Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process Practice-Based Skills, Second Edition

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Pt: I just can’t face the thought of having another baby who is going to get so
sick. Does this mean that I don’t love my son?
Co:

1. Primary empathy response—


2. Advanced empathy response—


3. Confrontation response—

Estimated time: 60 min.

Instructor Note

• This activity could be done as a written exercise.

9.8 Written Exercises

Exercise 1: Journal Entry

Ask students to write a journal entry or short paper addressing the following:

1. Describe what you consider to be a confrontation.


2. Discuss how confrontations were/are handled in:
   
   
   • Your family
   
   
   • Your peer group as a child
   
   
   • Your current peer group (Do not include your classmates in this group)
   
   
   • The cultural group with which you identify
   
   
   
   


3. How might these experiences impact the way you will approach confrontation
   with your genetic counseling patients?


4. In general, is it easier for you to make confrontations about a person’s strengths?
   Limitations?


5. Are certain types of patients easier for you to confront?

Exercise 2: Primary Empathy, Advanced Empathy, and Confrontation

Read each of the following patient statements, and write one primary empa-
thy  response, one advanced empathy response, and one confrontation response
for  each statement. Write your responses as if you were actually talking to the
patient.
[Hint: You may have to infer more knowledge about the patient than is written
here when formulating your advanced empathy and confrontation responses.]
For example, a 40-year-old man at risk for Huntington disease, says, “I’m sick of
worrying about this all the time! Every time I trip over something I think I have it. I

8.5 Written Exercises