Palliative Psychologist

UT Health San Antonio, is seeking a clinical psychologist to support the Multispecialty Research Hospital (MSRH) Supportive/Palliative Care Team and the Mays Cancer Center.

This position focuses on providing psychological support to patients with serious, chronic, or terminal illnesses and their families. The focus is on improving quality of life, managing symptoms, and offering counseling to help patients and families cope with the emotional, psychological, and existential challenges that arise during this time.

Responsibilities:

• Psychological Assessment and Counseling:
• Conduct psychological assessments to evaluate patients' emotional, cognitive, and psychological needs.
• Assess psychological conditions and offer appropriate therapeutic interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, or other modalities.
• Provide individual and group therapy to help patients cope with anxiety, depression, fear, grief, and other emotions related to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
• Provide family, and group counseling to help patients' families cope with illness, grief, and end-of-life issues.
• Offer support with decision-making, anticipatory grief, and emotional distress related to serious illness.
• Work within multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic care and develop comprehensive care plans for patients.
• Participate in team meetings to discuss patient progress, treatment plans, and goals.
• Provide psychological input in multidisciplinary tumor board meetings or care team discussions when appropriate.
• Consult with the oncology team regarding any psychological concerns related to patient care.
• Educate patients and families about the psychological aspects of illness, coping strategies, and stress management.
• Provide resources for managing emotional distress and grief.
• Crisis Intervention:
• Provide crisis intervention and support in urgent emotional situations.
• Grief and Bereavement Support:
• Offer grief counseling to individuals and families before, during, and after the death of a loved one.
• Facilitate support groups for patients and families coping with loss.
• Research and Evaluation:
• Stay updated on psychological oncology research and contribute to studies.
• Participate in or conduct research related to palliative care psychology to improve practices, interventions, and patient outcomes.
• Evaluate the psychological impact of palliative care interventions and make recommendations for improvements.
• Ethical and Cultural Sensitivity:
• Provide care that respects cultural, religious, and personal beliefs regarding life, death, and end-of-life care.
• Address ethical issues in care, such as end-of-life decisions, advance directives, and patient autonomy.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or Psy.
  
  D in Psychology.
• Licensed psychologist (state requirements apply).
• Specialized training or experience in healthcare settings preferably with cancer patients and palliative care, grief counseling, and end-of-life care is preferred.
• Strong understanding of psychological theories, therapeutic interventions, and mental health diagnoses.
• Strong communication, empathy, and collaboration skills.
• Will involve working in the inpatient (MSRH) and outpatient (MCC) settings.

This role is essential in ensuring that palliative care patients and their families receive the psychological support they need to manage the complex emotions that come with serious illness.

UT Health San Antonio is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including protected veterans and persons with disabilities. All faculty appointments are designated as security sensitive positions.

UT Health San Antonio offers an excellent benefits package for its employees. Employees who work at least 20 hours a week, with an appointment of at least 4.5 months, are eligible for benefits.

Medical - UT SELECT Medical insurance is offered free for fulltime employees and administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Family members can be added to the plan through payroll deduction. Employees and their dependents can also receive discounted copays and coinsurance when using UT Health Physicians, a network of 800 premier physicians including more than 100…