Living and Dying: Is There a Difference?
A Research Paper Presented to The Faculty of the Adler Graduate School
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree of Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy
Amy-Ann Mayberg February 2015
Abstract
What might seem to be total opposites, living and dying, are alike in more ways than usually thought. The issues and complications related to living and dying are the subtext of the vast majority of therapist-client conversations. These issues are frequently inextricably bound, as life and death do not exist independently. Each of us is driven to meet the universal need to belong, to be significant, and to be safe in varied and creative ways. Our fear of being unable to meet these needs causes us to create symptoms; the issues and complications that lead us further from our original goals. Despite our training as therapists or counselors, we are not immune to these problems, nor could we be. Whether or not we can help our clients depends on how well we are able to help ourselves.
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