Basic counseling HAIVN Havard Medical School AIDS Initiative

Basic counseling HAIVN Havard Medical School AIDS Initiative in Vietnam 1

Learning objectives By the end of this session, participants should be able to: n Present concept, objectives and general principles of counseling n Distinguish counseling and health communication / health education n List the 6 steps of the counseling process 2

What is counseling? n n An interactive process between counselor and counselee A way to assist and provide information to counselees so they can: • Develop self-sufficiency • Find solutions and resolve problems independently • Feel more confident when acting on decisions they have made 3

Counseling is not: n n Teaching or n A conversation commanding n An interview Giving n A confession n A request / plea recommendations 4

Goals of counseling Focus on counselees in order to: n n meet counselees’ needs solve specific problem according to each counselee’s situation 5

The essentials of counseling (1) n n n The process of interaction, collaboration and the impact of counselor on counselee Primary goal of counseling Self-reliance and personal responsibility of counselee 6

The essentials of counseling (2) n In communications with the counselee, the counselor should consider the counselee’s: • Cultural and social context • Willingness / readiness to change n How a counselor poses questions, supplies information, from that: • consider the alternatives • develop action plans 7

HIV/AIDS counseling should target… n Individuals who may be experiencing difficulties: • • • People living with HIV or their relatives People with high-risk behaviors Injection drug users and their relatives Medical staff with occupational exposure … 8

The purpose of the counseling n Help counselees: • understand their situation • look for and choose the appropriate solutions to problems n Change: • Counselees’ perceptions through providing information • Counselees’ behaviors 9

Counseling and Communication(1) Counseling Health Education Between 1 counselor and 1 counselee Between 1 group of counselors and 1 person/group of people Private, confidential, secret Communicating and encouraging Orientation to Problems counselee initiates/ Orientation to content counselor goes to 10

Counseling and Communication (2) Counseling • Ease counselee’s mind, help 1 person solve 1 particular problem • Provide information to change attitudes and promote behavior change Health Education • Provide information and raise awareness for many people (generally) • Improve knowledge to educate 11

General principles of counseling (1) 1. 2. 3. Respect the feelings and values of counselee Do not judge, sermonize, or force counselee to follow the opinion of the counselor Express empathy by learning more about the counselee's specific circumstances 12

General principles of counseling (2) 4. Maintain confidentiality: • 5. Be patient: • • 6. never disclose counselee’s information do not rush counselee allow time for counselee to consider his/ her situation Recognize your limitations: • • May not know all information or how to directly assist counselee Be able to provide counselee with 13 reliable contact information for

Counseling process Counseling usually has 3 stages • counselor meets counselee for first time Beginning • counselor should lay the foundation for trust • Establish counseling relationship between counselor and counselee Development • counselor helps counselee realize “issue” End • Counseling relationship between the counselor and counselee ends • counselee is clearly aware of his/ her problems and has solutions

Steps of counseling Welcome • Quickly observe, assess counselee’s mood Ask information • Identify counselee’s problems Provide information Help Explain Follow up • Provide accurate, appropriate and necessary information for counselee • Help counselee understand the exact nature of the problem and how to choose the appropriate solution independently • Explain clearly and provide adequate information on solutions that counselee has chosen • Make an appointment with counselee to assess the outcome and counsel further as

Key points n n n Counseling should focus on the central problem Counseling is different from health communication or health education Counselors need to: • Clearly understand the concept of counseling • Follow the general principles of the 6 step counseling process • Pay attention to their own emotions which could interfere with objectivity / ability to counsel 16

Thank you! Question ? 17