Counselling is offered to the individual or close family members who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and all of what that entails. Counselling is provided as an emotional support in dealing with the impact and aftermath of the cancer diagnosis.
It provides a safe confidential space for the person to express deep feelings that may arise when one is faced with what is often perceived as a life threatening illness.
Counselling also provides an opportunity to explore needs and concerns. It facilitates the discovery of new and effective ways of responding to the situation with a view to finding the optimal environment for living as well as possible with cancer.
In summary, counselling can be a beneficial support to the individual, whether it is the cancer patient on the person close to them. The person is facilitated in discovering what works best in his or her situation and supported at the level which meets individual needs.
Some of the many ways in which counselling can help are listed below:
- To acknowledge and express deep feelings and emotions arising from the cancer diagnosis
- To explore the impact of the cancer diagnosis and its implications
- To define one’s needs and identify appropriate steps to having those needs met
- To enlist strategies for support in dealing with the issues faced
- To identify the best possible outcome and steps to create the opportunity for that
- To look at the effects of stress and discover appropriate ways of dealing with it
- To explore the link between mind & body and how best to care for the whole person
- To look at deeply held values and beliefs and how they support dealing with cancer
- To explore the possibility of playing a creative role in one’s own well-being and look at the benefits of self-expression through various methods such as journaling, music, movement, laughter and nature.
