Counselling is a private and confidential meeting to explore difficulties you are having. Your counsellor will be supportive but will not give advice, or tell you what to do. It can be an opportunity to talk about painful and difficult feelings. It's a chance to talk in an open way, without being judged, or having to worry about what someone will feel about what you say. A counsellor can help you to use your own strengths to approach your problems with a clearer understanding.

 

Research shows that counselling can play a significant part in helping individuals and families face and meet the many challenges implicit in a cancer diagnosis, and so improve their quality of life.

Counselling helps people:

 

1. To deal better with their emotional issues. They are better able to communicate their needs with their health professional.

2. In easing the tension in relationships with family and friends. Positive but realistic outlooks replace the burden of positive expectations.

There are many different responses to receiving the diagnosis of cancer:

 

• Shock

• Denial & Disbelief

• Withdrawal & Isolation

• Anger

• Loss

• Body image issues

• Fears associated with sexuality and intimacy

• Fear and uncertainty

 

Any feelings you have are valid and deserve to be acknowledged, both by you and those around you.

 

When cancer is diagnosed, it can take away your sense of security and control, which is understandably frightening. Uncertainty can be one of the most difficult things to deal with when diagnosed with cancer. Counselling allows you to talk through your concerns with someone outside the family so that you are not concerned about saying something that might be too sensitive for your family to hear. Counsellors can assist in helping you take back some control over your life. Counsellors also have experience in these situations, and can give you advice in regard to what affairs you should sort out so that you no longer need to think about those concerns. 

 

if you find that your family members are not coping wtih the diagnosis, encourage your loves ones to also receive counselling. Although, it can be difficult and painful for both you and your family to talk about the diagnosis, it can give you all the oportunity to talk about what in life is important to you.