This book provides a comprehensive‎,‎ accessible and research‎-informed approach to personal development issues associated with the role of a counsellor‎,‎ therapist or mental health practitioner‎.‎ Written by leading authors in the field‎,‎ the book is designed to help both trainees and experienced therapists to be more effective in their work with clients by‎:‎ Deepening and consolidating their understanding of all aspects of personal and professional development Making use of their personal strengths‎,‎ resources and life experience Drawing on colleagues‎,‎ mentors and the wider professional community as sources of learning‎,‎ support and inspiration‎.‎ The first part of the book explains the nature of the personal and professional development issues that are experienced by therapists‎.‎ The second part provides a set of learning tasks that invite reflection on all aspects of therapist development‎.‎ ‎"‎John and Julia McLeod have written a superb text that not only presents a strong and coherent case for the importance of personal development for therapists‎,‎ but also provides a range of activities to stimulate the reader‎'‎s own reflective development process‎.‎ A scholarly examination of the developmental path of the practitioner which is firmly grounded in research‎,‎ this book is a rich personal development resource for students‎,‎ practitioners and lecturers‎.‎‎"‎ Mark Widdowson‎,‎ Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy‎,‎ University of Salford‎,‎ UK ‎"‎This is a great resource textbook for trainee practitioners‎,‎ trainers‎,‎ supervisors in counselling‎,‎ psychotherapy and mental health ‎- and for anyone interested in personal and professional development in the helping professions‎.‎ The breadth and depth of John and Julia McLeod‎'‎s encyclopaedic knowledge is evident in this book‎.‎ Wise sages indeed‎,‎ they offer ‎'‎voices of wisdom and reason‎'‎ for those entering the helping professions‎.‎ Their guidance will help still the inner angst that is an inevitable part of practitioner training and working as a helper‎.‎ The book offers an excellent resource for counselling‎,‎ psychotherapy and mental health trainers‎,‎ with rich resources to inform student and tutor work‎.‎ I highly recommend this valuable addition to the resource and knowledge base‎.‎‎"‎ Lynne Gabriel‎,‎ Associate Professor‎,‎ York St John University‎,‎ UK ‎"‎A fantastic book‎!‎ This is a comprehensive‎,‎ engaging and valuable resource that integrates theory and research in an accessible and relevant way‎.‎ This book approaches a complex and often poorly articulated facet of professional training both practically and effectively‎.‎ The personal learning tasks bring an added dimension to the book‎,‎ inviting the reader on a journey of self‎-discovery and challenge‎.‎ This book has relevance for a broad range of psychotherapeutic orientations and mental health roles and is an essential read for practitioners at all stages of their professional journey‎.‎‎"‎ Steff Revell‎,‎ Lecturer‎,‎ Counselling and Psychotherapy‎,‎ University of Cumbria‎,‎ UK ‎"‎This book offers an invaluable resource for counselling trainers and students alike‎.‎ It succinctly maps out the terrain of personal and professional development and the importance of these concepts for practice‎.‎ As a counselling trainer‎,‎ I found the exercises and learning tasks contained in the book an excellent source of ideas for encouraging student reflection‎.‎ As a practitioner‎,‎ it reminded me of the importance of attending to my own ‎'‎stuff‎'‎‎,‎ of the continuing process of learning to be more in touch with my flawed humanity such that I can be more available to my clients‎.‎‎"‎ Brian Rodgers‎,‎ Lecturer in Counselling‎,‎ The University of Queensland‎,‎ Australia