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Teaching Genetic Counseling Skills: Incorporating a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum Model to Address Psychosocial Complexity

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Journal of Genetic Counseling

Abstract

Genetic counselors are trained health care professionals who effectively integrate both psychosocial counseling and information-giving into their practice. Preparing genetic counseling students for clinical practice is a challenging task, particularly when helping them develop effective and active counseling skills. Resistance to incorporating these skills may stem from decreased confidence, fear of causing harm or a lack of clarity of psycho-social goals. The author reflects on the personal challenges experienced in teaching genetic counselling students to work with psychological and social complexity, and proposes a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum model and methodology to guide students in the use of advanced counseling skills.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical & Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada

    Andrea Shugar

  2. Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada

    Andrea Shugar

Authors
  1. Andrea Shugar
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Correspondence to Andrea Shugar.

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This is not a research study and therefore does not meet the criteria for research ethics review.

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Andrea Shugar declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Human Studies and Informed Consent

Andrea Shugar declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Animal Studies

No animal studies were carried out by the author for this article.

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Shugar, A. Teaching Genetic Counseling Skills: Incorporating a Genetic Counseling Adaptation Continuum Model to Address Psychosocial Complexity. J Genet Counsel 26, 215–223 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0042-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0042-y

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