A consultation model integrating psychoanalysis and psychophysiology in oncology

The experience of cancer may lead to affective dysregulation within the somatopsychic unit. This study outlines a psychological consultation model for cancer patients and their caregivers, integrating psychoanalytic psychology and psychophysiology. This study presents the proposed consultation model, consisting of five weekly sessions. The clinical psychologist assesses the individual’s current and past intrapsychic, interpersonal, and psychophysiological functioning, as well as the impact of cancer, through clinical interviews and a computerized multiparameter polygraph for biofeedback. Clinical actions that can be undertaken to achieve both assessment and treatment objectives are described. Our consultation model has the potential to enhance the diagnostic process, improving the precision of selecting psychological interventions and yielding outcomes in terms of secondary prevention by early identification of at-risk situations. These implications may result in the development of services that align with the demands and limitations of the public healthcare system.