COUNSELING: WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

1
COUNSELING WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

• ITS SCOPE, UTILITY AND LIMITATIONS

2
COUNSELING

• COUNSELING IS NOT
• TEACHING FACTS AND DATA
• TELL PEOPLE HOW TO PROCEED
• PRESCRIPTION OF APPROPRIATE PRACTICES AND
  BEHAVIORS

3
COUNSELING

• COUNSELING IS
• A CONFIDENTIAL DIALOGUE
• AN INTERVENTION TO DEAL WITH FEELINGS
• A STRATEGY TO DEVELOP PERSONAL PLANS OF LIFE

4
COUNSELING

• COUNSELING HELPS
• TO DISSIPATE FEARS AND
• TO DIMINISH ANXIETY, ANGER OR
• PARALYZING FRUSTRATION
• IT PROVIDES ELEMENTS
• FOR MAKING
• FUNCTIONAL DECISIONS

5
COUNSELING

• COUNSELING IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL PERSONAL
  COMMUNICATION INTERVENTION IN
• HEALTH CARE SETTINGS
• IT IS AN INTERACTION THAT
• SHOULD INSPIRE THE CLIENT TO MAKE HER/HIS BEST
  DECISIONS.
• THUS, IT IS MORE ABOUT GUIDANCE, ORIENTATION THAN
  PRESCRIPTION

6
COUNSELING

• THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF
• COUNSELING ARE
• SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT
• RISK ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING TO REDUCE THESE
  RISKS
• COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF LIFE
• REFERRAL

7
COUNSELING

• COUNSELING ALSO INVOLVES DELIVERY
• OF RELEVANT INFORMATION. THIS HELPS
• TO ATTAIN
• NORMALIZATION OF FEELINGS
• UNDERSTANDING OF PRACTICES TO REDUCE RISK AND
  PREVENT FURTHER PROBLEMS
• UNDERSTANDING OF THE GAMUT OF OPTIONS ONE HAS,
  WITH THEIR PROS AND CONS

8
COUNSELING

• THE ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE GOOD QUALITY
  COUNSELING ARE
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• MEET THE PERSONS NEEDS, WHAT MATTERS IS HER/HIS
  AGENDA NOT THE COUNSELORS
• EMPOWERS THE CLIENT TO TAKE CONTROL AND TO MAKE
  VITAL DECISIONS

9
THE ROUTE FOR COUNSELING I

• RECOGNITION OF FEELINGS EMOTIONS
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THESE FEELINGS
• REDUCTION OF ANXIETY
• PROVISION OF RELEVANT, APPROPRIATE INFORMATION

10
THE ROUTE FOR COUNSELING II

• JOINT ANALYSIS OF OPTIONS (PROS/CONS)
• OFFERING OF ADDITIONAL OPTIONS (MENU)
• ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEMS, CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE
  REFERRAL
• PROVISION OF ORIENTATION (CONCRETE DIRECTIONS)
  AND SUPPORT

11
COUNSELING FOR PREVENTION OF MTCT

• IT INVOLVES SOME SPECIFIC ISSUES
• RELATIONSHIP WITH PARTNER
• DISREGARD FOR OWN WELL BEING
• WHOS DECISION?
• CONTRACEPTION, INTERRUPTION OF PREGNANCY, USE OF
  ARV, BREASTFEEDING
• AFTER PROPHYLAXIS WHAT?

12
COUNSELING IS AT THE CROSSROADS

• PROMOTION OF COUNSELING
• REQUIRES THAT
• NECESSARY RESPONSES BE IN PLACE
• TO MEET PUBLIC DEMANDS
• COUNSELING IS A SERIOUS
• INTERVENTION THAT REQUIRES
• SKILLS, SENSITIVITY, EMPATHY, TACT,
• AND THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE