PIP: Health care workers are adopting a new approach to family planning counseling. Working from the assumption that they knew best which contraceptive methods their clients should use, family planning providers used to dominate family planning counseling sessions, mainly providing information and advice. Women deferred to their providers. However, clients are more likely to be satisfied with and continue using contraception if they are informed and active participants in the decision-making process. Providers are therefore learning to give up the authority they used to command and, instead, encourage their clients to take a more active role in making family planning and reproductive health-related decisions. Such providers are learning to respect client choice. Counseling training programs sponsored by AVSC and other organizations are helping to bring about this change. The role of training and client satisfaction are discussed.