Grief|Illness| Existential Issues
Have you or a loved one recently been diagnosed with cancer or a terminal illness, and are you finding yourself feeling alone or alienated, despite being surrounded by supportive family and friends? Does it feel incredibly uncomfortable and even scary to contemplate your own or your loved one’s mortality? Or are you grieving the loss of a loved one and find it daunting to confide in those you are closest with, for concern of being a “burden”?
The bittersweet nature of being human is that at some point in our lives we become aware of and contemplate our impermanence. For some of us, our temporal existence can elicit anxiety about how and how well we spend our time, and whether we are living a life of substance and meaning. And for others, especially those with cancer diagnoses and other life-threatening illnesses, confronting one’s mortality can evoke profound fear; fear of dying, dying alone, and of what comes after death.
What is to give light must endure burning. ~ Viktor Frankl
Whether you or someone close to you is navigating a cancer diagnosis or a terminal illness, or you are experiencing grief over losing a loved one, my intent is to support you in better tolerating the uncertainty, isolation and mental turmoil that often accompany these challenges.
Common issues related to grief and existential concerns:
Terminal illness
Cancer
Caregiver burnout
Regret
End of life concerns
Spiritual concerns
Fear of death
Anticipatory grief
We are not meant to confront matters of our existence alone. In fact, it is the richness of our connections that can temper the pain of our transiency (Yalom). And it is through the gift of presence and compassion from another, that we strengthen our ability to lean into fear and discover new ways of living with discomfort.