As the UK moves closer to the possibility of legalising assisted dying, with the Assisted Dying Bill progressing through parliament, therapists are being invited into a moment of reflection. The potential legal changes are not simply legislative; they touch on profound questions about life, death, autonomy, and dignity—questions that will likely ripple through the therapeutic space, whether or not we directly encounter clients involved in this pathway. For therapists, this is a moment to pause and consider: How might this change affect us, our clients, and the way we approach our work? What do we need to think about, feel into, or wrestle with to be ready to meet the potential impact of assisted dying with both humility and compassion?
Therapy is, at its heart, a deeply relational and human act. It is also, for many, a practice imbued with a sense of spirituality, whether explicitly tied to faith or expressed as a reverence for the human spirit’s capacity to seek meaning and connection. The issue of assisted dying intersects with many layers of meaning—ethical, emotional, spiritual, and cultural. It invites us to engage with questions that resist simple answers: What does it mean to live well? What does it mean to die well? Who decides? Therapists are not immune to the weight of these questions. Nor are we expected to set aside our own humanity in the service of neutrality. Instead, our task is to approach our own beliefs, biases, and uncertainties with curiosity, ensuring that they do not overshadow the client’s experience.
Before we can offer a safe space for clients to explore the complexities of assisted dying, we must first examine our own responses. This is not an easy task. The issue of assisted dying is tied to deeply personal and often painful experiences—our encounters with grief, loss, disability, faith, and existential fear.How do we feel about assisted dying? Do we see it as a compassionate choice, an ethical dilemma, or something else entirely? These questions are not about finding definitive answers but about recognising the values and emotions that shape our perspectives. Without this awareness, we risk unconscious projection, subtle judgement, or even well-meaning collusion with a client’s narrative.Some prompts for reflection might include:
These are not questions with easy answers, but they are necessary starting points for engaging with this issue in a way that is ethical, compassionate, and nuanced.
The debate around assisted dying cannot be separated from wider societal contexts. Issues of intersectionality—how factors such as race, gender, class, disability, and culture intersect to shape experiences of power, privilege, and marginalisation—are central to this conversation. For some, assisted dying represents empowerment and autonomy. For others, particularly in societies where ableism, ageism, and racism persist, it raises fears about coercion, neglect, and the devaluation of certain lives. How do we hold space for these intersecting realities? As therapists, our work often involves helping clients navigate the tensions between individual choices and systemic forces. When engaging with the topic of assisted dying, this means being attuned not only to the client’s immediate concerns but also to the societal and cultural narratives that shape their experience. It means asking ourselves:
This is a space where cultural humility is essential. By remaining open to learning, and possibly more importantly, unlearning, we can better support clients whose experiences may differ from our own.
For many, the issue of assisted dying is integral to spiritual or religious beliefs. As therapists, we are often called to work with clients whose faith traditions influence their understanding of life, death, and morality. This invites us into a space of deep listening—stepping into the client’s frame of reference without imposing our own. It also challenges us to reflect on our own spiritual beliefs, if we hold them, and to consider how they shape our work. For therapists who identify with a faith tradition, there may be moments of tension. How do we reconcile personal convictions with the professional requirement to provide non-judgemental, client-centred care? For some, this may mean recognising when referral is the most ethical option. For others, it may involve building the inner boundaries needed to support clients authentically while holding personal beliefs to one side. These reflections require humility. They require us to be honest about what we can and cannot hold in the therapeutic space and to prioritise the client’s needs above all else.
Even if we never work directly with someone considering assisted dying, the topic may arise in our practice through family members, friends, or medical professionals grappling with its implications. The time to prepare is now, before we are in the moment with a client who needs us to listen deeply.Some ways to engage with this preparation might include:
The aim is not to have all the answers but to cultivate a readiness to sit with the complexity of this issue—without fear, defensiveness, or avoidance.
The potential legalisation of assisted dying is a moment of societal change, but it is also an opportunity for therapists to engage in meaningful reflection. By exploring our own beliefs, acknowledging our biases, and considering the broader cultural and systemic implications of this issue, we prepare ourselves to meet our clients with openness and integrity. This is not easy work, but it is essential. It asks us to hold the tension between personal belief and professional responsibility, to navigate the interplay of autonomy and vulnerability, and to honour the spiritual and existential questions that lie at the heart of life and death. As we move forward, let us do so with humility, curiosity, and compassion—trusting that this reflection, however uncomfortable, will deepen our capacity to serve our clients and to honour the profound complexity of the human experience.
