Death, portry, 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.