Counseling The Sick And Terminally Ill

Placing a focus on the spiritual needs of death and dying, the theme of this book is that the focus of counselling with people who are dying should be on the psychospiritual aspects of death and dying. It is based on two assumptions - that death and anxiety, not pain, are the most critical issues for the dying, and that the time of dying is an opportunity for growth and transformation. The author believes that it is imperative for counselling professionals to realize that at this time understanding and caring are primary.

"I found this book to be a well-written, sensitively presented, and important resource for those engaged in this critical area of work. Thank you, Dr. Werth, for making such a substantial contribution to this field."--Journal of Palliative Care "[This book offers] over 20 contributors, all with impeccable credentials, covering many perspectives that we need to consider more frequently and in greater depth...There is much that awaits you in this book."--Illness, Crisis, and Loss "Counseling Clients Near the End of Life is a marvelous resource for mental health providers who are searching for useful information in areas such as the following: resolving ethical dilemmas; assisting clients in planning for the end of life; counseling caregivers of clients who are near the end of life; and assisting people in dealing with grief. The editor of this work, Dr. James Werth, has done a splendid job of gathering various experts to share their perspectives on end of life care and choices at this time of life--and he has also written an excellent chapter on counseling clients who are dying." Gerald Corey, EdD, ABPP Professor Emeritus of Human Services and Counseling California State University, Fullerton This highly accessible guide to counseling people who are terminally ill and their families fills a critical need in the counseling literature. Written for front-line mental health professionals and counseling graduate students, the text integrates research with practical guidance. It is replete with the experiences of contributing authors who are leaders in counseling terminally ill individuals , real-life case examples, clinical pearls of wisdom, and tables of practice pointers that provide quick access to valuable knowledge. The text offers information that is requisite for all counselors who provide services to persons who are terminally ill and their families. It addresses common issues that influence different types of counseling approaches, such as how the age, ethnicity, or religion of a client affects counselor conceptualizations and actions. The book discusses how to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment near the end of life. It explains how advance directives can be used to assist dying individuals and their loved ones. The counseling needs of family members before and after death are addressed as well as counseling loved ones experiencing complicated grief. The text also examines the particular concerns of counselors regarding self-care and the benefits of working as part of a professional team. Woven throughout are important considerations such as cultural diversity, ethical challenges, laws, and regulations; and advocacy at client and social policy levels. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of additional references for more in-depth study. Key Features: Integrates research with practical and accessible information Provides clinical ìpearlsî that can be put to use immediately Provides a reader-friendly format that includes real-life case studies and tables with important pointers Describes the counseling experiences of leading practitioners that include examples of successful and unsuccessful interventions Based on a comprehensive framework developed by a Working Group of the American Psychological Association

Resources for Christian Counseling presents current research and practical tools for counseling contemporary problems. The authors in this series deal with a broad range of human concerns from a biblical perspective. Comprehensive and practical, this series is a valuable resource for anyone who has the responsibility of counseling others.

Gregg Albers' book on counseling the terminally ill is part of the Resources for Christian Counseling series, a series which combines the best insights of medicine and psychology with biblical truth.

Social Work Theory and Practice with the Terminally Ill, second edition, takes a compassionate look at ways that social workers can help dying people and their families. The social workers who work most effectively with terminally ill patients and their families are the ones who best understand the multifaceted nature of the dying process and its impact on the the patient, the family, and even on the health care professionals who work with patients at the end of life. Dr. Parry--who specializes in dying and bereavement--offers astute observations on the stages of dealing with the diagnosis of a terminal illness and the impending death that patients and their families confront. This updated second edition provides valuable new information on ways that social workers can help those with AIDS and their families, on traumatic death from any cause, and on the grieving processes of parents. Social Work Theory and Practice with the Terminally Ill, second edition, also includes stimulating discussions on: the interdisciplinary health team the grieving process professional burnout how social workers adapt to working with dying patients euthanasia and physician-assisted dying living wills and patients’rights In touching case studies, this volume illustrates the particular needs and concerns of the terminally ill and their families--impending losses, financial worries, job concerns, pain, unfinished business, and spiritual needs--and reviews successful interventions used by social workers to help patients and their families work through the dying process.

One of the most rewarding jobs I ever accomplished was working with cancer patients at a radiation center in Austin, Texas. Several of my doctor and minister friends asked me to write these stories so others might learn the lesson of living our lives to the fullest, even in the face of death. I enjoyed this job, because I felt completely called by God to serve his people in this manner. This job was one of the richest blessings of my life.

This guide for counselors and lay caregivers explores the art of caring for the dying and their families. Based on the tenets first articulated by renowned grief educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, this respectful and gratifying guide to caregiving includes personal accounts that debunk the myth of the "good death" and teach caregivers to find the transformative potential of every moment in every experience. Written with wit and illustrated throughout with the author's poetry and artwork, it includes advice for comforting patients and their families as well as advice for dealing with the internal stress common to the profession. The guidance provided will help counselors feel affirmed in their abilities to "be with" the dying and support them and their families.