Illness, death and dying are part and parcel of human life. Despite advances in medical science there is never going to be a time when we can prevent against having the experience of illness. This book seeks to add to the alleviation of the suffering of illness, finding an understanding of the psychological meaning and purpose of that experience.

This book seeks to alleviate the suffering of illness by finding greater understanding of the psychological meaning and purpose of that experience. Physical illness also involves deep psychological and social processes on the part of the person suffering the illness. While the book does consider the social processes of illness to the extent that it considers the personal and professional relationships that surround the person who is ill, the main focus of the book is on the psychological meaning and intent of illness. If we can find ways of responding to the different physical, psychological, and social processes of illness, then we can truly make great strides in alleviating a suffering that is part of human existence.