For students and professionals in counseling, Gladding (counseling, Wake Forest U., North America) provides 121 vignettes based on his own experiences and a composite of experiences gleaned from past clients and others. The vignettes recount "critical occurrences" that illustrate facets of what counselors encounter and provide points of reflection for the reader. The one-to-two page vignettes are organized under the following topics: personal growth before counseling, initiation into the profession, finding what works, learning from failure, skills and processes, creativity in counseling, multicultural and spiritual considerations, the influences of colleagues and family, working with groups and families, professional development, developmental considerations, leadership, issues in counseling, and termination. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less