Counseling for cancer patients & caregivers: Did it help you?

Posted by ajh5285 @ajh5285, Feb 13, 2023

The situations many of us are dealing with are stressful for both the patient and significant others.
I've been offered counseling as part of stress management, but haven't quite accepted the offer yet, wondering about its efficacy if I'm to be the only one counseled.
Does anyone care to share their experience either with counseling that involves only the person receiving chemotherapy or with counseling involving the patient as well as significant other(s)?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms Support Group.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 21, 2023

@ajh5285, this is a great question. I expanded the title of the discussion to bring in more people. Many members have sought counseling to help with the stress of a cancer diagnosis, treatment, as well as the stress of after treatment. I'm tagging a few people who may have some thoughts to share like @roch @naturegirl5 @azkidney57 @markheuer @grandpabob @mir123 @susanaz @rhongirl. I'm confident that many more will join in.

Mayo Clinic's Cancer Education Center also offers a free, online, self-learning course to help people (patients and caregivers) living with cancer to manage stress.

You can work through the modules at your own pace to help you better understand how the body may respond to stressful situations, including cancer. You'll get various tools and techniques to meet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, as you learn to manage stress.

- Stress Management for Cancer: Free online course from Mayo https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/stress-management-for-cancer-free-online-course-from-mayo/

AJH, you ask specifically if counseling can be effective if only the patient attends and not the caregiver or vice versa. In my opinion, it is helpful. But I suspect there is more to your question. Would you care to elaborate?

Laurie, Volunteer Mentor | @roch | Feb 21, 2023

Going thru cancer treatment trigger so many emotions, any help / support available should be taken advantage of.

I did not have a partner during my cancer treatment, and felt I carried lot burden because I did not want to bother anyone. I did seek help from physiologist, and it was good to talk to someone, even if it was just to vent.

When I go back and read journals from that time, it shows lot of anger.

There is so much to the disease beside treating the cancer. Emotions, the unknown, fatigue, side effects, body image, fear, sexual, etc.. I think the medical community is realizing you need to treat entire person (including caregiver) and not just disease.

Laurie

markheuer | @markheuer | Feb 21, 2023

In reply to @colleenyoung "@ajh5285, this is a great question. I expanded the title of the discussion to bring in..." + (show)

I meet virtually with the psychiatrist at the Schar Cancer Institute for depression and anxiety. The medication that has been prescribed is very beneficial

gardenlady1116 | @gardenlady1116 | Mar 1, 2023

I can highly recommend therapy. I already had an established relationship with a therapist and it truly was a blessing. As I read the stores on Mayo Connect, I see that emotional trauma is as difficult for people sometimes. Also my minister was very helpful with counseling. Between the therapist, minister, family and friends, I feel like I have a "net" to fall in. If therapy isn't for you, you can always stop.

ajh5285 | @ajh5285 | Mar 1, 2023

Thanks for the comments in response to my question. If we were sitting face to face and assured of confidentiality, I would probably feel able to offer more of an explanation of the situation. In other words, it's the method of communication that is inhibiting my offering any more specific information. Sorry.