Materials Provided in the HAPPA Program Box:

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THE SISTA PROJECTFacilitators Manual

SESSIONS:

COPING SKILLS

Rationale:

This session on CopingSkills beginswith a review of risk practices. The sessionreviews assertiveness principles and self-management techniques that promotesexualsafety.The group learns ways of copingwith safer sexwhile under theinfluence of alcohol, coping with rejection and coping with negative responsesfrom partners to even engage in safe behaviors.

Materials Needed

f '· ' · '· ' · ' · '· ' · '· '· ' · ' · ' · ' · ' · '· ' · ' · ' · ' · ' · ' · '· ' · ' · ' · '· ' • •• • • • • •• •• •• ••• • • • • • • • • • •• ••

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~ Opening Poem: "And Still I Rise"~ "Key Concepts on Behavioral Self-Management" handout~ Handouts from Previous Sessions:

1) Facts on HIV/ AID$ (Session 2)

2) The SISTASAssertiveness Model (Session 3)

3) How to Put II Condom On (Session 4)

~ ' 'The Alcohol Effects" handout

~ "Coping Situations" handout

~ Closing Poem: "4Sistah"~ Session 5 evaluation form

Other M aterial sYou W ill Need for this Session :

~ Flip chart, markers & tape~ Ground Rules/Expectations poster~ "Coping" flip chart page, prepared in advance (see box on

page 44 for text)

~ Paper and envelopes.•.•.-._._._._._._._.-.-.-._ ._.-.-._._._.-._.-._._._.-._ ._ ._._._._._._._.-._._._._._!

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To discuss coping with alcohol use and sex.

To discuss coping with rejection and negative respon ses.

To discuss ways to help one cope better .

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1'HESISTA PROJECTFscilitstor's Manual

Goals:

a) To review how people can protect themselves from the HIVvirus.

b) To review the SISTAS Assertiveness Model.

c) To review how to put a condom on correct ly.

d) To discuss what coping is.

e} To discuss the link between alcohol and AIDS.

ng)h)

Objectives:

'l,

'l,

'l,

'l,

'l,

Summarize decision-making steps.

Identify prope r condom use steps.

Understand what coping is.

Understand the link between alcohol and sex.

Understand how to cope with rejection and negativefeedback.

Seek a friend with whom you can talk about coping and sex.

Analyzesexualsituationswhen under the influence of alcoholto determine possible points of intervention and prevention,

Coping with Rejection/Negative Responses

The Beginning and the End Evaluation

Closure

Session 5 Outline

1) Opening Poem: "A nd Still I Rise"

2) Review Session 4, includ ing homework

3) Reviewing HIV Protection, Assertion and Behavioral Self-Management

4) What is Coping?

5) Coping with Alcohol Du ring Sex

6) Condom Demonstration

7)

8)

9)

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1ilESISTA PROJECTFacilitators Manual

I. Opening Poem

a) Distribute "And Still I Rise" to the women. .

b) Read the poem with or to the participants.

II. Session 4 Review:

a) Session 4 Concepts

i. Distribute and discuss the "Key Concepts on BehavioralSelf-Management" handout.

ii. Write the conceptson the flip chart to correspond withdiscussion.

b) Session 4 Homework

i. When discussing the fi rst assignment, buyingcondoms, askthe women how they bought condoms, and how theyfeltbuying condoms.

ll. When discussing the second assignment, askingtheirpartne r to use a condom, ask the women:

1) whatthey said;

2) how their partner responded:

3) how comfortable they felt about the entiresituation; and

4) ••.the difficulties they encountered.

ii i. Address any questions or issuesthat arise.

III. Reviewing HIV Protection, Assertion and BehavioralSelf-Management

a) Review the following handouts from previousSessions:

1) Facts on HM AIDS(Session 2)

2) The SIS TASAssertiveness Mode/(Session 3)

3) How to Put d Condom On (Session 4)

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THE SISTA PROjECFFacilitator's Manual

b) By repeatedly reviewing key concepts from each session, thewomen will become more familiar with the concepts and morecomfortable in not onlyinitiating but also maintaining safersexbehaviors.

c) At the end of this review, explain to the women that sometimes,difficult situations arise when trying to engage in safer sexbehaviors (i.e ., when a partner insists on not engaging in safersex, when one partner or both are under the influence ofalcohol).

i. In these instances, we have to learn to cope or reduce thestress that we are experiencing.

ll. During stressful situations, inappropriate actions are morelikely to result.

d) The next exercise introd uces the topic of coping; what it is andwaysof coping effectively.

IV. What is Coping?

a) Prior to the meeting, prepare a "Coping" flip chart. pagewith thefollowing information:

........................" ,! Coping.. . !~ Is what you do to handle a situation. :

! Is important because it improves your! ability to handle difficult situations.

! Can be effective or it can not work so well.~, ..

b) Ask the women what they would do ifthey saw a huge scarymonster entering the room. <Plausible answers may includeshutting the door, running out of the room, screaming for help.)

i. Inform the women that all of their responses were examplesof coping.

c) Discuss what coping iSI referring to the "Coping" flip chart page.

,.- "'. . . - . ,,+,.~ "", " '. ; "~ ... " .'"" ~;""•. . "' .

'." . ". ~ ' ".., ,- "'.....;Alcohol can affect the way we cope.

r: ..,,' '..~ ;p.

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THESISTA PROJECI'Facilitator's Manual

d) Distribute "The Alcohol Effects" handout

i. Read the handout together.

The Alcohol Effects

~ Alcohol slows down the body functions;the refore, it takes a longer time to think andreact .

~ After one drink, your vision, hearing andspeec h become slowe r.

~ Alcohol makes it easier to say and do thingsthat may be embarrassing or show poorjudgment.

~ People are more li kely to get in caraccidents and do things that put them at riskfor AIDS when th ey are d runk.

V. Coping with Alcohol During Sex

a) Askthe women the following questions:

1) Do you act differen tly when you are drunk?

21 What do you do?

3) How does being drunk affect your abilitytomake decisions?

b) Distribute the "Coping Situations" handout.

c) Read "Sam the Seducer" together, then answer the questionsthat follow.

. Situation I : Sam the Seducer

Sam and Carlago out on a date to see a movie. After the movie is over, they goto a local bar for a few drinks. Sam takes Carla over to his house because hisparents are gone for the weekend. Sam is feelingvel)' romantic. Carla just

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finished a course on AIDS education. She asks Sam ifthey could hugand kissand get to know one another. Sam agrees.

Questions:

1) Do you think Carla behaves differently whenshe is drunk!

2) What do you think Samacts like?

3) Whatshould Carla have done to avoid thissituation?

4) What do you hke about how Carla handledthe situationl

5) What couldbe some ofthe consequences ifw rla hassex with Sdm?

d) Read "Darryl the Drunk" together and answer the questions thatfollow.

Situation 2: Darryl the Drunk

liz is at a partythat is winding down. Atthis party, everybody isdrunk. liz isapproached by Darryl. He is very drunk but he is a really fineguywho is a littleolder than the rest of the men Liz knows. liz would love to go out with this guybecause she thinks Darryl is much more mature and together than the youngermen that she knows. Darryl has his own apartment. Darryl starts feelingall overLiz's body, and she loves the way his body feels, so she startsfeeling all overhis. Darryl asks Liz to take her clothes off. Liz whips them off. Darryl and Liz areso excited that they forget to use a condom when they have sex.

Questions:

1) What should liz have done to avoid thissituation?

2) Wouldyou have done the same?Ifnot. whatwouldyou have done differently?

3) What wouldyou saytoget Darryl to wearacondom?

4) Do you think l iz hasa chance ofcatching theAIDS virus?

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VI. Copingwith Rejection/Negative Responses

a) Tell the women thatsometimes we may cope with situations, butthey may not be the best ways to handle the situation.

b) Sti ll using the "Coping Situations" handout, read Situations 3, 4and 5 together and answer the questions.

Situation 3: Cheryl 's Dumped

Cheryl hasbeen going outwith Allan for two years, but he'sgetting tired of herasking him to use a condom and he wants someone new and interestingin hislife. So Allan dumpsCheryl for Rebecca. Rebecca is a sleaze. She'sbeen withevery guy in town. She doesn 't care ifAllan usesa condom or not. AllandumpsRebecca after two weeks, after having unsafe sex with her. Cheryl wants to getback withAllan, so she takeshim back.

Questions:

1) Do you thinkAllan has a chance ofgettinginfected with the HIV virus? How!

2) Do you think Cheryl has a chance ofgettingthe HIV virus! How!

3) What do you think about how Cheryl copedwith the situation!

4) What would you do?

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Situation 4: The Guy on the Side

Vou have been goingwith your man for three years. Although you really carefor him, you are tired of him saying no to your request for safer sex. You havethe hots for Alfonso. Vou secretly go out withAlfonsofor a couple ofdates andend up having safer sex with Alfonso.

Questions:

1) Is thisan appropriate wayto cope with yoursteadyboyfdend insisting on not usingcondoms?

2) What could the consequences be ofhavingsex withAlfonso?

3) What would you do?

Situation 5: HeJust Says No!

You have been dating thisguy for two years. You love him. Whenever you raisethe topic of using condoms, he just says no to all your attem pts.

Question:

1) What do you do?

VII. The Beginning and The End

a) Inform the group that the first booster session will take place inapproxlmate ly two months, and that the second one will takeplace approximately two mon ths after the first.

b) Tell the wome n that the booste r sessions willgive them a chanceto review what they have learned in the five program sessions,talk about how they used the ir new skills, and ask any qu estions.

c) Consider scheduling the first booster session at th is time.

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THESISTA PHO/ECTFacilitator's Manual

i. Have each woman write herselfa reminder letter, includingsome of her thoughtsabout THE 51STAPROJEcr, aswell asthe scheduled date of the first booster session.

ii. Have each woman seal the letter in an envelope that sheaddresses to herself.

ii i. Tell the women that you will be mailing them theirreminder letters in approximately six weeks.

VIII. Evaluation

a) Distribute anonymous evaluation forms to all participants.

I . This session will be evaluated as to how the information waspresented and the extent to which the sessionaccomplished its goals and objectives.

IX. Closure

a) Closing poem: "4Sistah" byCedric Levan

b) Recitation of the Motto:

THESISTA PROJECf MOllo

51STA l ove Is Strong.

51STA l ove is Safe,

SISTA love is Surviving

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