Supportive-expressive group therapy: the transformation of existential ambivalence into creative living while enhancing adherence to anti-cancer therapies.
Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy (SEGT) has been developed and manualised in the research setting, but there have been few clinical accounts of its utility. In this qualitative review of its application in the Melbourne-based randomised control trial (RCT) for women with advanced breast cancer, SEGT is considered from the perspective of the structure and framework of therapy, its therapists, the issues that develop in exploring its common themes and what constitutes a well functioning group. Groups move through identifiable developmental phases. The mature group process transforms existential ambivalence into creative living, evidenced by humour, celebration, assertiveness, altruism, new creative pursuits and eventually courageous acceptance of dying. Challenges and pitfalls include avoidance, non-containment of ambivalence, intolerance of difference, anti-group phenomena and splitting. A key element is the medicalization of the group culture whereby members and co-therapists explore health beliefs and attitudes about care. This promotes compliance with anti-cancer treatments, including both the initiation of and perseverance with chemotherapy. This mechanism could prove to be a potentially important pathway in promoting longer survival.
Kissane
David W
DW
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. kissaned@mskcc.org
Grabsch
Brenda
B
Clarke
David M
DM
Christie
George
G
Clifton
Diane
D
Gold
Stan
S
Hill
Christine
C
Morgan
Ann
A
McDermott
Fiona
F
Smith
Graeme C
GC
D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001601:Bereavement; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D003405:Creativity; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012944:Social Support; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic