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Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine

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Although once viewed as a purely ancillary branch of medicine, palliative care is now an accepted and valued medical specialty. Patients confronting end-of-life issues often face severe emotional and psychological distress. Helping them cope with such challenges is often a daunting task for medical professionals. In an attempt to provide a clear understanding of state of the art treatments for such individuals, Dr. Harvey Chochinov and Dr. William Breitbart have compiled the writings of numerous psychiatric experts in the Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine. The text is divided into seven major sections, covering issues such as the psychiatric complications of terminal illness, symptom management, psychotherapeutic interventions in palliative care, ethical and spiritual issues, and issues in research. As a psychologist, I found the chapters on psychotherapeutic issues extremely well written and very relevant to work with seriously ill patients. This is an excellent resource for medical and psychological professionals treating patients in medical and palliative care settings. In addition, it would serve as an excellent teaching resource for courses in psychiatry and behavioral medicine. I recommend it highly!