Beautiful even if it's very sad: Psychologists' beliefs, attitudes and feelings about death and dying in palliative care.

The context of illness, dying and death presents a unique setting to explore how helping professionals are affected by and make sense of their reactions to the work of caregiving in palliative care settings. Previous research suggests that the attitudes to death and dying of healthcare staff directly impact patient outcomes. Yet, this remains a limited area of empirical inquiry, particularly among allied health professionals such as psychologists who have a growing presence in the field of palliative and supportive care. This qualitative study interviewed 11 psychologists working in palliative care on their personal beliefs, attitudes, and emotions surrounding death and dying. Three themes were identified: facing mortality, seeking meaning, and the double edge of awareness. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of how psychologists in palliative care find fulfillment and meaning in their roles, manage countertransference, and address their own assumptions and fears surrounding death and dying.