End-of-life therapy is a special scope of practice, which requires a practitioner/therapist to assist and encourage individuals to explore their past, present, and future in terms of meaningful choices and the experiences that created and continue to generate their story.

 

By challenging the notions of heightened awareness, personal freedom, and responsibility, patients begin to meaningfully reflect upon and take ownership of the lives they have chosen and of the possibilities that are still available until the moment of their death. By helping patients explore the “why” of their existence (for example, “Why am I here?”) and the meaning of their lives (for example, “Did my life matter?”), therapists are able to  offer dying patients a way to bear the burden of their suffering and eventual death with strength and dignity.

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Resources: 

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Breitbard, W., Gibson, C., & Popppito, S. (2014). Psychotherapeutic interventions at the end of life: A focus on meaning and spirituality. Canada Journal of Psychiatry, 4, 6.