New therapy aims to ease grief and PTSD for families of ICU patients
NCT ID NCT05587517
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a short therapy program called EMPOWER for family members who make decisions for critically ill patients in the ICU. The therapy includes breathing exercises, mindfulness, and coping techniques delivered by a mental health professional. Researchers will compare it to supportive conversation to see if it reduces grief, PTSD, and depression over a year.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
EMPOWER (a behavioral therapy combining cognitive behavioral and acceptance and commitment techniques)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could provide an effective, brief therapy to help family surrogates cope with grief and trauma after a loved one's critical illness.
What could go wrong
This is a Phase 2 trial with only 172 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The therapy is new and may not reduce symptoms more than supportive conversation.
Disclaimer
Read more
Show less
This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for CRITICAL CARE are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
Enter your email to view the contact information for this study.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Study contacts
-
Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
-
Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
-
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10021, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-••••
Contact
-
NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine
RECRUITINGNew York, New York, 10065, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
-
University of Miami
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMiami, Florida, 33136, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••