Formato del Cuestionario

The therapeutic relationship between client and clinician was represented in the theme of Feeling connected. Participants described their relationship with the POS psychologists in mostly positive terms. Their reflections of their therapeutic relationship included relating well, not feeling judged and being able to talk openly. They described personal qualities of the psychologists in terms of being gentle, helpful, empathetic, easy to talk to and someone they could relate to. These are qualities that may contribute to developing a good relationship with the client and for the client a sense of feeling connected to the clinician. The participants in the study by Croy (2010) also reported similar descriptions of the Massey POS psychologists. This finding is expected given that the psychologists seen in this study and Croy’s research were the same. However, research literature specific to cancer therapists is lacking. It is unclear what therapeutic traits can be developed through specialist training to meet cancer clients’ needs or if therapists with certain traits are drawn to work in this field.

The impression that the POS participants felt a connection with the psychologist was apparent throughout the interviews. Lorraine commented on feeling it was essential that she could relate well to the psychologist she saw and connected this to the Service being helpful.

I think that you need to work with someone that you can relate to quite well ...[psychologist] was just absolutely fantastic and really, really lovely and yeah so, so I found it very helpful. (Lorraine – POS)

Paul found that the psychologist he saw developed a connection with him describing them as “linked”.

They, they were easy to talk to, yeah and very er, attentive, they were um, yeah they seem to get in on the um, on your wavelength very easily yeah, yeah they, they linked up quite well yeah (Paul – POS family)

Gary had reported that he did not feel a connection with the first psychologist he saw but found that it was straightforward for him to change. This shows the value of a team service to the client where other psychologists are available if the relationship may not be working.

I’ve always felt that it’s very like a family doctor. Some you can relate to and some you can’t, it’s how you deal with the individual that makes the difference. I think at Massey because there is several there you can find the psychologist that is tailored to you. I feel that’s a bonus. (Gary – POS family)

Meg described feeling that she was an equal in the relationship she had with her psychologist and felt listened to and not judged. She already knew her psychologist from seeing her work with others with cancer and therefore, in contrast to other participants, for Meg having a prior connection already was important. This may possibly be a reflection of Meg’s awareness of good outcomes for patients she knew who had seen the POS clinician rather than that she knew the clinician. In connection

with previous research (e.g. Claiborn and Schmidt, 1977; Greenberg et al., 2006), Meg viewed the psychologist as an expert in their field due to pre-session information.

I felt that [the psychologist] was someone I was able to talk to, on an equal basis. I didn’t feel that ah I didn’t feel that she was a doctor and I was a patient. I just felt that [the psychologist] was someone who was there to listen to what I had to say and be non-judgemental and maybe give me a few things to think about that I hadn’t thought about from what I told [the psychologist]. Yer it was just a wee bit easier than with a complete stranger. You didn't feel that you had to go right back to basics with her I mean I don't think she knows me from any of the other nurses that work there but there was just a footing there that wouldn't have been there if I'd been, if she'd been a complete stranger mm. (Meg – POS family)

Susan remarked that she initially did not want to use POS and like Meg seeing a stranger seemed difficult to her. She described feeling forced to go and her reluctance appeared to arise from the fact that she found it difficult to talk to anybody about her problems. However, it is clear that she felt able to talk with her psychologist and she attributed this to their personality and behaviour towards her.

I, I don’t know, because I think I had always been quite reluctant to use the service, that’s why I was pushed to. Yeah, yeah, I had that big push to come and I, I don’t know, I think it’s because I haven’t really, I don’t really talk to people about things very much. Like normally I don’t think I’d feel comfortable talking through them with somebody I didn’t know? It was, really good like I, I liked coming in to see her and I, I did like her and her manner and everything and personality. And it was like and just coming in and talking to her. …. No, she was really good, and really supportive and quite interested in what I was doing and how I was going and very concerned that you know, and not just you know this is my job and I have to “what have you been doing and tell me about this”, and she was quite actually interested in connecting with me. I’m quite surprised that I didn’t think, you know, that a stranger, that I’d you know, feel that

comfortable, but I did, I, I really enjoyed coming in and I think that was a lot her manner with me. (Susan – POS family)

Within the sub-theme of Feeling connected participants spoke of their

therapeutic relationship with the POS clinician. They talked about feeling connected or “linked” and it is interesting to note the value that clients placed in their relationship with the POS psychologists.