| A small body of largely anecdotal research suggests that Compassionate Communication is effective in arenas where difficult topics must be discussed such as therapeutic relationships, couples counseling, political relationships, educational settings, prisons, and business settings. However, no research to date has examined the use of the model within the cancer community, though the literature indicates that communication during the cancer journey is essential and that those families that discuss cancer openly have a better ability to cope with the disease, report less psychological distress, physical problems, caregiver burnout, and have higher levels of empathy and intimacy. The present study evaluated a 6-week Compassionate Communication workshop for cancer patients and caregivers. The course included psychoeducation, an introduction to universal human needs, lists of feelings and emotions, and focus options for connection, empathy, self-connection and self-expression. Results demonstrated significant increases in empathy, self-compassion (on one of two measures) and overall well-being (ORS) from pre to post test. There were no group differences or interaction effects between cancer patients and caregivers, with both groups increasing in a similar positive direction. In qualitative feedback at the end of the workshop, 87.5% of participants reported that the model improved communication with loved ones and healthcare professionals and positively affected their emotions. Additionally, 69% of participants found the workshop helped reduce stress levels. Participants unanimously agreed that they learned valuable concepts and found the workshop interesting and intriguing. This study successfully demonstrated that Compassionate Communication is a useful workshop to offer within the cancer community. Additional clinical implications, limitations of this study, and directions for future research are also explored. |
