medical illness is not merely a biological event; it is also a potentially traumatic one. And in nephrology, where patients confront bodily invasion, loss of autonomy, and the erosion of long-term certainty, it often is.
This guide offers an overview of how teletherapy works, its benefits, challenges, and current evidence on its effectiveness.
Starting dialysis is more than a medical event—it's a deeply emotional, psychological, and life-altering transition. For many patients coping with chronic kidney disease (CKD), beginning dialysis marks a new chapter filled with uncertainty, vulnerability, and fear.
What was once a tool to assist clinicians has now become a partner—sometimes even a driver—in decision-making, diagnostics, and system-level management.
I walked out of the doctor’s office, in a trance, almost forgetting that my fifteen year old, beside me, had walked through the very same door with me. The doctor had said, “Your son’s kidneys are failing!” During the fifteen-to-twenty minutes of intense conversation, the doctor had talked extensively about chronic kidney disease. Slowly he [...]
Diagnosis of any chronic illness like kidney disease can be a very turbulent time for any patient. The information and diagnosis may feel overwhelming and the patient might feel at a loss in connecting with his family, friends and even healthcare team. What is it like to live with a chronic kidney disease, how does [...]
As we approach the year-end, Team Psychonephrology would like to thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement throughout our journey together. We would like to recap some of the topics that received the widest viewership. At the beginning of this year, we started a new blog series, “in conversation series”, where the patients [...]
We are glad to share with you that Psychonephrology was recently featured in a podcast titled “Psychonephrology: A Psychodynamic Perspective in the Dialysis Unit”
In Conversation Series introduces a new medium in the exploration of the illness experience. We hope to have upcoming videotaped conversations with patients, caregivers and clinicians which we hope will convey these unique experiences from a variety of perspectives.
Below, Drs Gavril Hercz & Andreas Pierratos, nephrologists at Humber River Hospital, explain more about innovative models of care: “Needing to be on dialysis is about more than kidneys not working; it’s about a human being, with a worried family, trying to cope with a devastating loss. […]
How to Sleep Better A sound sleep does wonders for your mental and physical health. Not sleeping well takes a serious toll on your health and drains your energy. Getting a perfect sleep can prove a struggle for many. […]
I still vividly remember her last night here. She wasn’t fully conscious. Just enough to keep pulling down the face mask providing her with oxygen and opening her eyes to stare at me, before she resumed dozing off. I have no idea if she knew I was there. Yet, I still sat at her side, [...]
We are happy to announce that Dr. Gavril Hercz’s article is published, in the Perspective section of JASN October 2017 28: 2835-2837. The link for the article can be found here. http://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/28/10/2835 "The trauma of dialysis initiation" discusses at length the psychosocial impact of serious medical illness, such as kidney disease, which affects not only [...]
The clinical reception area or the reception desk, be it in a clinic or hospital, is the first and last place that a patient encounters during their anxious visit. Thus it has a major role in imprinting a positive or negative impression, while also influencing the dynamics of the encounter while there. The receptionists not [...]
mHealth will rescue you About 1 in 10 people develop some degree of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It can occur at any age and various conditions can lead to CKD. Over 2 million people worldwide currently receive treatment with dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive, yet this number may only represent 10% of [...]
