Death

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Death

In the course of work with a medically ill population, health psychologists are sometimes confronted with the natural death of a therapy patient or possible suicide; however, all therapists may potentially encounter the unexpected or long process of natural death of a patient. Unfortunately, the current psychology literature does not fully review the difficult professional and personal aspects of this terrible situation.

The first aspect of professional is Confidentiality, the therapist’s aim to avoid leaks in confidentiality will continue even after the patient’s death. And Competence, therapist will also need to monitor his/her own well-being and its effect on the ability to function effectively and proficiently. Next is Personal Aspects. First is Therapeutic Relationship, creates a close and unique bond, especially if held over a long period of time. Next is Contact With the Family, there is also personal and potentially ethical difficulty in making decisions related to whether to reach out to the patient’s family through a sympathy card, and whether or not to attend the funeral/memorial service. Third is Therapist’s Confidential Knowledge of the Deceased ,as noted before, difficulty can occur when meeting with family members of a deceased patient due to the therapist’s knowledge of the patient’s feelings or experiences in their view to certain family members. Fourth is Therapist’s Grieving Process, therapists, might be requested to meet with family members of the patient or have a conversation with them after the patient’s death. And last is Therapist’s Personal Sensitivities to Grief or Loss, experiencing the death of a therapy patient can bring surface the therapist’s own personal fears and reactions surrounding death and grief.

Using their frame of reference and experience in psycho-oncology, it is there aim to examine this issue by presenting some of the key issues in coping with the death of a...