Never Be Afraid to Get the Psychological Help You Need

How Can Family Therapy Help After A Terminal Diagnosis?

16 May 2018 by Wayne Owens

An illness in the family can be incredibly difficult for everyone to bear, and it's important for everyone in the family to have an outlet for their emotions. When the illness is expected to be terminal, a family therapist who has experience handling end-of-life issues can help.

Here's what you can expect from family therapy:

Assistance Accepting the Disease and the Future

The person directly affected by the terminal condition is often able to benefit from therapy in surprising ways. Most people don't have a clear idea about what they want their final days to be like—especially when the end is coming earlier than they ever expected.

Therapy may focus on a number of different areas directly related to the client's condition, like:

• Getting his or her affairs in order, including sorting through decisions about burial
• Working through his or her emotions, including anger, frustration, and grief
• Learning to understand and accept what is about to happen to him or her physically

The big focus is on getting to the place where the diagnosis doesn't overwhelm the patient and leave him or her emotionally exhausted and depressed.

Family members can also work through their emotions. Family members often need help accepting the fact that they cannot control the outcome of the situation or make it better. Many times, they also need help accepting the sick individual's final wishes, especially if he or she decides to end treatment. 

Finding Ways to Be Productive and Happy

Therapy can also help a patient more actively live and enjoy his or her remaining time. Counselors can often suggest a number of ways that their clients can feel productive (if that's what makes them the happiest) during their final days.

For example, a therapist can help a terminally-ill client determine what he or she still wants to accomplish given the amount of productive time he or she likely has left. A terminal illness doesn't necessarily mean that all goals have to cease. Some people may want to travel and see the world, while other people may want to spend their remaining time with their families. 

However, even making those choices can leave the terminally ill feeling conflicted or guilty. If, for example, a terminally ill person agrees to spend his or her remaining time with family members when he or she really wants to take a special trip, that can lead to unnecessary resentment and additional sorrow for everyone. A therapist can help the whole family come to an agreement about what is really best.

While death is ultimately a solo experience, the days leading up to death after a terminal diagnosis aren't. Family therapy can help everyone involved feel a stronger, deeper connection to each other, accept the inevitable, and maintain a sense of purpose and control over life.

For more information, talk to companies like The A Treatment Center.

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