Handbook of the Orphan Ministry
at the LBS Mwika (HUYAMWI)
paper 6: ÒCounselling
in the situation of HIV-AIDSÓ - Christian
Lay Counsellors
Released 20.12.04 Ð Source: Klaus Temme, Germany[1]
Recommandations of the workshop-group in regard to church-staff
a)
planning
a project
b)
undergirding
an existing project
c)
adding
the aspect of christian/spiritual counselling to the existing project
-how
to recruit volunteers / whom to watch out for
-
checking the chances includes the question, whether local Ôwise personsÕ can be
integrated somehow in a CLC-project
-how
to enhance networking and not competing among groups: Wise people/pastors/lay
counsellors could make up for synergetic effects
-how
to rely on indigenous/local resources; 'own' counselling traditions and persons
-how
to train
them / which contents [f.e. --aids-basics --- basic counselling ÔattitudesÕ --
basic training in 'pastoral' care and its tools -- basic psychological
knowledge in regard to mental crisises, depression, suicide, Ôstages of the
dyingÕ -- using role-play /
intervision / work with case reports for integrating these different
layers....]
-what
are the main required attitudes, f.e listening etc.
-how
to avoid 'traps' in the work the CLCs do [f.e. not overwhelming somebody..]
-how
to give great attention to the respective language/tradition/cultur; i.e. to
give specific attention, if 'cross-/inter-cultural aspects are involved in the
working field
-how
to built up a local information system; how to use existing systems to get to
know the persons who might want to be visited
-how
to deal with 'time' lay-counsellors can/should put in; their availability
-how
to guarantee that the CLCs take care of themselfves: not to put on too much
burden
-how
to take care of (physical) security
-how
to enhance self-esteem of being a lay-but-spiritual counsellor
-how
to raise/enlarge acceptance and public recognition for CLCs (see below)
-
how to set up the programm as a supervised acitivity of the church
-how to find and/or qualify persons/supervisors[2]
for this task [i.e. f.e.: to be aware of the CLCsÕ abilities, capacities, limitations
(Òless is moreÓ sometimes)É, among others]
-how
to assess the job done; how to set up quality standards for CLCs
The ÒTriangleÓ
in regard to Counselling in the Sub-sahara-area
HIV /AIDS
christian
pastor
wise
man/
Spiritual dimension
woman
christian
lay
counsellor
CLC
if
those three work together
they
will succeed !
The
traditional Ôwise-person-systemÕ failed in responding to the ÔnewÕ endemic of
AIDS; so all the thrust was given to educational goals.
The present situation of pastors and churches in relating to these traditional
persons was called Ôirritated/irritatingÕ in the group.
The question whether or not these traditional people could be ÔintegratedÕ in
church/Christian projects has to be decided on a local level, knowing the
persons implied!
ÒWhat a Christian Lay Counsellor has Ôto take withÕ
when visiting a PLW-HIV/Aids[3]
the first timeÓ
- try to be aware of psycho-social aspects involved [ f.e. concepts of mourning, death, illness; concepts of showing feelings of anger and hurt, pain, guilt and disgust; concepts about showing feelings to the outside at all. Watch out, if those concepts within you, within within your vicinity, within the patient, within his vicinity may be different!]
- make an assessment of the overall situation you encounter before or when starting the call
- it is ok and natural for you to be nervous at the first call!!
- the question should be answered Òwhy am I here?Ó [i.e. in this project; doing this call.]
- what are your first steps to create a rapport [an appropriaste ÔclimateÕ]
- try to become aware for needs of the PLWH [f.e. material aspects, physical needs, social circumctances]
- state the purpose of your visit clearly Ð look out for an agreement on the side of the PLW (if this is culurally ok, to do so)
- try to be able to ask short and simple questions
- try to be listening and accepting
- do you want to speak / do you dare to speak about the illness? Be cautious to raise this topic from your side. Be cautious to raise the question of a test from your side.
- after having built up the contact, you can try to find out,
whether the PLWH is a Christian or not (unless you know him/her).
a) if he/she is, you can introduce topics of faith, trust in God, religious matters, biblical aspects, prayer, Scripture [Òbe careful Ð not too carefulÓ ]
b) if he/she is not: think about offering a prayer / asking for agreement to do so [non-Chistians have spiritual needs, too] - if the PLWH wants to speak about life after death, be prepared about your own position; try to share it friendly [perhaps you may want to call in a pastor,too]
- be aware that it is necessary for you to have matching what you preach and what you live: ÒChrist has no hands, but your handsÓ; without the ÔundividedÕ personal presence of the Christian Lay Counsellor the presence of God cannot be communicated.
- turn to your supervisor for help, even if seems rather Ôlittle thingsÕ to ask
- since it is a voluntary activity, you should freely decide on how much time, how much availability you are able to put in; feel free to set limits Ð or even to leave the project when time has come
Spiritual dimensions
which Christian Lay Counsellors
can offer
affirming GodÕs love
laying hands on
caring for spiritual needs
(cure of soul)
helping people in suffering, not to go on running away from God, but to try to
turn closer to him
go with them on an inner Ôhealing journeyÕ
blessings
prayers
scripture reading and interpreting
making contact to institutions (like Ôcall a bible-versÕ)
Support the Supporters
or even ÔCounselling the CounsellorsÕ
[Recommandations of the workshop-group in regard to church-staff]
we
strongly recommend for the respective Church-Staff
to
reflect the following issues before setting up a CLC-project
--
how to establish a system / way of public recognition and appreciation of the
CLC [either in the church or in the local community; using rituals in the
public community Ðby the mayor; using church rituals in the parish Ð like a
Ôsendig outÕ, ÔordinationÕ, blessing of this work]
--how to
establish a mutual support Ð system (f.e. peer-group / supervision group / informal
support)
--how
to guarantee that the CLC do not feel Ôto work aloneÕ, but that they are
working in a network, when actually working as CLC, and supported by a support
group, when looking out for this other ÔsphereÕ
--how
to guarantee the 'open'-space to cry, to do grief work etc.. for the CLC
him/herself
--how
to go on with qualifying / training / ongoing education, to keep up the mood
and selfesteem or the CLC and a feeling for the quality of their work
--how
to deal with / avoid / stop 'burn out syndrom' [if there is such a reality]
When Ðin our group- we applied the method of Intervision (see below) the group came up with these results in how they felt supported as supporters:
‰ helps to ÒcalmÓ (down) yourself a little
‰ gives peer support
‰ enhances listening attitude
‰ gives ÒanalysingÓ support
‰ brings in some ÒdistanceÓ
‰ is sharing of (mutual) ÒstupidityÓ
‰ is a help for an emotional drain off
‰ helps to become aware of cultural differences
‰ helps to deal with the complexity (to break it down into smaller parts)
‰ enables awarness and reflexion of ÒrolesÓ
Training methods
Role Ð
playing
It is a method of
training. The roles taken and the situations that were chosen for the moment, -
they are ÔfictionalÕ; but they should be taken from the general ÔrealityÕ of
the work done by CLCs.
Role-playing is
usually very intensive and ÔrealÕ because it includes self-experience of the
involved people, especially on an emotional level.
You need more
persons than you would need for the technique of intervision (see below)
because you need role players [usually several, like the PLWH, the CLC and perhaps members of the
family or friendsÉ], observers and an experienced leader.
The leader helps
to arrange the setting, watches the ÔrulesÕ and moderates the evaluation
and discussion when the actual
Ôrole-playÕ ended.
In asseigning
observations tasks there are two possible ways:
a) for every role player you asseign one
observer who focusses on the ÔbehaviourÕ and the emotions of the given person.
b) you asseign different group-members to
different tasks of observation, like observing gender-aspects, intercultural
aspects, aspects of faith and religion, aspects of family-influence, aspects of
money/work etc.
It is useful to
have one observer for the communication process between the Ôrole-playersÕ, too
[observation questions might be like this: did the interaction go on fluently?
Where, when and between whom - and why have there been ÔdisturbancesÕ ore
interferences.]
[VARIATION: The leader stops the role-play at a
certain (critcal/crucial) point and invites the observers to tell their
impressions (1st step) and then to discuss them (2nd
step) for a given time; the role players only listen and then continue the play. This variation is called Ò work
with a reflecting teamÓ; its origin is family-counselling with a group of
counsellors: one person counsels, the others ÒreflectÓ.]
At the beginning
of the evalutation-phase
of the role-play-session every observer tells his/her impressions/observations
(see above).
Then the ÔplayersÕ
share their experiences, emotions, thoughts, irritations which had appeared
during the play.
Only when theses
steps are accomplished, the group-leader may start a more general discussion
and exchange of views and arguments.
Please, obstain
from judging as much as possible! Please express all observations,
remarks, comments (even critical
ones) on a very high level of esteem of the other!
Note:
confidentiality among the role-playing group (all members) has to be assured!
Note: the role-players
have to identify themselves with their role! But after the play has ended, it
is absolutely necessary, that the players Òstep outÓ of their roles and move to
the discussion level (Òmeta-levelÓ) Ð in self-distance to their former ÔroleÕ!
Role playing is a method suitable
for exercising and improving
behaviour/attitudes necessary for counselling
Training methods
INTERvision (peer-counselling group)
is a certain technique of case-study work in a small group,
existing of three or four people (here in our setting of CLCs).
Confidentiallity has to be assured!
No information that can be identified, must be given to the ÕoutsideÕ!
One of the group members presents a case by reporting/telling,
a second one listens, asks, tries to understand, gives comments, advices, helps to identify the problem of the counsellee Ð or the problem which causes the peer-group member to tell this case-story here in the group,
and the third and/or fourth one observe(s) the communication process between the other two.
After (about) 15 min. the conversation may be stopped by the observer;
He starts telling his/her impressions; this should include a focus on the counselling attitude/behaviour of the ÔsecondÕ person and his/her actions and reactions.
In all this the ÔobserverÕ should try to respond without judging.
Now the roles have to be changed, - the ÔsecondÕ person becomes the ÔpresenterÕ of a case and the others decide who counsels and who observes.
Everyone should have the opportunity to present a case if he/she wants to.
Intervision is a method suitable
as well for exercising and improving
behaviour/attitudes necessary for counselling
as for getting support in ÔdifficultÕ
cases or in moments of ÔneedÕ on the side of the CLC.