Counselling is a confidential space to unpack the feelings and emotions that might be hard to share with family and friends. Our trained counsellors can help you come to terms with your reactions to cancer, with family and relationship issues, to explore personal challenges and to deal with practical matters.
Why talk to a counsellor?
A cancer diagnosis can trigger a rollercoaster of emotions that you don’t feel in control of. From worry and anger to sadness and even guilt. It’s a lot to process and sometimes it helps to talk things through with someone outside of your immediate circle. That’s where counselling comes in.
Counselling offers a safe, confidential space to explore how you’re feeling, without judgement. For some, it’s a chance to talk about issues that they don’t want to burden family or friends with. Friends and family may even be too close and emotionally connected to the issues to see them clearly or objectively. For others, it’s the opportunity to feel more in control and less alone in what can be an isolating experience. Our counsellors could help you to understand your feelings and talk through confusing emotions, providing you with an opportunity to talk, cry, shout or simply think. A counsellor could help you to find different ways of coping that hadn’t occurred to you before.
At any stage of your cancer journey, counselling could help. Whether you’re newly diagnosed and struggling to come to terms with it or feeling overwhelmed by your treatment and struggling with day-to-day life, a trained counsellor can help you find your way. Counselling is not about giving advice or telling you how to feel, it’s about listening, supporting and helping you manage your own thoughts and feelings. It could help reduce the stress you face, improve your quality of life and enable you to see a way forward. Â
Counselling is about your emotional wellbeing, because looking after your mental health puts you in a stronger position to restore your physical health.
To read more about the benefits of talking to a professional counsellor, try these two interesting articles from the NHS about talking therapies in general and professional counselling in particular.
Counselling is one of the services we provide to support people affected by a cancer diagnosis and the impact that may have on their lives. Wessex Cancer Support (WCS) and our counsellors work towards providing the best possible safety and support standards to ensure those receiving counselling get the most meaningful and positive experience we can offer. Our counselling service is intended to provide short-term counselling support which will address concerns related to a cancer diagnosis. Â
Eligibility for our counselling services
To be eligible for the service the client must be
−- A person living with or affected by cancerÂ
- 18 years old or overÂ
- physically located in the Wessex RegionÂ
- Be registered as a client of Wessex Cancer Support and have had a Wellbeing Assessment Â
- Struggling emotionally because of their own or a loved one’s cancerÂ
- Feeling that their biggest current need is mental wellbeing/emotional support in relation to their cancer diagnosis or that of a loved oneÂ
- Mentally, physically and socially able to take part in the counselling processÂ
- Ready to commit to counselling- generally this would mean they have completed active treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy.Â
- Not currently receiving therapy, help or intervention elsewhere for mental health needsÂ
- Feeling that their usual daily life is being affected by how they are feelingÂ
- Expressing or describing symptoms of anxiety, depression and/or irritabilityÂ
- Struggling to cope and feeling things in life are becoming increasingly difficultÂ
A client should not be
+- Getting therapy, help or support elsewhere for mental health needsÂ
- Looking for counselling about their mental health needs separate to their own or a loved one’s cancer diagnosisÂ
- In severe crisis or having suicidal thoughts Â
- Currently in hospital as an inpatient.
How to refer
If you are new to Wessex Cancer Support and have not already had a wellbeing assessment with one of our friendly team, we ask that you contact us to make a referral for an appointment. Our team will provide you with further information and availability of any activities you both decide on. As a new client, we’ll add you to our email newsletter list so you can keep an eye on forthcoming activities, too.
Alternatively, you can email careteam@wessexcancer.org.uk to book your initial chat or drop into your local cancer support centre in person.
What should I expect from a counselling session?
Starting counselling for the first time can feel like a big step but it’s simply a safe and confidential space where you can talk about whatever is on your mind. Your counsellor will listen without judgement and help you explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace. There’s no need to prepare anything in advance, just come as you are. It’s completely normal to feel nervous at first but many people find that even the first conversation brings a sense of relief and support.
Donate to support
a counselling session
Your donation helps make services like our counselling possible. Counselling can be an essential support for those affected by cancer. £40 could help support the cost of a session for a client, giving them the essential wellbeing support they need.
Counselling sessions are generously funded by people who donate, fundraise, and shop with us. Every penny you donate makes a huge difference. From everyone at Wessex Cancer Support, thank you.
Becoming self-aware and noticing something different within you is when counselling may help. A lot of people put up a wall and want to come across strong, but that doesn’t mean they’re okay. Some can find it easy to put on a front, but chances are that person is feeling a lot worse than they are letting on.
Clare, Cancer Support Centre Counsellor
