A Journey into Counseling

About the Book

A Journey into Counseling was designed to help beginner counselors, teachers, parents, social workers, and others with understanding, as well as identifying behaviors and how to deal with them. It’s taking actual hands on experience and putting it in examples that can be easily understood and used in a variety of situations. We cover a lot of different areas in this book from behaviors to feelings which are connected to each other in many different ways. We look at ways we communicate so as to better understand how we want to be heard while learning to understand what others want us to hear as well. You will get to compare different styles of counseling from positive peer culture environment, to a behavior modification program, and one on one counseling. We will look at natural consequences vs. punishments, passive aggressiveness, Life space interviews, and role playing. We will cover pro’s and con’s and how to set up a goal monitor how your currently doing and what you need to do to obtain your goal you set. We will discuss what makes a great counselor and the characteristics that go along with. There are different type of leaders we will look at as well as common problems for beginner counselors. Teachers deal with troubled youth in school frequently and this book helps them look at the students differently instead of just another problem child. If you’re a teacher this book can give you the edge because you learn to communicate in different ways and are able to use a positive peer culture that being the other students. When I went to school which seems to be along time ago. I remember certain teachers that stood out they never had problems with the students. They presented themselves in a manor that if you challenged them they would make you look stupid by reversing everything back on you. Which is actually putting your behaviors in check by making you responsible for your own actions. The teachers were also well respected teachers they showed the students that they cared and enjoyed being around them. They were not seen as just there to get a pay check. Parents can learn a lot from this book too because the children that are in group homes and youth shelters are children that for the most part do not respect authority or at least have issues with their parents. This book can help you learn to identify behaviors and express appropriate feelings both for you as well as your child. This is not to minimize or excuse their behavior but to help understand it and find the cause of why they are doing what they are doing. Social workers can use this book to better understand all the elements that go into counseling. Social workers have a tough job and normally do not get the credit that they so often deserve and some of the social workers may have training in counseling in some degree, but for those that don’t or are new in the field this book may help you look at one of the students you have placed in a group home and see that they are appropriately placed. Is the student going to benefit from one on one counseling or do they need a positive peer group environment. Do the counselors have experience dealing with these students, and are they successful? Do the staff present themselves professionally or are there staff issues and concerns. My book covers a lot that can help guide you as well as help you come up with your own challenges. For all of you out there reading this book, this book is a tool that will help you at the beginning in the middle and at the end of your Journey. Like I said I am a Correctional Officer now but those skills I use every day when dealing with inmates, especially respect.

About the Author

My name is Timothy Amdahl. I am currently a Correctional Officer with the Illinois Department of Corrections. I Worked 4 and a half years as a youth counselor , and team leader supervisor with Forest Ridge, a group home in Iowa, as well as with Youth Service International, and Midwest Christian Children Services. I worked with positive peer culture environments, as well as behavioral modification programs, and sexual perpetrators unit. I was certified in Crisis Prevention Intervention and Mandatory Abuse Reporting. I am currently a member of the Masons, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Harley Owners Group.