The Greatest Priority for Genetic Counseling: Effectively Meeting Our Clients’ Needs 2014 NSGC Natalie Weissberger Paul National Achievement Award

Abstract

Receipt of the 2014 Natalie Weissberger Paul (NWP) National Achievement Award was a highlight of my career. Thank you to all who nominated me for this prestigious NSGC recognition. I am humbled to join past NWP award winners many of whom are admired mentors, treasured colleagues and friends. I would like to express what a privilege it is to honor Natalie Weissberger Paul for whom this award is named. Twenty-nine years ago I co-edited a volume of the Birth Defects Original Article Series with Natalie summarizing a conference co-funded by the March of Dimes and NSGC (Biesecker et al., 1987). Natalie demonstrated her devotion to children with special needs through her work at the March of Dimes. As such I believe she would concur with the focus of my remarks on the partners in our work: our clients.

Information Mismatch: Cancer Risk Counseling with Diverse Underserved Patients

“…Researchers and practitioners have begun to explore new models of genetic counseling due to the shortage of genetic counselors, the increasing demand for their services, and the growing complexity of testing brought about by next generation sequencing (Bradbury et al 2015 ; Hooker et al 2014 ). Some have called for a shift away from a “teaching model of counseling” and toward a “psychosocial model” that allows for more time counseling and less time educating (Biesecker 2016 ; Meiser et al 2008 ). Our study suggests that to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse patients who now have access to genetic counseling and testing, any new model should incorporate the principles and strategies for effective communication with LHL individuals developed and tested in other areas of Medicine (Brega et al 2015 ; USDHHS, ODPHP 2010 ).…”

Time Flies: an Examination of Genetic Counselor Professional Development: Introduction to Special Issue on Genetic Counselor Development

“…As Orchowski et al (2010)) state, BIn addition to adopting a reflective stance toward their clinical activities, practitioners who engaged in continuous self-reflection tended to engage in regular personal and professional interactions with others, work in supportive and open professional environments, and engage in dialogue about their professional activities (p. 52).^Thus, these papers serve as an important reminder that in order for growth to occur in the face of professional challenges, self-reflection must be intentionally practiced. This issue contains award speeches by two experienced professionals who are reflecting on their own genetic counseling professional lifespan (Bernhardt 2016;Biesecker 2016). Their stories speak to the need to examine and reflect on some of the many roles that genetic counselors will likely hold throughout their careers: patient educator, advocate, supervisor, counselor, mentor, and leader.…”