Making sense of symptoms, clinicians and systems: a qualitative evaluation of a facilitated support group for patients with medically unexplained symptoms

Table 1 Facilitated Support Group Weekly Topics^a

Week	Topics	Focus of Weekly Content
1	Introductions and Establish Goals of the Group	Introductions and establishment of group norms and expectations of participants to create a safe environment
2	Understanding where you’re at	Documenting changes in symptoms, mood and function and importance of self-reflection
3	Getting the most from your medical appointment	Strategies to improve patient-provider communication and making the most of medical appointments
4	Understanding the Brain-Body Connection	The mind–body connection and the impact on health and well-being
5	Reducing Stress	Stress reducing strategies, including physical activity, healthy eating, sleep and relaxation techniques
6	Living with Stress	Techniques and approaches to help manage the ongoing stress of living with MUS
7	Driving your Care	Perspectives and insights on the healthcare system and how to navigate its complexity
8	Topic determined by the group	Example: Life hacks for people with chronic conditions
9	Topic determined by the group	Example: The science behind stress
10	Wrap up	Reflection about the weekly sessions and discussion about the post-FSG evaluation

^aWeekly agenda: Welcome, participant rounding, facilitator-led skills development (weekly topics described above), goal-setting for subsequent week (using the pocketbook), wrap-up

ISSN: 1471-2296