A Therapist ’s Reflection In the Face of a Patient’s Death

I sat in the funeral home and just stood back and observed. There was a montage of pictures. I had an opportunity to see him in his youth, when he got married, and when he was a single parent with two very young children. In these photos I got the chance to meet all the people he’s spoken about for over 15 years with me. There were actual faces to the people I have grown to know so intimately. The thing that amazed me the most was that there were so many people present that it was standing room only. I wasn’t just imagining it, there were a plethora of people who seemed to really know and care about him. It was obvious from just observing him. To my right was a woman who was sobbing profusely. She seemed to know intimate details about him and finished some of the sentences that his children were reciting during his eulogy. There was such a disparity between the man I knew from what he shared and the scene I saw before me. In my office, he was vulnerable and raw. He would go through bouts of anxiety and depression but would always return even if he skipped a session here or there over the years. When I think about what brought him to me, I’m astounded. He originally came because his then girlfriend forced him to come so I could be a witness to how everything was “his fault.” He was initially resistant and reluctant and, in the end, stayed with me individually because he wanted to get into a healthier relationship and make a better life for him and his kids.&nbs...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: creativity depression featured psychology self-improvement death grief therapist therapy Source Type: blogs