Processwork Applications to Cancer Survivors' Peer Support

Abstract: This is a contextual essay accompanying my final project that was publishing an introductory book on process-oriented peer support for cancer survivors. The book is written in Japanese and entitled Introduction to Peer Support for Cancer Survivors: Process Facilitation, Kindle edition (in preparation). With one out of two Japanese being affected by cancer (Ganjoho, 2016), mutual aid such as peer support among cancer survivors is strongly needed in Japan. It seemed to me of great use to apply Processwork to this area, due to its Taoist philosophy that views disease as a growth process, as well as by its simplicity of theoretical paradigm and wide range of applicability, which are especially helpful in peer support. Therefore, this essay aims to explicate Processwork applications to cancer survivors' peer support in Japan. Following my personal history and the definition of key terms such as cancer survivorship, peer support, and self-help group, Processwork applications are presented and explicated in theoretical and methodological detail.