I want you to picture someone I’ll call Margaret.   She’s 74 years old, sharp-witted, funny, and deeply engaged in her community. But lately, she’s been misplacing her keys more than usual. She blanked on a neighbor’s name she’s known for twenty years. She missed a dentist appointment for the first time in her life. […]

Imagine sitting across from an 82-year-old woman who has survived the death of her husband, two of her children, and now — a diagnosis that threatens to reshape everything she thought her final years would look like. She has never spoken to a therapist before. She was raised to be strong, resilient, stoic. But here […]

Social Withdrawal or Healthy Social Selectivity? Your 83-year-old client’s daughter calls you concerned that her mother just quit her book club after three years and is concerned that her mom will now be isolated and lonely, what’s your first clinical hypothesis? Social withdrawal? Depression? Cognitive decline? Before you take the daughter’s concern at face value, […]

Studies show that people who participate in Medical Aid in Dying experience benefits primarily centered around the principles of autonomy, relief from suffering, and dignity. And of course, there can be psychological comfort in the form of peace of mind, even if they ultimately choose not to pursue it. 7, 8   Even as a […]

When it comes to end of life care, the focus is often on reducing physical suffering, as it should be. At the same time, there’s a profound opportunity for emotional and spiritual healing and growth. ​ This is where you come in. You have an important role in helping people at the end of life […]