M2 Lab
The Meaning in Motion (M2) Lab advances understanding of how adults with serious illness and their care partners live according to what matters most and develops evidence-based interventions that support the identification, communication, and enactment of personal values in everyday life.
Rather than focusing only on survival, we study how illness affects people’s mental, emotional, and social well-being. We focus on everyday life and lived experience to understand what really matters to patients and their care partners. Ultimately, our work aims to help people live well—not just live longer.
Our Mission
To support individuals with serious illness and their care partners in living meaningful lives despite the challenges of illness and caregiving.
Our Vision
A future in which people with serious illness and their care partners are empowered to live according to what matters most throughout the illness journey.
Our Approach
To support individualized care for people with serious illness and their families, we draw on principles of person-centered and palliative care. This means centering care around what matters most to each person, including their goals, priorities, and relationships, and we focus on improving quality of life alongside medical care.
Rather than focusing only on survival, we study how illness affects people’s mental, emotional, and social well-being. We focus on everyday life and lived experience to understand what really matters to patients and their care partners. Ultimately, our work aims to help people live well—not just live longer.
Values and Decision-Making
Topics include:
- Values elicitation
- Values communication
- Values-based goals
Meaningful Living and Well-Being
Topics include:
- Meaningful activity engagement
- Psychological well-being
- Adaptation to illness
Care Partners and Family-Centered Care
Topics include:
- Caregiving experiences
- Care partner well-being
- Patient-care partner dyads
Person-Centered Intervention Development
Topics include:
- Coach-led interventions
- Early palliative care interventions
- Life space mobility interventions
Our Collaborators
Our team works closely with the Kopecky Lab (The University of Alabama at Birmingham), a dedicated group of clinician-researchers with a passion for understanding surgical expectations in cancer populations.
Our Team
Avery Bechthold
Principal Investigator
Jenna Saad Aqqad
Undergraduate Student
Hannah Veenendaal
Undergraduate Student
Donne Donald
DNP Student
Aleezeh Muddassir
High School Scholar
Current Funding
UT College of Nursing Internal Funds
UAB Qualitative Methods Consultant
UT Research Development Academy
Selected Publications
Bechthold AC, et al. What is most important to family caregivers when helping patients make treatment-related decisions? Findings from a national survey. Cancers. 2023;15(19):4792. doi:10.3390/cancers15194792
Bechthold AC, et al. Values elicitation among adults making health-related decisions: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum. 2022;57:885–892. doi:10.1111/nuf.12730
Bechthold AC, et al. “When I do have some time, rather than spend it polishing silver, I want to spend it with my grandkids”: A qualitative exploration of patient values following left ventricular assist device implantation. BMC Palliative Care. 2024;23:128. doi:10.1186/s12904-024-01454-y
Bechthold AC, et al. How values are discussed, reflected upon, and acted on by patients and family caregivers in the context of heart failure: A scoping review. Medical Decision Making. 2023;43(4):508–520. doi:10.1177/0272989X231165958
Selected Projects
“What Matters to Me”: Values Elicitation among Surgical Cancer Patients (PI: Kopecky; 2025-2026) Role: Co-I; Qualitative Methods Consultant
Values Elicitation Strategies used by VAD Coordinators (PI: Bechthold; 2025-2026); Funding: UT internal funds
Development of an Intervention for Optimizing Values Discussions between Patients with an LVAD, their Family Caregivers, and the Healthcare Team (2023-2025) PI: Bechthold; Funding: Sigma/HPNF
A Mixed Methods Exploration of the Values Elicitation Experiences of Patients with an LVAD and their Family Caregivers (2023-2025) PI: Bechthold; Funding: Heilbrunn Nurse Scholar Award
Contact Us
For general inquiries contact [email protected]. Interested in working with us? Email your resume/CV and research interests to [email protected] to learn more about research positions, and other ways to get involved in advancing meaningful living in serious illness.
“At the heart of our work is a simple question: What matters most? By answering that question, individuals and families can use their personal values as a compass, helping them navigate the challenges of serious illness and make choices that align with who they are and how they want to live.”
Avery Bechthold
