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Basic counseling
HAIVNHavard Medical School AIDS
Initiative in Vietnam
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By the end of this session, participants should be able to:Present concept, objectives and general principles of counselingDistinguish counseling and health communication / health educationList the 6 steps of the counseling process
Learning objectives
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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
What is counseling?
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Teaching or
commanding
Giving
recommendations
A conversation
An interview
A confession
A request / plea
Counseling is not:
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Focus on counselees in order to: meet counselees’ needs
solve specific problem according to each counselee’s situation
Goals of counseling
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The process of interaction, collaboration and the impact of counselor on counselee
Primary goal of counseling
Self-reliance and personal responsibility of counselee
The essentials of counseling (1)
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In communications with the counselee, the counselor should consider the counselee’s:• Cultural and social context• Willingness / readiness to change
How a counselor poses questions, supplies information, from that:• consider the alternatives• develop action plans
The essentials of counseling (2)
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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 • …
HIV/AIDS counseling should target…
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Help counselees:• understand their situation• look for and choose the appropriate
solutions to problems Change:
• Counselees’ perceptions through providing information
• Counselees’ behaviors
The purpose of the counseling
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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 Orientation to content
counselee initiates/ seeks counseling
counselor goes to community
Counseling and Communication(1)
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Counseling Health Education
• Ease counselee’s mind, help 1 person solve 1 particular problem
• Provide information to change attitudes and promote behavior change
• Provide information and raise awareness for many people (generally)
• Improve knowledge to educate
Counseling and Communication (2)
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1. Respect the feelings and values of counselee
2. Do not judge, sermonize, or force counselee to follow the opinion of the counselor
3. Express empathy by learning more about the counselee's specific circumstances
General principles of counseling (1)
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4. Maintain confidentiality:• never disclose counselee’s information
5. Be patient:• do not rush counselee• allow time for counselee to consider his/ her
situation6. Recognize your limitations:
• May not know all information or how to directly assist counselee
• Be able to provide counselee with reliable contact information for resources / referral services
General principles of counseling (2)
Counseling process
Counseling usually has 3 stages
Steps of counseling
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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
Key points
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Thank you!Question ?