9781422271094

What Is a “Good Death”? Facing their death is probably the scariest thing people will do in their lives, but if they are lucky enough to have time to prepare, they can gradually learn to accept the process and experience peace with a sense of “letting go.” As people get closer to death, they can use this time to take stock of their lives: celebrate their accomplishments, forgive and forget their regrets, be grateful for all of the people they love and who have loved them, try to be kind to whoever crosses their path, and realize that everything must die as part of the cycle of life. It helps if people have some sort of spiritual beliefs, but they can maintain a calm and peaceful state of mind even if they don’t. The tragedy is when lives are cut short too soon or violently, and everyone involved will naturally have overwhelming emotions. Psychology professionals and others who study thanatology can help these people immensely. What they do is not merely a job; it’s a calling. This type of work is not for the faint of heart, but it might be one of the most rewarding tasks anyone can imagine. Important Character Traits for a Thanatologist Psychologists and grief counselors who work with end-of-life issues should be empathetic and patient when listening to a bereaved person’s story. Not merely good listeners, they should be active listeners. That means paying full attention to the other person, asking questions to draw out that person’s feelings and thoughts, rewording and repeating back to them what he or she just said to show understanding, not being critical or judgmental, and not offering unwanted advice. Thanatologists should be sensitive to people of cultures, races, and religions different from their own. They must be able to think on their feet and solve

Chapter 1: Becoming a Psychologist Who Works with Death and Dying

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