Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer Caregivers

Allison Applebaum, MD, is Associate Attending Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), and Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. She is the Founding Director of the Caregivers Clinic at MSK. Dr. Applebaum's program of research focuses broadly on addressing the psychosocial needs of family caregivers. William Breitbart, MD, is Chairman, The Jimmie C. Holland Chair in Psychiatric Oncology, and Attending Psychiatrist, in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from IPOS, ACLP, APOS, and ACS. Dr. Breitbart's research focuses on psychiatric aspects of cancer and palliative care. He has over 400 peer reviewed publications, chapters, reviews, and textbooks.

The reader will find an overview and background on MCP-C, and in-depth descriptions of each of the seven sessions, with sample therapist scripts and handouts for caregivers engaged in MCP-C.

• IntroductionTreatment OverviewSession #1: Concepts and Sources of MeaningSession #2: Cancer Caregiving and MeaningSession #3: Historical Sources of MeaningSession #4: Attitudinal Sources of MeaningSession #5: Creative Sources of MeaningSession #6: Experiential Sources of MeaningSesssion #7: TransitionsMCP-C Case ExampleCaregiver WorkbookFinal StatementAcknowledgementsReferences