Working in the Australian bush for almost forty years has brought forth from Tim Metcalf a robust, adaptable and independent poetry, the downside being that he is less known in the urban centres. This selection from his nine books aims to redress the situation and bring this wide-ranging and extensively published poet to broader attention.

One of the finest and most prolific poets ever to grace the Bega Valley Shire of New South Wales, Anna Buck was noted for her humour, attention to detail, and love of both people and the natural world. Her work, selected here by fellow poet Dr Tim Metcalf, stands as a unique and comprehensive record of this beautiful part of Australia.

Dying, Bereavement and the Healing Arts describes a range of successful programmes pioneered by artists, writers, nurses, musicians, therapists, social workers, and chaplains in palliative care settings. These range from simple painting and writing activities to organized communal activities like writing and performing a play.The arts are shown to offer a means to reflect on memories, hopes, fears and anxieties, and gently explore the emotional, spiritual, and psychological issues ...

Set at an abandoned bore-hole in South’s Australia’s Nullarbor plain, this epic poem in four parts, sparse as the plain itself, offers its vast and solitudinous explanation of Australia.Tim Metcalf is an award-winning poet who has for many years worked around Australia as a country doctor, giving him an intimate knowledge of this enormous continent and its people. This is his eighth poetry collection. He works in Bombala NSW.

This book isn’t about dying. It’s about life and what life has to teach us. It’s about caring and what giving care really means.In Awake at the Bedside, pioneers of palliative and end-of-life care as well as doctors, chaplains, caregivers and even poets offer wisdom that will challenge, uplift, comfort—and change the way we think about death.Equal parts instruction manual and spiritual testimony, it includes specific instructions and perso...

Palliative care physician Dr. David Casarett considers the medical options terminal patients face at the end of life in this thoughtful and illuminating guide to last acts.What would you do if you had only a few days to live? Or a few weeks or months? What if a loved one were in this situation—how could you help that person decide how to spend the time that remained? Perhaps you lost a family member or dear friend to a terminal illness and were baffled by that pers...

Every day, thousands of people receive a diagnosis of serious, life-threatening illness, and their families and friends suddenly become caregivers. Despite the best of intentions it is not always easy to communicate well under these circumstances, or find deep empathy for something one has never before experienced. When is it best to speak, and when to be silent? How can someone provide real comfort, and how can relationships with loved ones facing serious illness be enhanced in this most ...

Writing a journal is not just about keeping a record of daily events - journal writing provides a unique therapeutic opportunity for facilitating healing and growth.The author of this book guides the reader through developing journal writing to use as a therapeutic tool. Keeping a journal can help the writer to develop a better understanding of themselves, their relationships and the world around them, as well as improve skills of problem-solving, decision-making and planning. As s...

In the context of music therapy, microanalysis is the detailed analysis of that short period of time during a music therapy session during which some kind of significant change takes place. These moments are crucial to the therapeutic process, and there is increasing interest amongst music therapists in understanding how they come about and whether there are ways of initiating them.The contributors to this groundbreaking book look at methods of micro process analyses used in a vari...

This practical book describes the specific use of receptive (listening) methods and techniques in music therapy clinical practice and research, including relaxation with music for children and adults, the use of visualisation and imagery, music and collage, song-lyric discussion, vibroacoustic applications, music and movement techniques, and other forms of aesthetic listening to music. The authors explain these receptive methods of intervention using a format that enables practitioners to ...

Supporting the Child and the Family in Paediatric Palliative Care provides a comprehensive overview of good practice in caring for terminally-ill children, young people and their families.Drawing from extensive personal experiences of working in paediatric palliative care, the author provides guidance on issues including symptom management and pain relief; cultural, religious and spiritual aspects of care; and the role of education for life-limited children. Addressing the importan...

Whether you’re coping with a loved one who has received a terminal diagnosis, has a long-term illness or disability, or suffers with dementia, caregiving is challenging and crucial. Those who face this responsibility, whether occasionally or 24/7, are brushing up against life’s sharpest point. In this book, Stan Goldberg offers an honest, caring, and comprehensive guide to those on this journey. Everyone wants to do the right thing,” and this book provides the often-elusive how-to - from ...