Abstract
Three basic therapeutic approaches applicable to the majority of cancer patients are outlined and illustrated with case vignettes. They are: (1) Initial catharsis and validation of feelings, (2) Restoring communication impaired by denial, and (3) Understanding the psychological meaning of the illness. Using this framework, the therapist's professional skills may be organized toward specific interventions, thereby stabilizing the associated ego functions against the regression often induced by the anxieties mobilized by working with seriously ill patients.
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Saravay, S.M., Lovette, E., Tanenbaum, C. et al. Psychotherapeutic approaches to the cancer patient. Clin Soc Work J 16, 43–51 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00753407
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00753407