ABSTRACT
Every day thousands of professionals (physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, clergy, nursing assistants, in-home supportive services workers, physical therapists, volunteers, and many others) provide skilled and compassionate care to those who are suffering and in need, negotiating a delicate interplay of their own unspoken needs and expectations with those of their patients. The professional, though he or she cares about the patient, may resist getting close enough to recognize, understand, and share in the patient’s suffering.
