This extensively revised second edition provides a practical framework for offering immediate problem-solving assistance by telephone to persons in crisis. The text offers specific techniques to deal with out-of-control situations with the highly important initial steps to protect the caller, the crisis worker, and the community. The scope of the book includes an overview of counseling by telephone, how to effectively manage crises, how to be supportive verbally and nonverbally, how to accurately assess situations, and how to help create a sense of stability. Part I discusses the varieties of telephone services, while Part II covers crisis intervention and counseling, including telephone therapy, active listening, cognitive therapy approaches, transactional analysis and learned helplessness approaches, as well as Gestalt therapy approaches. Part III discusses a variety of problem callers: the obscene caller, the chronic caller, the silent caller, the nuisance caller, and the one counselor caller. Part IV offers a look at contact beyond the telephone, including crisis intervention by e-mail and letter. Part V views the roles of telephone counselors, such as the mental health professional, the nonprofessional crisis worker, selecting telephone counselors, and training crisis workers. Finally, Part VI summarizes and evaluates todays telephone counseling services. This book serves as a comprehensive tool for those setting up telephone counseling services and those in charge of centers already operating, especially in training and supervising those on the front lines, the crisis interveners. Each chapter contains a list of references. (Author/GCP)