PrefacePurpose of TextThey brought the fireman (now firefighter) to my school. I wanted to be just like him. They brought the policeman (now police officer)-that's a pretty fun job. I thought. My father, a building contractor, came and talked about building bridges. I was very proud. Maybe I would be a building contractor. The doctor, of course, was very impressive also. But they didn't bring the counselor. In fact, few of us knew about counselor-what they did, who they were. Despite this, I became one. And now. I want the world to know who they are and what they do. That is what this book is abour.After teaching for over thirty years, I have found that new students have a deep desire and longing to be counselors. I have also found their knowledge of the counseling profession to be minimal. It has been my experience that most students understand the importance of listening to a person who is experiencing distress, but know little about the broad knowledge needed to be a counselor or about the important professional, eth ical, and cross-cultural issues that underlie so much of what counselors do. Thus, the purpose of this book is to enlighten students concerning the depth of the counseling pro fession so they can make an informed decision about whether they want to enter it and to help them begin their journey as a professional counselor with important knowledge and skills.Since publication of the first three editions of An Introduction to the Counseling Profession, many reviewers, faculty, and students have remarked that the text is one of the most comprehensive, yet readable, of its kind. Often, faculty and students have suggested that it is a book that could be used when studying for comprehensive exams or when taking a certification or licensing exam. In revising the text I have attempted to maintain its comprehensiveness. In addition, I have updated information to ensure accuracy and relevance and have increasingly added ways for you to electronically access information (e.g., "URLS").