Counselling Positive MSM - The Aims and Purpose

The aims of counselling or helping a client are based on the needs of the client. But only the client can make that difference: the counsellor is merely an instrument to facilitate that process of change.

The purpose of counselling twofold:

To help clients manage their problems more effectively and develop unused or underused opportunities to cope more fully with HIV
To help and empower clients to become more effective self helpers in the future

To this purpose, the counselling aims

To provide and support, enabling them to understand and to cope with the knowledge that they are infected with HIV.
To discuss and clarify any misconceptions regarding HIV transmission risk to partners associated with specific sexual activities.
To stress the importance of for accessing medical services to help them obtain treatment
To help find solutions to any discrimination they may face as a result of being infected with HIV.
To enable, should they wish to, to have an active sexual life without passing the infection on to anyone else.
Developing strategies to increase adherence to antiretroviral therapy and therapeutic treatment regimens.
Education to help prevent the onward transmission of HIV and address strategies to prevent other sexually transmitted infections then from getting infected with other sexually transmitted diseases.
To enable them to lead full and healthy lives.

Types of Counselling Strategies offered by CG

Telephone Counselling. Once someone learns they have HIV from the clinic or from their test, or after a while living with HIV, when they realise that they cannot cope on their own, they can get in contact with a CG HIV counsellor who will speak to them on the telephone. Some need a bit of time feeling and building the trust between then counsellor and the client. Normally the facts of transmission and general question of HIV care and support is discussed.
Face-to-face Counselling. Encounters between counsellor and them are arranged in a place that is private and that the person feels comfortable talking. These counselling session may go one several times until the client is feel ready of at ease to join a group counselling session with others infected with HIV.
Cell Group Counselling. This a special 10 session programme for newly diagnose Positive MSM in a small group setting. (See Cell Group for Newly Diagnosed)