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Reflections on experiential training in meaning-centered psychotherapy: How MCP ended up facilitating professional wellbeing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2022

Deborah J. Snyder Open the ORCID record for Deborah J. Snyder [Opens in a new window] ,
Annabelle M. Mournet  and
Maryland Pao
Deborah J. Snyder*
Affiliation:
Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
Annabelle M. Mournet
Affiliation:
Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
Maryland Pao
Affiliation:
Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
*
Author for correspondence: Deborah J. Snyder, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, 10-CRC, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. E-mail: deborahsnyder@mail.nih.gov
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Abstract

Objective

Meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP) principles may provide a framework for engaging healthcare professionals in meaning-centered exploration as a novel approach to prevent burnout and enhance wellbeing in healthcare professionals through heightening personal meaning. This case study aimed to teach MCP to masters-trained social workers for use with medical patients. While the primary aim was to teach MCP to masters-trained social workers, this proof-of-concept project and this paper focus on a secondary aim of enhancing meaning and connection in the virtual workplace.

Methods

A group of social workers participated in a 7-session MCP pilot from October 13th to November 24th, 2020. After each session, participants were asked to complete an anonymous continuing education evaluation with questions regarding clarity, organization, and relevance of the presentation related to use with their patient populations. Additional open-ended items queried participants for general comments about their experience using MCP to enhance professional fulfillment during COVID-19.

Results

Nine social workers participated in the MCP pilot. Several qualitative themes emerged, including enhanced meaning, communication, connection, and agency in the virtual workplace.

Significance of the results

This pilot demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of using an adapted MCP instruction with hospital-based social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate wellbeing. While MCP was originally created to intervene with patients with life-threatening illnesses, the brief, manualized experiential nature of the intervention lends itself to modification with staff for the purpose of enhancing meaning and community in their own lives.

Keywords

BurnoutCOVID-19Healthcare professionalsMeaning-centered psychotherapy
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , February 2023 , pp. 38 - 42
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Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection within the United States. Published by Cambridge University Press
Copyright
© National Institutes of Health, 2022.

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