Objective. The aim of the study was to reveal internal experiences, psychological state and changes in it after undergoing a course in meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) for cancer patients’ care-givers.
Material and methods. A descriptive case study was undertaken. Seven MCP sessions were conducted by a psychiatrist-psychotherapist who has finished a preparation course of MCP. An assistant was also present to observe the sessions and take notes. During the final session two participants accepted invitations to a semi-structured interview; it was recorded and transcribed. Experiences of therapeutic eftect that had been reported by the participants of the interview were examined qualitatively and processed according to three aspects: group effect, outlook on meaning in life and outlook on cancer. In this article we present the results of this examination.
Results. Participant X ascribed the success in discontinuing anti-depressant drug therapy earilier than prescribed and her feelings of improvement to her participation in group sessions. Participant Y claimed to have got to know herself better and brought sources of meaning to awareness. Both participants stated that the group strengthened their spiritual well-being, giving credit to accounts of experiences of other participants as having facilitated acceptance of difficulties that cancer diagnosis poses. Both participants emphasized changes in outlook towards cancer - the situation itself by participant Y and the suffering it causes by participant X.
Conclusions. This qualitative case study suggests that MCP is a promising method to improve spiritual well-being and to reduce existential worrying. More comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research is needed to evaluate actual effects of this therapeutic method.
