Journey to Release

Journey to Release is an account of Mo Smith’s extensive experience counselling and co-ordinating a counselling service inside ‘HM Prison X’. The book gives a history of the service and looks at what is involved in a project of this kind, making it a ‘must’ for prison professionals and volunteers everywhere. It also provides an insight into the running of an ‘embedded’ prison counselling service and the clients who use it. A first-hand account, it will be of considerable interest to anyone wishing to learn about the subject, whether as an individual, prison professional, volunteer/potential volunteer, or counselling organizer/provider (including from external agencies). Once a prisoner is released from HMP X there is no further contact so the authors emphasise the importance of counselling that survives the prison setting and thus helps to reduce crime in the future. The book will also be of interest to counsellors and volunteers in a range of other settings in the UK and beyond. Based on practical experience, it focuses wholly on counselling as such (rather, e.g. than psychology/mental health-led aspects, intervention, assessment).


An invaluable explanation of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of counselling in prison. Examines the challenges facing counsellors working with incarcerated clients. Includes disguised prisoner histories, contributions from Governors, other staff, counsellors and clients, and presented in an attractive easy-to-read format.


‘The Counselling Service at HMP X was something I was very proud of while I was Governor. This book tells you all about it’— Michael Wood, Former Governor.

‘A hugely informative work’— Neil Thomas, Prison Governor.