Distress, Stress and Solidarity in Palliative Care.

What does the stoic, silent expression of the terminal cancer patient signify? Clinical observation suggests that this emotional silence is often a physical energy-saving device, essential for survival to the very last breath. Caregivers and survivors may also experience a variety of contradictory and inexpressible emotions in silence. The role of the psychologist on the palliative care unit is to be there for the terminally-ill, as well as for the family/friends, both during the dying and bereavement, and for the caregiver team. This article focuses on the work of decoding ordinary words which for a good number of patients hide a painful past. It also stresses the necessity to remain open to the unexpected and to allow and trust the other to live what happens since there is a constant and unconscious effort to fill the void.