When experiences of presence go awry: A survey on psychotherapy practice with the ambivalent ‐to‐distressing ‘hallucination’ of the deceased

ConclusionAfter comparing and contrasting the participants ’ working hypotheses with existing knowledge on experiences of presence, and contemporary theories in the research area, guidelines are presented on how to intervene with people disturbed by their experiences of presence.Practitioner points Perceiving the deceased person, or feeling their presence, is common and normal amongst bereaved people. When these experiences are distressing or ambivalent, therapists ’ share that psychological suffering may originate from the departed–bereaved relationship, pre‐existing mental health issues, or the effect of societal taboo or stigma. Psychotherapy is frequently aimed at normalizing, accepting, supporting, and exploring patient’s experience
Source: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Qualitative Paper Source Type: research