It is increasingly recognised that the strength of the bond between counsellor and client is the best indicator of a good outcome for the client. The theoretical model employed by the counsellor matters less than the relationship the counsellor can build with each individual client. Yet first year counselling students continue to be taught about different models of therapy and specialised approaches supposedly needed by clients with different problems. The result is often confusion and uncertainty, and many ‘trained counsellors’ graduate without a solid grasp of how to form an authentic relationship with any client. Unlike most texts, A Safe Place for Change focusses squarely on the therapeutic relationship. Skills are presented in terms of their contribution to the relationship. Theories and models are referred to throughout, but the authors emphasise what the different approaches have in common, rather than the specialised terminology that often makes them seem more different than they actually are.