Grossarth-Maticek Creative Innovation Therapy: what is it?

A type of psychotherapy aimed at increasing the life expectancy of sick patients.

There are a number of psychological therapies that have sought to improve the physical condition of patients with diseases such as Cancer or coronary heart disease, by preventing relapses or slowing the progression of the disease.

This is the case of Grossarth-Maticek's Creative Innovation Therapy, a therapy that aims to reduce deaths from cancer and coronary heart disease.a therapy that aims to reduce deaths from cancer, coronary heart disease or stroke, and increase the life expectancy of these people.

Grossarth-Maticek Creative Innovation Therapy: characteristics.

The Creative Innovation Therapy of Grossarth-Maticek (1984) was modified by Eysenck in 1991; it is also called autonomy training. It is a behavioral therapy that aims to reduce deaths due to cancer (mainly) reduce deaths due to cancer (mainly), coronary heart disease or stroke, as well as increase life expectancy.as well as increasing the life expectancy of these people.

In other words, it is a therapy aimed at people with type 1 (cancer) and type 2 (coronary heart disease and stroke) reactions to stress (these types were defined by Eysenck and Grossarth-Maticek).

Thus, this therapy is used especially in cancer, and aims at to modify the immunological response of the oncological patient by psychological means..

Techniques

The therapy proposes the development of new behavioral patterns by the patient, such as self-observation and experimentation of the consequences of their actions. These new patterns will replace the attitudes that Eysenck and Grossarth-Maticek associate with the onset and progression of cancer. The ultimate goal will be for people to seek long-term positive outcomes in their behaviors..

Grossarth-Maticek's Creative Innovation Therapy is designed with the goal of "hysterizing" the patient, who is empowered to openly express his or her needs. Such needs were previously inhibited. On the other hand, the patient is also enabled to actively engage in more satisfying social interactions..

In addition, Grossarth-Maticek's Creative Innovation Therapy assumes that undesired behavioral patterns are guided by cognitive-emotional patterns (formed by values and beliefs) that can be modified.

Therapeutic process

The therapeutic process of the Grossarth-Maticek Creative Innovation Therapy is carried out as follows, following a series of steps or guidelines:

1. Preliminary analysis

By means of a previous and careful analysis, the following steps are carried out identify the patient's conflicting needs (attraction-avoidance (attraction-avoidance conflicts or double bindings). In the next therapeutic stage, alternative behaviors and cognitive patterns of interpretation will be defined with the patient.

In other words, it is not so much a question of "dismantling" the structure of the patient's emotional needs, but rather of providing solutions by changing the patient's emotional programs. solutions by changing the current cognitive programs for new ones..

Relaxation and suggestion

Through relaxation and suggestion, new or alternative cognitive interpretations are emphasized.

3. Behavioral changes

Finally, the third and last step or guideline includes to build with the patient a program of concrete and well-defined behavioral changes. well-defined behavioral changes.

Results

The results obtained in various studies (conducted by Simonton and by the Grossarth-Maticek group) through Grossarth-Maticek's Creative Innovation Therapy, show increases in the survival rates of terminal cancer patients, compared to control groups or statistics.compared to control groups or official statistics.

Thus, the results for preventing such diseases and increasing life expectancy have been positive; furthermore, according to the authors, it not only reduces the incidence and increases life expectancy, but also reduces the length of hospital stay and would act synergistically with the effects of chemotherapy..

In relation to the level of evidence for the therapy, this is medium.

Limitations

However, the interpretation of these results should be taken with caution, due to the methodological limitations of the studies.

Furthermore, although Grossarth-Maticek Creative Innovation Therapy provides increased patient survival, it is not clear which elements of the therapeutic package are really relevant, it is not clear which elements of the therapeutic package are the really relevant onesand through which psychological variables they exert their effect. On the other hand, we also found that their results have not been replicated.

Bibliographical references:

• Amigo, I. (2012). Manual de Psicología de la Salud. Madrid: Pirámide.
• Barreto, M.P., Ferrero, J. and Toledo, M. (1993). Psychological intervention in cancer patients. Clínica y salud, 4(3), Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid.
• Pérez, M.; Fernández, J.R.; Fernández, C. and Amigo, I. (2010). Guía de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces II: Psicología de la Salud (Guide to effective psychological treatments II: Health psychology). Madrid: Pirámide.