Use of letter writing as a means of integrating an altered body image: a case study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of letter writing as a technique to assist patients in adjusting to an altered body image after dramatic cancer treatment.


METHODS
Published articles and books.


RESULTS
Gestalt therapy, psychosynthesis, and journaling techniques evolve into a technique that can assist patients who are challenged to accept altered body parts.


CONCLUSIONS
Described in a case study presentation, letter writing was found to assist female patients with recurrent breast cancer in adjusting to reconstruction of lost breasts.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses can use letter writing as a means of assisting patients through the grief process associated with body image alterations.
Rancour
Patricia
P
Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH, USA. rancour.1@osu.edu
Brauer
Kathryn
K
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D005260:Female; D005864:Gestalt Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D014956:Writing