New Insights from UVA on Supporting Near-Death Experiences
Near-death experiences (NDEs) can reshape a person’s worldview and sense of purpose. A new study from the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Division of Perceptual Studies sheds light on how clinicians and loved ones can provide effective, compassionate support to those navigating the aftermath. While many individuals report positive changes—renewed meaning, empathy, and a deeper appreciation of life—some face challenges reconciling the experience with personal beliefs, values, or scientific views. The research emphasizes practical pathways to help people integrate their NDEs into daily life and relationships.
The Study: Who Seeks Help and What Works
Led by Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD, the UVA team examined 167 near-death experiencers to identify the kinds of professional help, therapy, and peer support that people actually seek and find beneficial. The researchers also explored how the intensity of an NDE and an individual’s mental health history influence the likelihood of seeking support and its perceived usefulness.
The findings show that more than half of participants—64%—turned to some form of help after their NDE, and among those, 78% found the support helpful. Not surprisingly, more intense NDEs correlated with a greater need for assistance, and individuals with prior psychological difficulties were more likely to seek support.
A striking result concerns the importance of how support is received. Acceptance and validation at the moment someone discloses an NDE greatly increased the likelihood that the entire support process would feel beneficial. In contrast, fear of being labeled “crazy” or dismissed can deter people from seeking or sticking with help. This underscores a simple but powerful principle: the initial response to disclosure matters as much as the type of treatment that follows.
<h2Key Findings: What Predicts Helpful Support
Several factors emerged as predictive of a positive experience with support. Older participants and those who described their childhoods as happy tended to perceive support as more helpful, suggesting resilience built early in life can influence post-NDE coping. Additionally, individuals who found groups or online communities that are empathetic to NDEs were more likely to rate support positively.
Another nuance concerns mental health status. Those who described their mental health as good were less likely to seek external help after an NDE and more likely to view available support as helpful if they did engage with it. This may reflect a combination of personal resilience and the possibility that validating, supportive encounters contribute to better mental health outcomes over time.
<h2The Role of Professional Caregivers and the Need for Specialized Training
Perhaps one of the most unexpected findings is that support from mental-health professionals did not consistently translate into higher perceived helpfulness. The researchers suggest this may indicate a need for more counselors who are specifically trained to address near-death experiences. General therapy skills are valuable, but providers may need targeted education about NDEs, their impact on belief systems, and strategies for validating patients’ experiences without pathologizing them.
Pehlivanova emphasizes a shift toward holistic, patient-centered care that acknowledges NDEs as a meaningful part of a person’s history. “We hope this work illuminates the support needs of individuals who have had a near-death experience and are trying to make sense of it,” she said. “Education for healthcare providers is essential to closing gaps in care and helping patients navigate changes in priorities and relationships.”
<h2Implications for Practice and Future Research
The UVA findings offer concrete implications for clinicians, counselors, and peer-support programs. Training that promotes accepting, nonjudgmental listening; development of NDE-informed counseling approaches; and the creation of supportive communities can improve outcomes for experiencers. As the field of consciousness studies expands, researchers hope to explore how such supports influence long-term well-being and life choices after NDEs.
The study, published in Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research and Practice, is open access, inviting clinicians and researchers to build on these insights. The work is a reminder that authentic, validated care can help near-death experiencers translate profound experiences into sustainable personal growth.
<h2About UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies
Founded in 1967, UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies is a leading, multidisciplinary center for researching extraordinary human experiences. With a focus on rigorous evidence and ethical inquiry, DOPS explores consciousness and related phenomena, aiming to bridge scientific study with public understanding.
