Am J Psychiatry 1977; 134:396-400
Copyright © 1977 by American Psychiatric Association
Group therapy with the terminally ill
ID Yalom and C Greaves
The authors describe their four-year experience with a therapy group for
patients with metastatic carcinoma. Patients in the group are helped by
helping one another, by moving out of a morbid self- absorption, and by
finding that they have much of value to share and to teach. The most
important aspect of the group experience is the "presence" it offers;
patients find support and the opportunity to express their needs and fears
openly. The authors believe that group therapy is a valuable modality for
the treatment of terminally ill patients and that much can be learned from
such groups for the everyday therapy of the living.
