ABSTRACT
The commonality that exists between the patient and the practitioner is that they share uniquely in the process of dying. The patient experiencing his own death, the practitioner experiencing his involvement in the process in a "there ness:" both grow as a result of the experience. This uncomfortable situation can be a profound growth experience for the professional in terminal care, provided that he is able to recognize the fact that the help being provided to the dying person is really an opportunity to share in the process of another person's dying. The experience of aloneness is germane to life as well as to death. Healthcare workers need to understand what is going on inside themselves: what makes them want to run away; what makes it difficult to be "there" in a helping relationship; what makes it painful to sustain a relationship with the dying and their families.
