Robert L Lang

Helping Foundations Robert L Lang

As a supervisor, manager, counselor and educator in the helping professions since 1983, I have often found that we fail to grasp the importance of the fundamental foundations of helping. This book highlights the interpersonal and social based helping skills that are the core elements required to form all effective helping relationships. If we could elicit and engage others in the helping system with empathy and empowerment then all of our encounters could serve a higher purpose. We can get a glimpse of the true nature of these helping relationships as seen through the eyes of those that have done it best. Mother Teresa said, "The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it. Nelson Mandela declared, "There can be no greater gift than that of giving one's time and energy to helping others without expecting anything in return." Mahatma Gandhi stated, "See the good in people and help them." Carl Rogers replied, "The only person that cannot be helped is that person who blames others." Ben Franklin said, "When I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favors, but as paying debts." The reverend Desmond Tutu added, "Your ordinary acts of love and hope point to the extraordinary promise that every human life is of inestimable value."