In the Midst of a Hurricane: A Case Study of a Couple Living With AIDS

Abstract

This case study provides insight into 1 heterosexual couple's experience with AIDS. Through a series of interviews, the authors examined the experiences of a husband in the advanced stages of AIDS and of his wife, the primary caregiver. A thematic analysis revealed 4 themes: the emotional impact of the diagnosis, changes in the couple's daily lives, needs for social support, and spiritual journeys. Recommendations are given for counselors working with persons with AIDS and their heterosexual partners.

HIV-Negativity in Serodiscordant Relationships: The Absence, Enactment, and Liminality of Serostatus Identity

“…The couples in their study conveyed that since the HIV diagnosis they had become simultaneously more intimate and more distant emotionally. While issues such as sex, social activities, and career plans tended to heighten their sense of serostatus difference, they often developed a close bond around HIV itself, describing a stronger sense of trust, commitment, and interdependence in the face of a stigmatized disease with an uncertain trajectory (Beckerman et al 2000:28-35; see also Beckerman 2002, Buki et al 2005.…”

Counseling to End an Epidemic: Revisiting the Ethics of HIV/AIDS

“…Surprisingly, despite the high prevalence of mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse among PLWHA (Whetten, Reif, Whetten, & Murphy‐McMillan, ), few articles about the psychosocial implications of HIV/AIDS and effective treatments for PLWHA have been published in the flagship journal of the counseling field in recent years. The Journal of Counseling & Development has published only six articles since 2000 that explore HIV/AIDS within the United States (Amola & Grimmett, ; Buki, Kogan, Keen, & Uman, ; Hovell et al, ; Hunt, Jaques, Niles, & Wierzalis, ; Springer & Lease, ; Zeligman, Barden, & Hagedorn, ), two of which were published within the last decade. This amounts to an article every 2 to 3 years concerning an illness that has received tremendous attention in the fields of medicine, psychology, psychiatry, and social work.…”

End‐of‐Life Care: An Overview for Professional Counselors

“…For example, clinical trials of a meaning-centered group intervention, which was based on Frankl's ideas as well as listening to people who were dying, have demonstrated significant effects on the degree of sadness experienced by people with terminal cancer (see Greenstein & Breitbart, 2000). The counseling literature has reinforced the idea that counselors working with people facing EOL situations can learn from the experiences of, or provide assistance to, people who have faced death, are dying, or who have a chronic/terminal illness such as HIV (Buki, Kogan, Keen, & Uman, 2005;Burke & Miller, 1996;Freeman & Ward, 1998;Holt, Houg, & Romano, 1999;Ingersoll, 2000;Kinnier, Tribbensee, Rose, & Vaughan, 2001;Manis & Bodenhorn, 2006;O'Halloran & Altmaier, 1996;Shepherd Johnson, 2003;Springer & Lease, 2000;Vaughan & Kinnier, 1996).…”

“…In fact, some authors argue that they should be emphasized alongside the biological, psychological, and social dimensions, creating a "biopsychosociospiritual" framework (Kaut, 2002(Kaut, , 2006Sulmasy, 2002). The counseling literature has included some discussion of the importance of spirituality when people are near the end of life (Buki et al, 2005;Burke & Miller, 1996;Holt et al, 1999;Ingersoll, 2000;Manis & Bodenhorn, 2006;Shepherd Johnson, 2003), but much more can and should be considered when people are dying, especially for members of diverse groups (e.g., Born, Greiner, Sylvia, Butler, & Ahluwalia, 2004;Puchalski, Dorff, & Hendi, 2004). As was discussed earlier, attention has been given to existential considerations, which can be placed under the broad heading of spirituality; in general, however, the discussion of religion and nonexistential spirituality has taken place in other literatures.…”