Requisites: PCC Counselors should have the following experience
- Trained as an HIV antibody test counselor
- At least one year experience as an HIV test counselor
- Trained and experience in a helping field (psychology, social work, counseling)
- Experience with and dedication to pursuing cultural competence with the populations of clients to be served
- Comfort with and knowledgeable about men who have sex with men
- Comfort with discussing sex frankly using everyday language
Registration will close on: Friday, October 19, 2018
Program Overview Personalized Cognitive Counseling (PCC) is an individual-level, single-session counseling intervention designed to reduce condomless anal intercourse (CAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) who are repeat testing for HIV. PCC focuses on the person’s self-justifications (thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) that he uses when deciding whether or not to engage in highrisk sexual behavior. PCC is a 30- to 50-minute intervention. It is a six step process.
The steps are:
(1) screen for eligibility;
(2) help the client choose a memorable episode of CAI;
(3) have the client complete the Checklist of Thoughts about a memorable CAI episode;
(4) draw out the story of the memorable CAI episode;
(5) identify self-justifications for engaging in CAI including substance use; and (6) discuss his thoughts about future situations that may lead to CAI. The counselor will then make referrals as necessary for Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), substance abuse counseling, and mental health treatment.
Core Elements The core elements of PCC are:
• Provide one-on-one counseling focusing on a recent, memorable high-risk sexual encounter.
• Provide alongside with counselors trained in HIV counseling and testing and in the PCC intervention.
• Use the Checklist of Thoughts to identify key self-justifications.
• Using the Checklist and subsequent discussion, identify specific self-justifications (thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) to engage in risky sex.
• Explore the circumstances and context (including substance use) for the risk episode in detail (before, during, and after).
• Clarify how the circumstances and selfjustifications are linked to the decision to engage in high-risk behavior.
• Guide the clients to re-examine the thinking that led to their decision to have high-risk sex and identify ways they might think differently in future situations.