I have discovered a prominent light echo around the low-luminosity Type II-Plateau Supernova (SN) 2008bk in NGC 7793, seen in archival images obtained with the Wide Field Channel of the Advanced Camera for Surveys on-board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The echo is a partial ring, brighter to the north and east than to the south and west. The analysis of the echo I present suggests that it is due to the SN light pulse scattered by a sheet, or sheets, of dust located ≈15 pc from the SN. The composition of the dust is assumed to be of standard Galactic diffuse interstellar grains. The visual extinction of the dust responsible for the echo is A V ≈ 0.05 mag, in addition to the extinction due to the Galactic foreground toward the host galaxy. That the SN experienced much less overall extinction implies that it is seen through a less dense portion of the interstellar medium in its environment. The late-time HST photometry of SN 2008bk also clearly demonstrates that the progenitor star has vanished.

We conducted a feasibility study of remote psychotherapy in 10 terminally ill cancer patients with diagnoses of adjustment disorder or major depression. Subjects received six sessions of individual cognitive therapy with the same therapist. Sessions alternated between face-to-face sessions and remote sessions delivered by analogue videophone. After each therapy session, a brief questionnaire was used to evaluate the subjects' level of satisfaction with the session, sense of connectedness to the therapist and overall progress being made in the therapy. Nine patients completed the study. Of 53 completed therapy sessions, 21 were by videophone and 32 were conducted face to face. Participants reported strong positive perceptions and acceptance after almost all therapy sessions, regardless of service delivery mode. The study suggests that there may be a role for the delivery of psychotherapy using low-bandwidth videophones.

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Survivors of the suicidal death of a loved one form a neglected group with individual needs and collective problems. Their vulnerability to subsequent episodes of depression with or without suicidal behavior has been suggested by follow-up studies. Their psychological situation is distinct from the bereavement following natural death in both intrapsychic and interpersonal ways. Issues prominent in Psychotherapy with survivors are identified. A case of the psychotherapy of a family subsequent to the suicide of one of its members is presented to highlight these issues. Suggestions are offered for helping the survivors deal with their feelings and the process of bereavement Follow-up is provided to enable the reader to gauge the success of the psychotherapeutic routine.

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