Having a serious illness can be incredibly difficult, especially when there is no cure. As your disease progresses, not only your physical health, but your entire well-being may be affected. Unfortunately, most of your medical care may only treat your body. However, there are things that you and your health care team can do to help you feel better as a whole person.
This collaborative, skill-based program will teach you practical techniques to help you cope with your illness and the stress of everyday life. You will learn strategies to improve your mood and deal with feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger. Social support is key to successful coping and you may need to strengthen your relationships, especially with caregivers. It is also important to work with your medical team and develop more effective ways to manage your symptoms. You will set goals regarding your care as well as your quality of life. In addition, you may choose to explore your spirituality and practice tools that promote personal growth.
Your facilitator will work with you to tailor the program to your individual needs. This workbook includes user-friendly forms to help you apply the content of the sessions to your personal situation. At the end of this program, you will have a new set of hands-on skills to master as you continue to grow.

Individuals with serious and incurable illnesses often require care that goes beyond the body. As they face the challenges of living with and eventually dying from their conditions, they may need to acquire new skills to cope and increase their quality of life. Even those at the beginning of the end of life can take an active role in their treatment.
This skill-based program emphasizes flexibility and should be tailored to individual clients. The first module introduces stress management techniques, including cognitive restructuring, relaxation, and problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. The second module targets mood management, with sessions on depression, anxiety, and anger. Social support is addressed in the third module where clients learn communication and conflict resolution skills. Special attention is paid to supporting caregivers and working with medical providers. The fourth module focuses on quality of life and covers symptom management, goal setting, positive psychology, and spiritual issues. An adaptation chapter details how to run the program as a group and discusses other possible formats.
Incorporating a wide variety of CBT techniques, this program can benefit patients suffering from a range of chronic and terminal diseases. The corresponding workbook helps clients personalize the content of sessions and practice new skills. The facilitator guide is invaluable to any mental health professional working in a medical or other palliative care setting.