Skills for Living provides nuts-and-bolts techniques and specific do's and don'ts for leading skill-building counseling groups with elementary students who need extra help learning coping strategies and social skills. Recommended group size is 6 to 8 students.

The book offers clear and simple guidelines for designing, organizing, conducting, and evaluating time-limited counseling groups. It provides step-by-step procedures for running groups on eight topic areas: peacemaking, self-esteem, friendship, divorce issues, grief, anger, responsibility, and citizenship.

The appendices include pretests and posttests, needs assessment forms, sample letters, consent forms, and ethical guidelines for group counselors.