An existential support program for people with cancer: Development and qualitative evaluation

Area of Science:

• Psychosocial Oncology
• Existential Psychology
• Cancer Care Support

Background:

• Cancer patients often experience significant existential distress.
• Existing support programs may not fully address these deep-seated concerns.
• A need exists for innovative interventions to alleviate existential suffering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the development of the "Energy for life" existential support program.
• To evaluate patient experiences and identify supportive and unsupportive change processes within the program.

Main Methods:

• A five-day "Energy for life" program integrating existential group counseling, art therapy, and nature interaction.
• Implementation across two study sites with 40 cancer patients (31 women, 5 men; ages 31-76).
• Program evaluation through focus group interviews.

Main Results:

• Supportive processes included "existential sharing" in group counseling, fostering acceptance and life preparation.
• Art therapy provided emotional expression and respite; nature interaction induced calmness and belonging.
• Unsupportive aspects involved group organization, discomfort with creative tasks, and distress from the hospital setting.

Conclusions:

• The "Energy for life" program facilitated the sharing, containment, and transformation of existential distress.
• Valuable insights were gained for designing effective existential support programs for cancer patients.
• The program demonstrated potential in alleviating profound existential suffering.