Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by
motor and non-motor features. Many people with PD struggle with mental
health issues such as depression. Evidence suggests that people with PD
may have trouble adopting a hopeful or positive orientation given their
diagnosis and symptoms. There has been relatively little research on
psychological treatments for PD tend to be few and even less research
focused on promoting hope and well-being. The Strengths, Hope, and
Resourcefulness Program for People with Parkinson’s Disease was
developed to begin to address this treatment gap. This qualitative study
identifies seven processes group members found helpful during treatment:
Accessing Hope, Comparing, Drawing Together, Reaching Beyond Self,
Releasing Emotion, Sharing Skills/Picking Up Resources, and
Self-Reflecting/Personal Insight. The unique contributions of an
intentional and explicit hope, strengths, and resources intervention are
discussed with specific attention to therapeutic process and practice.
Keywords: Hope, Positive Psychology, Group Therapy, Strengths,
Qualitative, Parkinson’s Disease