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This article is based on the opening lecture given at the Second Int. Congress on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis in Vienna 2015. It provides an overview of a novel counseling intervention for patients with advanced cancer, entitled "Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy." Participants will be introduced to the topics of meaning and spirituality as they relate to the care of cancer patients. The basic concepts of meaning-centered psychotherapy will then be described. Meaning-centered psychotherapy is based on the concepts of meaning as derived from the work of Viktor Frankl and adapted for use in cancer populations by our team at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Two forms of meaning-centered psychotherapy have been developed: meaning-centered group psychotherapy (8-weekly 1.5 h sessions) and individual meaning-centered psychotherapy (7-weekly 1 h session). Both interventions are manualized and several randomized controlled trials have been conducted. The results of these studies will be presented as well. A detailed description of the intervention and the content of each session will be provided. In addition, adaptations of meaning-centered psychotherapy for bereavement, cancer survivors, cancer caregivers, and adolescents with cancer will be described.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-29424-7_14

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