title: Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and the tragic sense of life and death.
abstract: The authors discuss the role of psychotherapy with dying patients and explore the psychological impact of imminent death. The psychotherapy case they present highlights the symbolic meaning of fatal symptoms and the light this meaning sheds on the relationship between how we live and how we die. These features are addressed in the context of larger unresolved clinical issues: Is there a "healthy" way to die? And is there a unique role for psychoanalytic psychotherapy with dying patients?
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos 78666, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hulsey
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Frost
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000523:psychology; D001293:Attitude to Death; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011573:Psychoanalytic Interpretation; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013561:Symbolism; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*