In traditional educational training, school personnel have not been prepared to deal with the challenging problems that they must too often face: gangs, violence, sexual abuse, addictions, and other problems. Step-by-step instructions for dealing with such challenges are offered in this text. Designed for school counselors and teachers who use counseling skills in their daily interactions, the book provides educators with a model for understanding why some students appear to be so resistant, unmotivated, and difficult. Based on the literature and on extensive interviews with counselors in the field, numerous strategies are offered for school personnel. Chapter 1 examines those students who counselors see as being most difficult and offers ways to identify these students. Chapter 2 looks at why some children act so belligerently. Chapter 3 helps the reader to look inward before exploring creative ways to break an impasse. Chapter 4 contains a catalog of things that counselors can do differently and provides rules of engagement. Chapter 5 deals with difficult colleagues and suggests ways to approach them. The text concludes with a review of major concepts. (Contains 22 references and an index.) (RJM)