Table 5 Qualitative themes

SST was a missing piece in clinical care

Missing piece

• “I didn’t realize that’s what I wanted until we were in that session. As it kept going, I’m like 'oh, this is good'. This is what I actually was looking for but, didn’t know that was what I was looking for… last piece of the puzzle.” (P-11)

• “It felt great because it felt like it was completing the whole package. I think a lot of people don’t understand that yes, a child is ill but, they have caregivers too, who are important in order to get this child on the best path.” (P-10)

• “I think it really seems to fit a gap, that I'm not sure exactly how it would have been filled otherwise.” (P-16)

• “It really does complete the puzzle for other services that we receive for our daughter.” (P-10)

Individualized approach

• “It was a lot different. It wasn’t someone just looking at a chart. It was more face-to-face.” (P-12)

• “Different, because it was focusing on me. It was nice to look at my particular situation, so tailored.” (P-1)

• “It was good to have someone too, who is… interested in… emotional concerns… And who you could talk to… at more length, not just about medical issues.” (P-16)

• “[SST] is good because you are able to focus more on yourself… instead of focusing on a certain part of your life like other departments may do.” (P-17)

Medical knowledge

• “The other thing too that I found that was really helpful for the Single Session Clinics is the fact that they had, that because they specialize in neurology… they understood what I was talking about.” (P-1)

• “Just the fact that they… work in that particular setting did give me some… extra trust and comfort.” (P-8)

SST illuminated existing strengths and skills

Validating skills

• “To go and feel validated and feel that positivity that we were on the right track was really helpful for us.” (P-5)

• “You can see your skills because of the questions asked.” (P-2)

• “When we came to the session it was good because you guys had key questions that were prompting, which was awesome. It did trigger some things that [the patient] did get to speak about. So, that was the good part of going there.” (P-11)

• “Yeah, it [reminded me of my]… skills of life… and focusing on those skills again. […] I had the opportunities, and I had the power of getting things solved. […] I left there focusing on my skills and focusing on giving more compassion to myself.” (P-2)

Process over perfection

• “[SST] gave me other parameters or structures to work on that I could actually keep myself busy doing and feel like I was progressing or like I was continuing to do things for us.” (P-8)

• “I felt that I had taken a step forward.” (P-1)

• “They spoke about what to do in the moment. So, I thought that was helpful.” (P-3)

• “What we actually got was more practical help with coordinating resources for caring – things like that. That was very, very useful.” (P-16)

Support and connectedness

• “I didn’t feel like all of the weight was on me. There were other people who could help me carry that load.” (P-1)

• “It was helpful to get someone to talk to and to vent.” (P-15)

• “I just didn’t feel so alone. […] It felt like they were taking action right away.” (P-1)

• “Somebody should remind you… you need some help to see your strong side of yourself.” (P2)

• “It’s so good to know that there is someone… there who cares for me so that I can care and advocate for my daughter. […] That someone was advocating on my behalf, and [helped] me to advocate for my daughter.” (P-1)

SST effected a lasting impact

Lasting impact

• “Time to time I go back and see what the questions were and reflecting those questions to myself again.” (P-2)

• “It can give you some good tips for even when you leave. And for the following months and weeks after.” (P12)

• “Long lasting effect… after a while, we just had more time now – we started to figure out, figure things out more… [SST] was a factor but, it was a very helpful one.” (P-16)

• “You just don’t realize something has impacted you so much until you really look back on it.” (P-1)

Ongoing challenges

• “I have to keep working at it.” (P-10)

• “I don’t think it’s 100% we’re there, but I think that’s life.” (P-7)

• “I still think it’s a work in progress.” (P-3)

• “I think it was mostly a shift in the mindset… Like acknowledging it and just kind of accepting it.” (P-10)

Enhanced hope

• “The brighter side of the situation.” (P-3)

• “Turning that, that darkness and that hopelessness into something positive and something productive.” (P-1)

• “I think I was less distressed for sure. I felt like – like not like ‘oh everything’s great,’ but, it was like okay – again that ah mention of hope. […] I think hopeful that we had taken a step, that things were starting to look better and that hopefully that they would continue.” (P-7)

• “To put that worry into something that’s you know – that you can feel that hope and that lightness again.” (P-1)

• “That reminder that you’re always going to have bad days or things that happen that you don’t want but, there’s always good that comes after it.” (P-7)