Counselling for Cancer-related issues in London
A cancer diagnosis can be a distressing life experience and living with cancer and its treatment brings a variety of challenges to anyone affected by this complex disease.
We do not have to look far to find cancer. It is estimated that one in two of us will be diagnosed
with cancer at some point in our lives. Despite these statistics, a cancer diagnosis will often be an unexpected, life-changing and sometimes traumatic event for many individuals.
There is no universal reaction to a cancer diagnosis. Each person will experience the disease in their own way. For many people, a cancer diagnosis makes the future feel very uncertain and some cancer patients say that time suddenly feels more precious. Some people will turn to family and friends for support while others will approach cancer as a very personal and private experience.
There are many reasons people in London seek counselling for cancer-related issues
Cancer is a complicated disease. There are a number of ways people sometimes benefit from counselling for cancer-related issues.
Some clients come to us after receiving an upsetting personal cancer diagnosis while other people approach therapy for support following the cancer diagnosis of a family member or friend. Whether cancer has come into our own life or into the life of someone we love, the arrival of cancer usually brings a complex and often overwhelming series of psychological and emotional responses.
In other cases, clients have sought counselling after undergoing successful cancer treatment, once the disease has been cured. Many cancer survivors find that successful treatment leaves them with physical or psychological challenges that are difficult to overcome. How life feels after cancer is not always the same as how life was experienced before cancer arrived.
Some clients come to us following cancer treatment where cancer is now in remission but has not been cured. Others approach counselling only once cancer treatment options have been exhausted and they find themselves facing the end of life.
Post-treatment counselling for cancer survivors is also beneficial
Post-treatment counselling helps many people deal with challenges that arise following a cancer experience. These challenges include addressing any emotional or psychological consequences of having survived cancer and invasive cancer treatments, dealing with disfigurement or the loss of a body part (if treatment required surgery), the loss of one’s sense of self or identity, post-treatment stress, anxiety and loss of any confidence in the future.
Cancer counselling is often about loss: loss of health, strength, ‘sameness’, autonomy, identity and security. People experiencing cancer often talk about feeling a sense of isolation and powerlessness. Cancer can evoke feelings of apprehension, anxiety, anger, guilt and sadness. And cancer and cancer treatments can pose numerous challenges to personal and intimate relationships.
Meeting with a therapist who has experience working with cancer-related issues can be enormously helpful to those undergoing a cancer experience. Many of our therapists have knowledge of cancer, cancer treatments and the emotional and psychological effects brought on by cancer diagnosis and treatment. Please feel free to get in touch if we might be able to help.
To speak with a counsellor or psychotherapist who is experienced in helping with cancer-related issues please call us on 0333 207 9330 or use our online appointment service to book your first appointment.
Cancer presents a life-changing experience for most people. Counselling can provide an unparalleled level of support for those affected by cancer or cancer treatments.
Getting help when dealing with cancer
Your first appointment will allow time to discuss your personal cancer experience and consider the ways in which therapy may support you along the way.
Further information that may help
Sometimes people are unsure about what therapy will involve. You may have questions about what to expect from us so we have put together a list of common questions with our answers.
