Analysing Cancer Therapy: What to Expect When Seeking Help

Cancer is a condition that is known to primarily affect our physical health. However, many of us tend to overlook the fact that cancer can also affect our emotional and mental well-being.

This is because from the cancer diagnosis to the treatment and recovery aftermath, many complex thoughts and painful feelings may arrive. Hence, there is a link between our mind and body when it comes to our overall wellness towards cancer management in Singapore.

Those close to us may also experience the same feelings, which may further impact our emotional state. This is why many may opt for cancer therapy. More commonly known as cancer counselling, it offers that emotional help patients and survivors need.

In this article, we will discuss what cancer counselling is, and what to expect when seeking cancer counselling.

What is cancer counselling?

Undergoing cancer treatment may come with adverse side effects that can impact a person physically and mentally. For the latter case, that is where cancer therapy or counselling comes in to help alleviate them.

Usually, cancer counselling is done through face-to-face discussions with a counsellor that specialises in helping people deal with their emotional difficulties in this specific situation. These counsellors are usually professionally trained to address the needs of patients with cancer and survivors of the disease.

By talking with these counsellors, it can help simplify the complicated thoughts we may have and understand the emotions that results from coping with cancer. It also enables us to express and identify the positives and negatives we may encounter throughout our journey. By being able to identify our innermost thoughts, they can explore on resolving the issues we are facing and focus on the positive side of things.

While counselling has no direct involvement in our prescribed cancer treatment path, it does help a lot with our mental well-being, which can impact physical health, self-esteem, communication and relationship issues brought about by the chronic condition.

Moreover, it can help manage our stress response, enabling our immune system to do its job in combating cancer.

What to expect when seeking counselling

During the session, counsellors aim to understand patients personally to determine their needs. Thus, they may look into information, such as patient history, age, gender, type of cancer, stage of cancer and current treatments.

This information lets them know what will be the best approach for the patient, be it group therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, medications, or something else.

Counsellors aim to help patients function and cope with their cancer management. They work with us to build resilience and taking advantage of coping strategies that they may have relied on before the cancer diagnosis.

For instance, if a patient is athletic and enjoys doing sports, but their cancer or cancer treatment prevents them from being active for a while, they will have lost an integral coping mechanism that keeps them up when they are down.

In this case, counsellors may arrange for them to take physical therapy or connect them with an exercise physiologist to figure out a strategy that is ideal for them.

Ultimately, counsellors seek to find the best approach possible for each patient to develop successful coping mechanisms to overcome the challenges in their journey through cancer. Conclusion

Undoubtedly, it can be challenging to live with a persistent condition as serious as cancer, and those affected by it need all the help they can get to go through their cancer journey. With the support of loved ones and counsellors, patients can maintain their mental and emotional well-being.

If you or a loved one needs help with counselling for cancer, we at International Cancer Specialists are here to lend a hand. We are a leading cancer treatment centre in Singapore staffed with a caring team of cancer specialists and, together with our medical partners, are equipped with modern facilities to treat many of the common cancers affecting Singaporeans, such as breast, lung, and colon cancer.

In addition, we also provide cancer-focused screening tests designed for early detection of the disease and allow for prompt treatment.

References

American Psychological Association. (2006, February 23). Stress weakens the immune system. American Psychological Association. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.apa.org/research/action/immune

Sendra, J. W. (2017, May 25). Depression and cancer: Why emotional care is key during treatment. Cancer and Depression: Treatments That Can Help Patients With Post Cancer Depression. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/cancer-care/depression-and-cancer-why-emotional-care-key-during-treatment

GoodTherapy. (2018, June 11). Mental Health Support for Cancer. Psychotherapy for Cancer, Counseling for Cancer, Therapist for Cancer –. Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/cancer/support

Counselling. Cancer Council NSW. (2020, July 17). Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-information/living-well/complementary-therapies/mind-body-techniques/counselling/