success in their work. Along the way, he provides real-world advice, vignettes to reflect upon, experiential activities, and case studies that will help students prepare for a career in the helping professions.

Part I: PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF THE COUNSELOR.
1. What Is Counseling and Who Is the Counselor.
2. Professional Associations in Counseling and Related Fields.
3. Characteristics of the Effective Counselor.
Part II: HISTORY AND CURRENT TRENDS IN THE COUNSELING PROFESSION.
4. Predecessors to the Counseling Profession: From Antiquity to Early Social Work, Psychology, and Psychiatry.
5. History of the Counseling Profession.
6. Current Issues and Future Trends in the Counseling Profession.
Part III: STANDARDS IN THE COUNSELING PROFESSION.
7. Accreditation in Counseling and Related Fields.
8. Credentialing in Counseling and Related Fields.
9. Ethics in Counseling.
10. Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice Work: The Fourth and Fifth Forces.
Afterword: Applying to Graduate School and Finding a Job.

A BRIEF ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING provides students with the unique knowledge and skills needed as they begin their journey toward building an identity as a professional counselor. In a concise format, Neukrug addresses the 13 aspects of Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice outlined in the 2016 CACREP Standards, which will form the foundation for students' success in their work. Along the way, he provides real-world advice, vignettes to reflect upon, experiential activities, and case studies that will help students prepare for a career in the helping professions. Although the whole book is revised, the chapters on current issues and ethics have particularly been updated to keep up with current trends, the new ACA ethics code, and CACREP's 2016 Standards concerning Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice. A glossary, which covers all of the major terms highlighted throughout the text, has been added to this edition to facilitate student learning. A BRIEF ORIENTATION TO COUNSELING is unique in that it is concise and brief, yet offers an overview of one of the key areas in counseling -- professional and ethical issues. Organized into three sections -- professional identity, history and current trends, and standards -- the chapters address such topics as what is counseling and who is the counselor?, professional associations in counseling and related fields, characteristics of the effective counselor, accreditation, credentialing, ethics, and multicultural and social justice issues. Vignettes, experiential activities, and case studies pique student interest and illustrate counseling roles, strategies, and practices. An afterword helps students prepare for their futures in the profession as it pertains to job searches and selection, graduate school, and other professional activities.