1/6. The dream in terminal illness: a Jungian formulation.It is a central assumption of jungian theory that psychical transformation occurring during the critical developmental stages of the life cycle is anticipated, inspired, and orchestrated by the archetypal symbol. In this way, archetypal dreams are afforded particular significance during these transitional stages. The present paper purports to consider the clinical and theoretical implications of this understanding with reference to the dying process. The concepts discussed are illustrated by a series of dreams of a terminally ill cancer patient, which are elucidated by way of the method of amplification. Thematic analysis of the dream series supports Jung's conceptualization of death and dying as being a critical stage of the individuation process, characterized by profound psychical development of a specific and purposeful nature. The value of using dreams in the psychotherapeutic care of dying patients and their families is discussed, with case illustrations. It is suggested that such an approach may foster creative development, assist patients to integrate meaningfully subjective experiences pertaining to dying, and counteract the sense of isolation experienced by the terminally ill. The need for further research and the development of specific treatment modalities is highlighted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. Near-death experiences in india. A preliminary report.The authors report some features of 16 cases of near-death experiences that they investigated in india. After presenting brief accounts of four such experiences, the authors describe and discuss features in which the Indian cases differ from a larger sample of American cases. They note that some of these features seem to be culture-bound, but they caution against accepting this observation as adequate evidence that the case derive only from culture-bound beliefs. Some differences may derive from the effects of a person's beliefs on what actually does happen after death, and some different features may, on closer examination, be found to be basically similar in nature if not in detail.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. Near-death experiences in a pediatric population. A preliminary report.Numerous accounts of a unique psychological state associated with near-fatal events have been described in adults; however, we know of no studies in the medical literature of the nature or incidence of such experiences in children. Four of seven children who survived cardiopulmonary arrests or coma associated with trauma, drownings, or hyperosmolar states reported near-death experiences. Their subjective accounts of their experiences included a sense of being out of the body, traveling in a tunnel or staircase, seeing beings dressed in white, and a decisional return to the body. Six patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit for epiglottitis, heart surgery, or guillain-barre syndrome, all of whom had mechanical ventilatory support and were treated with anesthetic agents and narcotics, had no memories of the time they were unconscious. Clearly, children report near-death experiences similar to ones previously described in adults. Further systematic study of this phenomenon is indicated.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. Self-envy, the womb and the nature of goodness. A reappraisal of the death instinct.The Freudian and Kleinian conceptions of the struggle between 'life' and 'death' instincts are not identical. This paper puts forward a model which attempts both to reconcile and add to the differences between them, whilst making some suggestions about the 'nature of goodness'. attention is focused on the phantasy of returning to the womb and its consequent anxieties to the growing, active ego. Such anxiety, and its reverse, can only be moderated by the introjection of an object which is capable of creatively resolving the resulting conflicts. When envious feelings are not tolerated the impetus for such an introjection is reduced, which, in turn, increases the envy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Unresolved grief in the family.Unresolved grief after a death in the family may have serious consequences not merely for individuals but for entire families, from grandparents to grandchildren. When the grieving process is abnormal or incomplete, the problem may manifest itself in the physician's office. observation of a family system can reveal the extent of pathology and the nature of the blocks that keep grief alive. Treatment of unresolved grief ranges from a simple statement of the problem to extended therapy. The physician must be aware of this problem in order to manage it; the cases in this article illustrate presentations of unresolved grief in a variety of family members.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. death, poetry, psychotherapy and clinical supervision (the contribution of psychodynamic psychotherapy to palliative care nursing).This paper explores one facet of a therapeutic relationship with a woman suffering from inoperable cervical cancer. The psychotherapy sessions were conducted in both hospital and the family home and continued on a weekly basis until final termination immediately prior to the woman's death. Through a "suspense structure' case study narrative, the writer, a nurse psychotherapist, describes the way in which the humanities, art and poetry can provide a means through which to understand seemingly incomprehensible feelings related to reviewing past events as a preparation for death. While no explicit critique is made of the twin psychoanalytical concepts of transference and countertransference, the occurrence is woven into the text. The essential nature of clinical supervision is illustrated in context. The author proposes that engagement in a therapeutic relationship with a dying person presents the worker with parallel struggles manifesting in elementary feelings which require discernment. The central recommendation of this paper is that the rich symbolic language and metaphors, redolent in art and poetry, be harnessed as a potent therapeutic tool. Throughout the discussion, the terms counselling and psychotherapy are used interchangeably.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = nature (Clic here for more details about this article) |