Contemplando o crepúsculo da alma

psychologists’ perceptions of preparatory grief

Abstract

Objective: to investigate the perception of hospital psychologists about preparatory grief. Methods: qualitative research carried out in 2022, which used a questionnaire with some open-ended questions, applied to psychology professionals working in hospitals in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The data were coded through Bardin's Content Analysis and analyzed through the theories of grief and Analytical Psychology of C. G. Jung. Results: the interviewees' responses composed three thematic categories: “Symptomatology of preparatory grief”; “Psychologists' perception of preparatory grief”; and “Dealing with preparatory grief”, in which professionals visualize contrasting feelings in their patients, as well as their experience being ambiguous in the face of this phenomenon. They also point to spirituality/religiosity as an effective resource for the construction of meaning and coping. Conclusion: preparatory grief is a striking phenomenon in hospital practice. Specific training is important for working with grieving and terminally ill patients and reinforces the need for mental health care for psychologists who deal with this demand.