Counselling

What is counselling?

Counselling gives an opportunity to gain emotional support and practical guidance to help cope with breast cancer and the impact that this has on the lives of people affected. Counselling is offered on an individual basis to anyone affected by breast cancer before, during or after medical treatment. Counselling is also offered to partners, family members and close friends of those with breast cancer. We also offer counselling in the form of support groups. Take a look at the video clip below of a support group led by one of our counsellors to give you an idea of what happens.

How can counselling help?

When facing a diagnosis of breast cancer you may find a range of issues and concerns arise for which your old ways of managing or coping are insufficient. These concerns may relate to diagnosis and treatment and effects of surgery, but may also be related to other health, emotional, work or relationship issues and concerns about how to promote a healthy life for the future. Counselling can help facilitate exploration of these concerns and help you find new and practical ways to cope to create the change desired.

Counselling can be effective in different ways at different stages in the journey with breast cancer and the following specific issues can be encountered:

• Issues of loss connected with breast cancer
• Difficulties with communicating the experience of breast cancer to children, family members and friends
• Coping with the stress of cancer treatment and facing an uncertain future
• Managing anxiety and depression
• Coping with unexpected changes that arise as the result of breast cancer such as early menopause and loss of fertility
• Changes in close and intimate relationships, body image and sexual functioning
• Significant interruptions to or loss of career, including early retirement and the loss of identity which can accompany this
• Readjustment to living with breast cancer and issues that arise at the end of treatment
• Fears about the future

What happens in a counselling session?

Each counselling session lasts 50 minutes. Most of this time is spent in conversation with the counsellor, but sometimes you may find diagrams and pictures helpful tools to explore and understand issues.

When can counselling be given?

Counselling is appropriate at any stage of treatment for breast cancer including long afterwards or when you feel ready to address emotional issues. It is well known that it may be after surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy are finished that emotional issues start to surface. This is often difficult as this can be when people around you expect you to be feeling better. Counselling can be very useful here and at the many other points of crisis in the experience of breast cancer.

Number of counselling sessions

Counselling sessions are sometimes weekly but more often two to three weekly. This both extends the overall time period of work and fits around breast cancer treatment schedules. The exact number of sessions will be agreed with your counsellor.

Support groups

A variety of support groups are offered at The Haven, offering you a chance to get additional support and to meet others in a similar position. Support groups give you an opportunity to explore issues, to tell your story and to receive support from the group leader and other Visitors.
A variety of groups can be offered including groups for younger women with breast cancer, for partners or other supporters of those with breast cancer, for those dealing with secondary breast cancer, and for all Visitors.