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Support services offer options for people with cancer such as:
- individual (one-on-one) counseling
- family counseling
- groups
With family counseling, the entire family usually comes in for
the sessions, though sometimes family members may see the family
therapist one at a time. Family therapy can help the members better
relate to each other and better handle conflict.
Group support services are sometimes just brief education
topics followed by discussion. Sometimes groups are made up of other
people with cancer and run by a professional who helps people focus on
the problems they have in common. Other groups are peer support only;
for instance, other adults with cancer, with no professional group
leader. Making a decision about what is best for you depends on a
number of factors, such as the services that are available in your
hospital or community, the cost of services, and how the cancer seems
to affect the entire family.
Individual, family, or group counseling can help with tough
situations, but you will want to match the type of support with your
needs. For example, if you are feeling sad or depressed, it may be hard
to find the energy to respond to your children. You may be too
distracted and worried to deal with all that is going on. Talking with
a counselor one on one can help you identify your feelings and work
toward solving your problems. Sometimes just talking about your
feelings and what's happening, finding out that your feelings are
normal, and hearing that you don't have to worry about everything at
once—you can take it one step at a time—is
invaluable. On the other hand, if you feel that you are dealing with
your illness and treatment pretty well, but your children seem
distressed, find a counselor who knows how to help children during a
parent's illness. For that you may want a family counselor. If you are
wondering how other people with cancer cope day to day, a support group
of people who have cancer might be your first choice.
Go back to Helping
Children When A Family Member Has Cancer: Understanding Psychosocial
Support Services.
Last Medical Review: 05/28/2009
Last Revised: 05/28/2009
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