Table 1 Analytical steps followed

1. Epoche-which involves the setting aside of prejudgements, biases and preconceived ideas about things. This was done by having the researcher reflect on her assumptions about the research participants and their experiences and then attempting to bracket those assumptions away from the data that was generated through the interviews.

2. Horizontalization-which is achieved by listing all of the expressions within the data that are relevant to the experience. As each transcript was read, notes on possible emerging themes were written for each relevant expression.

3. Reduction and elimination of irrelevant expressions. This was achieved by reviewing each transcript and testing each expression as to whether it; a) contained a part of the experience that was necessary for understanding it and b) was able to be abstracted and labeled. Expressions that met both of these criteria were deemed to be invariant constituents of the experience.

4. Developing themes and clustering the expressions. Once themes began to emerge, expressions for each transcript were copied and pasted into a new Word document under headings of potential themes. Clusters were then read and additional themes developed.

5. Validation of themes with the text. Expressions and their corresponding themes were checked against the original transcripts to ensure their relevance to the participant’s experience.

6. Individual textural and structural descriptions. For each participant, an individual textural and structural description was written, which incorporated individual quotes from their interviews and themes that were derived.