Some providers appreciate having a memory aid to remind them
of essential components of a counseling session. Examples of
two such memory aids follow. These acronyms use the first letter
of an English word to help the provider remember an approach
to family planning counseling.
One acronym is GATHER. In it, each letter stands for the major
activity in the logical sequence of steps for counseling:
- G – greet
- A – ask
- T – tell
- H – help
- E – explain
- R – return
A second acronym is CLIENT. In it, each letter stands for an
important element of good counseling:
- C – client–centered
- L – listening
- I – interaction
- E – exploration
- N – nonjudgmental
- T – trust
Providers may find that remembering the stages used in this
presentation – beginning, middle and end – may be
sufficient, with no acronym needed as a reminder. Or, providers
may want to develop their own way to remember the key aspects
of counseling.
Other providers may not choose to use an acronym because they
feel that the unique dynamic between client and provider must
unfold differently with each individual.
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