Sitting with the Great Unknown: Be-ing with Grief and Spiritual Distress in Palliative Care

Humans are naturally empathic (ever experience “yawn contagion?”) and want to be comforting to those experiencing suffering.  However, our discomfort with not knowing exactly what to say may lead us to either abandon persons in distress or lapse into unhelpful clichés that create more trauma and do more damage than good.  Personally and professionally, none of us is immune to this dynamic.  This practical session will explore the “why’s” of our discomfort, the importance of being fully present with persons in pain, provide a list of what to say and what not to say, and a list of do’s and don’ts to guide the daily practice of all professional disciplines, in the difficult role of “human be-ing”.