• Applying a multidimensional approach, which not only acknowledges all the dimensions of an individual’s experiences, but also suggests that any responses by practitioners need to be multidimensional, addressing both cause and consequence. 
• Drawing on practitioner experiences this book looks at diverse and uncontrollable settings as expected components of practice, rather than as surprises that interrupt a more controlled counselling approach.
• Thinking beyond the first point of contact, this book identifies skills across a range of human service work encounters so that you can move beyond the first interview or the first contact point to your assessment formulations and intervention planning.
• Practising in a critical, reflective way, scenarios and exercises encourage you to think about your own communication style and your approaches to practice with people: how it has developed over your life course, the ways in which it impacts on communication with others.

• New chapter exploring mindfulness skills for social work practice which are relevant not only to our direct work with clients, but also to ourselves for our own self-care 
• Integrated case scenarios across many chapters so that you can see the development of skills and interventions, and the diversity of approaches that our practice theories provide us with
• Discussion of ethical decision-making as part of our everyday practice
• Exploration of confidentiality, particularly in relation to situations when it may need to be breached
• Culturally safe practice is given more emphasis throughout the text
• Links with the application of skills in group work and family practice

Part 1: Framing the Relationship

Chapter 1: Working Towards Change

Experiences of human adversity 

Why do we have human services? 

Who is involved in human service work? 

Core values in the client–social worker relationship 

Transforming values into practice 

Chapter 2: Understanding Communication and Change 

Understanding communication 

Communication as a process 

Verbal communication processes

Non-verbal communication processes

Individual and collective communication processes

Chapter 3: Theorising Communication and Change 

The influences on our listening

Paradigms and worldviews 

Theoretical knowledge 

Factual knowledge 

Stages of change 

Consumer perspectives 

Practice knowledge or wisdom

A multidimensional approach

Part 2: Forming the Relationship

Part 3: Focusing your Communication 

Part 4: Focusing Your Interventions: Skills for Theoretically Informed Practice 

Part 5: Finishing the Work