Meeting of Clinical Psychology and Nursing Students with Andreas Stehli

On May 19, 2026, Ternopil National Medical University hosted a meeting between Andreas Stehli and students of clinical psychology and nursing. The event was attended by faculty members from the Departments of Psychiatry, Narcology and Medical Psychology; Higher Nursing Education; Patient Care and Clinical Immunology, as well as physicians from the Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital, the Director of the Arsen Richynskyi Kremenets Medical Professional College, Petro Mazur, and members of the college staff.

Andreas Stehli is a theologian and Doctor of Philosophy who has worked in the field of palliative care since 1996. From 2009 until recently, he headed the Academy at Johannes-Hospiz in Münster, Germany. Drawing on extensive theoretical knowledge and practical experience, he founded a series of educational manuals for specialists working in palliative medicine. Published titles include Palliative Care (for nurses), Compendium (for physicians), Emotions and Communication in Palliative Care (for psychologists), and Nutrition in Palliative Care. Since 2017, he has been actively implementing numerous humanitarian projects in and for Ukraine.

During the meeting, the audience was introduced to the key concepts of the manual for psychologists, Emotions and Communication in Palliative Care. The presentation addressed the concept of palliative medicine, the specific features of this field, its major challenges, and the importance of focusing on patient support. The sections of the manual were outlined, including Emotions and Communication in Palliative Care, Managing Core Emotions in Palliative Care (guilt and feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, fear, anger and rage, sadness, joy and hope), The Consequences of Trauma in Palliative Care, and Epilogue: Love.

It was emphasized that the book is valuable not only for professional psychologists but also for anyone seeking to better understand their own emotions and the feelings of others, as well as to provide support to those in need. Mr. Stehli also shared that he is currently working on a new manual focused on spirituality in palliative medicine, which will soon be translated into Ukrainian.

The presentation was delivered in Ukrainian, a language that Andreas Stehli has been studying for more than three years.

Halyna Leitsius translated the entire series of manuals into Ukrainian and is also a co-author of the book Nutrition in Palliative Care. She contributed the chapter The Nutritional Biography of a Ukrainian Family Over a Century, which explores the concept of a family’s “nutritional lineage.”

Following the presentation, participants had the opportunity to discuss their questions and to purchase or order the manuals that interested them.

The delegation also visited the psychiatric department of the Ternopil Regional Clinical Psychoneurological Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry, Narcology and Medical Psychology. An agreement was reached for Andreas Stehli to deliver lectures and conduct training sessions for clinical psychology students in the field of palliative care.

At the end of the meeting, the guest invited attendees to reflect on and contemplate the words of a poem, which is presented below.