I think you're getting some great advice here--wish I had this kind of feedback when I was starting out. It's typical for beginners to focus on dissecting people's problems and looking for root causes; based on what we see on television and in movies, it's easy to think that therapy works becuase of the brilliant insights of the therapist. The research paints a different picture, though. When people change in therapy, only about 15% of that change is due to your techniques, interpretations, etc. Another 15% is due to expectancy (a concept that is roughly equivalent to hope and placebo). 30% is due to the therapist's relationship with the client. And finally, a whopping 40% is due to whatever else is happening in the client's life outside of therapy.

Focus on active listening and communication skills. A big part of being a therapist is sitting across from another human being and entering into their world. All the theories and insights and diagnostic stuff that you'll learn in classes and books will be helpful, but it's got to run in the background while the biggest part of you is just with the other person.

Since you asked for specific reading suggestions, here goes--
Start with The Heroic Client and everything on www.talkingcure.com; over the next several years, you're going to be bombarded with books and (more influentally) professors who are going to tell you that their theory is the real one--the one that really explains how it all works. It's tempting and comforting to buy into that, but having a good background in common factors will help keep you grounded.

On Becoming a Person Carl Rogers
The Interpretation Of Dreams Freud
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Handbook David Burns
Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond Judith Beck
Using Reality Therapy Robert Wubbolding
Motivational Interviewing Miller & Rollnick
Gestalt Therapy Verbatim Fritz Perls
Theory and Practice of Group Therapy Irvin Yalom
Foundations of Family Therapy Lynn Hoffman
In Search of Solutions O'Hanlon & Weiner-Davis
Man and His Symbols Jung
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion Bob Cialdini

Don't limit yourself to just reading psych--get into neuroscience, suicidology, or whatever interests you. (And don't be intimidated by the books on the medical shelf--with a little science background, anyone can read and understand books written for doctors.

Also don't limit yourself to books. Get into the library and read journals. Pick from all different psychological approaches.

This is stuff I wish someone would've told me when I was getting started. Good luck.