reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 4
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
CHALLENGES IN COUNSELING THE
ADOLESCENT
During the counseling session, there are
two actors: The counselor and the
adolescent. Just as the counselor’s
personal characteristics and skills can
facilitate or hinder the process, so can
the adolescent’s behavior or mood.
The following are some situations that
require appropriate handling:
• Silence: Silence can be a sign of
shyness, anger, or anxiety.
−
If it occurs at the beginning of a
session, the provider can say, “I
realize it’s hard for you to talk.
This often happens to people who
come for the first time.”
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
TRAINER PRESENTATION (20 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Present the content on the left-hand
side of the page.
• Ask Px if they have any questions or
comments.
UNIT SUMMARY (5 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Summarize the unit content.
• Link content to the next session.
−
−
−
If s/he seems angry, the
counselor can say, “Sometimes
when someone comes to see me
against her/his will and doesn’t
want to be here, it is difficult to
speak. Is that what is going on”
If the client is shy, the provider
can legitimize the feeling by
saying, “I’d feel the same way in
your place. I understand that it’s
not easy to talk to a person you’ve
just met.”
If the adolescent has difficulty
expressing her/his feelings or
ideas, the counselor can use
some brochures or posters to
encourage discussion or refer to a
story or anecdote so the
adolescent can talk about others
rather than her/himself.
Pathfinder International
58
Adolescent Curriculum