Fiona offers Dignity Therapy in her clinical practice. Dignity Therapy was developed by Dr. Harvey Chochinov. Its design is based on the Dignity Model of Care in the health care sector. The first clinical trial was done between 2001 and 2003. The outcomes were so overwhelmingly affirming that now the therapy has received international recognition and has been implemented in many countries. It is evidence-based, well researched and has solid empirical ground.
Dignity Therapy is for individuals who are approaching the end of life. Candidates for Dignity Therapy include patients with a terminal diagnosis, individuals with life limiting conditions, and elderly who know that the end is approaching.
Guided by dignity conserving questions, a brief therapy session is recorded, transcribed and edited. The final document (the Legacy Document) will be created and presented to the client. The following highlight a few benefits of the therapy and the legacy document:
- Enhance end-of-life experience
- Increase sense of dignity, sense of purpose and sense of meaning
- Improve spiritual wellbeing, and quality of life
- Lessen sadness, suffering or depression
- Reaffirm client’s sense of continued self-worth and personhood
- Recount memories of special life events and capture pivotal moments of life
- Reduce end-of-life psychosocial and existential distress
- Mitigate bereavement related distress
"I have gone through Dignity Therapy with Fiona. I am quite impressed with the outcome of it. Essentially, it collects many happenings in my life. It is a good start and finish of many special memories for the sake of the next generations. I had a very good experience with the therapy."
-Murly Pendharkar