Life Passage in the Face of Death: Psychological Engagement of the Physically Ill Patient Vol II

The second of Dr. Viederman's insightful and moving videos on the dramatic process and benefits of consultation-liaison services, this remarkable video illustrates the principles and techniques of psychological engagement through edited interviews with five patients facing cancer at different stages of the illness. The use of a variety of supportive and interpretive techniques engages the patient psychologically and establishes a bond as he or she feels understood and thereby recognized. These interviews illustrate how the consultant searches for and communicates meaning at a moment in crisis, and how Dr. Viederman tailors his own responses to meet the unique needs of each patient. What emerges vividly is the diversity of responses and experiences of these patients, each calling forth a different therapeutic stance by the consultant.
The interviews includes: -A 54-year-old mother of two children, married to an investment banker, who was diagnosed with lung cancer some months ago and is currently in active treatment -The second interview with a 40-year-old father of two children, undergoing chemotherapy for malignant megaloblastoma, who requested a session because of hallucinations he had while delirious from high doses of prednisone -A 44-year-old widow who emigrated from Uzbekistan 7 years ago with her family (two siblings and three children) after her husband's death and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer -A young firefighter, married and the father of two children, who was diagnosed six weeks earlier with acute myelogenous leukemia -The second interview with a 67-year-old married mother of two children, who had been diagnosed five years earlier with renal cell carcinoma and had been seen in consultation by Dr. Viederman some months before For easy reference, these emotional and revealing interviews are accompanied by a table of contents and an index of concepts listed by location on the videotape.
Each session reveals the consultant's different approaches to engaging different patients-in communicating empathetic awareness, establishing meaning, noting the patient's affect, and reflecting the emotional climate. Rich with subtle interactions that culminate in a shared experience for both the patient and consultant, this powerful teaching tool is a must for medical students, psychiatry residents, and mental health care professionals alike.