Psychotherapy for Chronic or Life-Threatening Diseases
Illness and treatment can be physically and emotionally exhausting. There may be pain or watching someone else go through pain and feeling helpless to relieve them of their symptoms. You may need help accepting pain but not letting it turn into suffering. Medications that are beneficial can have side effects. You may feel worse before you feel better, and it sometimes may seem you’ll never feel better.
Often in the early stages, when undergoing tests and treatments, you feel embraced by a caring team of professionals, friends or community supports. Sometimes when finished treatment, you may feel physically better but facing conflicting fears of loneliness or abandonment from this “team” you have known. Life goes on, but you have significantly changed, so how does the new you learn to live again? Learning how to re-invent yourself can cause anxiety. There may be depressive symptoms or fatigue at a time when you are expected to “feel better”. Lastly, you may still struggle with side effects or have lingering fears of recurrence.
Health and mental health care is equally important. Advocate for yourself, grow, and learn from the experience.
Mindfulness
Many studies have found the benefits of mindfulness meditation to help alleviate stress and reduce anxiety. Taking a few deep breaths to calm your mind will make a difference in how you feel. Let us know during our therapy sessions if you’d like to learn more.
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