religions Article “If Only I Could Start All over . ” A Case Study of Spiritual Care Provision to a Patient with a Psychiatric Disorder Requesting Physician-Assisted Dying in The Netherlands Carmen Schuhmann 1,* , Marianne C. Snijdewind 2, Lisa van Duijvenbooden 3 and Geert E. Smid 1,2 1 Humanist Chaplaincy Studies for a Plural Society, University of Humanistic Studies, 3512 HD Utrecht, The Netherlands;
[email protected] 2 ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, 1112 XE Diemen, The Netherlands;
[email protected] 3 Independent Researcher, 5611 AA Eindhoven, The Netherlands;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: In a growing number of countries, legislation permits physicians—under strict conditions— to grant a request for physician-assisted dying (PAD). Legally allowing for the possibility of granting such a request is in accordance with central humanistic values such as respect for autonomy and self-determination. The Netherlands is one of few countries where severe suffering from a psychiatric illness qualifies as a ground for a request for PAD. Central in this article is a case description of spiritual care provision in the Netherlands by a humanist healthcare chaplain to a patient requesting PAD because of psychiatric suffering. We discuss what we may learn from the case description Citation: Schuhmann, Carmen, about how spiritual caregivers may support patients who express a wish to die, and about their Marianne C. Snijdewind, Lisa van contribution to the care for patients with a psychiatric disorder who request PAD. Duijvenbooden, and Geert E. Smid. 2021. “If Only I Could Start All over Keywords: spiritual care; physician-assisted dying; secular chaplaincy; humanist spiritual care; .