Edge of the Couch It's Not Morbid to Talk About Death
Mar 11, 2026
Therapists discuss how death surfaces quietly in clients’ choices, from relationships to decisions about having children. They share personal death anxieties and different beliefs about what comes after. The conversation covers clinical approaches to MAID, suicidality, and how to ask what keeps someone tethered to life. Practical cues and therapist self-work for holding death-related conversations are highlighted.
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Hold The Tension Between Safety And Mortality
- Allow the tension that clients may both have to keep living and face possible imminent death; hold that without spiraling yourself.
- Tell clients they probably won't die tomorrow but also explore what changes if 'you might', to balance safety and meaning.
Do Your Own Death Work To Better Hold Clients
- If you feel death anxiety, work on it so you can contain clients rather than mirror their spirals; tolerate discomfort rather than avoid the topic.
- Jordan and Allison recommend therapists name their own anxiety briefly and use curiosity to explore the client's meaning.
Practicum Case Revealed Fear Of Dying Alone
- Allison shared a practicum story where asking whether a client's drive for relationships masked fear of dying alone revealed the real concern: dying unseen at home.
- The therapist pursued that hypothesis and the client confirmed fear of dying alone was central.