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Article contributed by Shawna Ehlers, Ph.D., L.P., Chun Tao, Ph.D., L.P., ABPP, and Steven Ames, Ph.D. - Mayo Clinic clinical health psychologists
Learning that you have cancer is stressful and upsetting. A cancer diagnosis can come out of nowhere and put your life on hold. Your care team understands how a cancer diagnosis can impact your well-being. The Mayo Clinic offers the Cancer Stress Management Program, which is designed to support cancer patients with the normal stress of cancer, as well as mental and emotional health challenges linked to their diagnosis and treatment. This program applies the BEST (Best Evidence Science Translation) model, which focuses on cancer-related distress management. Cancer-related distress is an unpleasant feeling, emotion, or experience that reduces a person’s quality of life, and sometimes the ability to cope with a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. After a comprehensive evaluation, a cancer psychologist will make personalized recommendations designed to reduce distress associated with cancer. The recommendations might include techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for Cancer (CBT-C), Acceptance and Commitment Therapies (ACT), and Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP) (“talk therapies”). These recommendations help patients improve their quality of life and ability to adhere to difficult cancer treatments, which benefits overall health outcomes, including survival rates.
The Cancer Stress Management Program is growing to support diverse groups of patients at all Mayo Clinic sites including Arizona, Florida, and Rochester. Some services are available via telehealth, so the patient can remain home and avoid the stresses of travel (as long as the cancer psychologist holds a license within the patient’s state of residence).
Many resources are available at Mayo Clinic, often making it difficult to know all that might be available for you. For example, a social worker can be a team member called upon to provide supportive counseling or help determine if you qualify for financial and social resources. Palliative Care is another care team, who are experts in cancer symptom management during all phases of cancer care and provide support to patients and family caregivers in a variety of ways.
Stephen and Barbara Slaggie Family Cancer Education Center
All offerings from the Cancer Education Center are free. The Mindfulness: Being Present with Cancer class is a patient educator-led class allowing patients to explore a variety of mindfulness practices and discuss the benefits of mindfulness for coping with cancer. Mindfulness practices are another tool to help deal with difficult emotions and thoughts. Live classes are offered virtually at all Mayo Clinic sites and on-site and virtually in Rochester, Minnesota. Ask your Mayo Clinic care team to schedule this class or call our Center at 507-266-2991. Also, we offer a self-paced online course titled Stress-Management for Cancer providing education any time.
Support groups and online forums on Mayo Clinic Connect
The Cancer Education Blog offers many resources. The “Support” button on the Resources tab has links connecting you to support groups and Mayo Clinic Connect online forums. These resources can offer comfort, provide insights, and an opportunity to share experiences.
Mayo Clinic resources
Meditation Classes
- Live Virtual Meditation with Dr. Benzo
- Every Wednesday at 5:30 pm CT held over Zoom
- To learn more about Dr. Benzo and mindfulness: Overview - Mindful Breathing: Roberto P. Benzo - Mayo Clinic Research
- Mindfulness Meditation: A Community Sit (Mayo Clinic Florida)
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- In person Mindfulness class on Mondays 11:00-11:30 am in the Chapel (patients and caregivers). Search class title in Events
Community resources
- Local place of worship to offer prayer and spirituality: Spirituality can be described as an awareness of something greater than the individual self. It is often expressed through religion and/or prayer, but there are many other paths of spiritual pursuit and expression.
- Community Centers: offer a variety of mind-body practices (yoga, Tai Chi) or connection with others.
What kind of support did you find helpful after receiving a cancer diagnosis?
Connect with others in these online forums:
Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
Head & Neck Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
Cancer: Managing Symptoms: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
Pancreatic Cancer: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) & CAR-T Cell Therapy: Discussions | Mayo Clinic Connect
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