{
  "abstract": "The physician–patient relationship is fundamental to providing emotional support and relief to palliative care patients. However, this relationship also places a considerable psychological burden on physicians. The close proximity to patients often exposes clinicians to intense emotional experiences—not only those expressed by patients, but also their own internal reactions, such as sadness, disappointment, and frustration stemming from the inability to cure or alleviate suffering. Repeated experiences of loss in deeply engaged therapeutic relationships, identification with patients or their families, and anxieties related to one’s own health may further compound this emotional toll.While medical professionalism requires clinicians to maintain a degree of emotional distance and composure, this does not eliminate the internal experience of these emotions. Nor does it prevent the activation of unconscious defense mechanisms that can affect both the physician’s psychological well-being and the quality of patient care.A psychodynamic framework can help elucidate the complex emotional and psychological processes at work in these care relationships—their emotional richness, but also their difficulty. Understanding and addressing both conscious and unconscious dynamics is essential—not only to ensure compassionate, high-quality care for patients, but also to protect the mental health and resilience of medical professionals.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Maison Médicale Jeanne Garnier, Paris, France",
        "National Centre for Palliative and End-of-Life Care, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Sarah Dauchy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "S3-2 A psychodynamic perspective on the clinician working in palliative care",
  "uid": "8bde1c50-4498-57a5-964f-2d18bef6cd92"
}