The primary purpose of this volume is to awaken a realization on the part of helping professionals that some people have real-life emotional and psychological distress that cannot be defined or treated, like traditional psychopathological problems. Professionals must identify real-life problems that must be treated if the person is to live successfully. This distress must be differentiated from other forms of psychological and emotional distress. Each of the nine chapters defines the nature and treatment of real-life problems. The first three chapters provide a foundation for understanding the status of treatment for real-life problems. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 explore the normalcy of people's reactions and experience of real-life problems. Chapters 7 and 8 provide the professional helper with general guidelines for treatment of real-life problems, and Chapter 9 is a brief discussion of research and professional development needs. (Contains 99 references.) (SLD)