Systemic work with families affected by cancer

In this subplenary, I wish to present experiences from my work as a family therapist in the oncology department in Haukeland University Hospital, where I meet families affected by cancer. The foundation for my presentation is clinical experience and my doctoral project, where I do action research with male cancer survivors as co-researchers in different locations in Norway.

The aim of this sub plenary is to show how cancer illness affects the whole family, and how it can change the dynamics of the family system. I will also describe the different processes these families experiences, and how we work together with the families affected. It is my belief this knowledge may also be applied in working with other groups suffering from serious illnesses.

Working in this field has given an insight in men and women’s different understanding and needs for support, and a need for changing our approach has emerged. It is my experience that discourses can hinder men in seeking help, I will elaborate on this in my lecture. Through my doctoral project, I have collaborated with the Norwegian Cancer Association to create a new way of meeting men’s need, and I hope to inspire other systemic therapists to think outside the box in meeting their clients’ needs.

As family therapist at Haukeland University Hospital in Norway, I work with cancer patients and their families. The foundation for my presentation is clinical experience and my doctoral project, where I do action research with male cancer survivors as co-researchers in different locations in Norway. The aim of this study is to establish an arena for men who are undergoing or have undergone cancer treatment, to gain insights to how a systemic approach can complement Norwegian cancer care, and how this knowledge can be applied in systemic psychotherapy.

This workshop seeks to further understand how working collaboratively with male cancer survivors has led to organizational changes and to personal changes and insights in researcher and co-researchers, and to inspire other therapists to be creative and curious to how we can contribute to a systemic change for cancer patients and their  families.

Mirjam Østevold
Family therapist
Department of Oncology and Medical Physics
Haukeland University Hospital