Counselling is working with a mental health professional to cope with the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. Counselling can help you understand your feelings and reactions, and it provides a safe place to talk about your worries.
A counsellor cannot always solve your problems. But they can provide a helpful, outside viewpoint and they are trained to help you deal with difficult situations.
It is normal to feel many different emotions when you have cancer or someone close to you has cancer. You might feel stressed, angry, or sad. When these feelings affect your daily life or when they last a long time, finding a counsellor to talk to can help. counselling can also help when you are dealing with uncertainty or in a period of transition, such as when a person begins or completes cancer treatment.
Even if you would not describe your feelings as severe, counselling can be helpful. Living with a cancer diagnosis or caring for someone with cancer is a challenge for everyone. Even a few counselling sessions can help you feel better.
Talking with a counsellor can help you:
Learn how to cope with a cancer diagnosis
Feel less overwhelmed and more in control
Manage anxiety and depression
Cope with symptoms and side effects, such as pain and fatigue
Deal with emotional concerns about self-image, >body image, and intimacy and sex
Manage fears or worries about the future
The type of counselling you choose may depend on your needs, preferences, and finances. Types of counselling include:
Individual counselling. During individual counselling, you meet 1-on-1 with a counsellor to talk about events, thoughts, and feelings. The counsellor will listen closely, express caring concern, ask questions, and offer feedback.
Couples or family counselling. You and your partner or family meet with the counsellor. The counsellor listens to each person to learn how certain thoughts and actions may cause problems. You and your partner or family members can learn new ways to support each other and communicate in stressful times.
Group counselling. You meet with a group of people who have similar concerns. For example, you might go to a support group for people who have the same type of cancer as you. A counsellor leads and guides the discussion and provides support. Group members can learn from the counsellor and each other. It can help you feel less alone.