Therapists help cancer patients gain control
Emotional support encourages healthy behavior
Cancer patients often talk about experiencing a loss of control over their bodies and their lives. One national chain of cancer treatment centers believes that providing cancer patients with the support of a qualified psychotherapist helps them regain that sense of control and take better care of themselves during their cancer treatment.
"We provide each [cancer patient] with a reliable psychologist or psychotherapist who is guaranteed to be there to help them with the emotional aspects of their illness," says Elizabeth T. Crane, MEd, LCPC, director of the department of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, a patient care subsidiary of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, IL.
"The relationship between the person living with cancer and the therapist continues throughout the patient’s entire treatment. The patient sees the same therapist every admission allowing for a strong, supportive relationship to develop."
The power of conversation
Patients meet with a psychologist or psychotherapist from PNI’s mind/body connections program the first day they come to the hospital, Crane says. "The focus of that first meeting is for the therapist to be with that person wherever he or she is in the context of dealing with this very difficult diagnosis and help them begin coping in whatever ways the patient needs." The therapist is available to patients every time they come in for treatment, she says, adding that psychological service is available at no cost to patients. "People are often stressed out financially by the cost of their medical care and we don’t want to deny them needed emotional support."
Talking with someone about feelings and experiences is a powerful way to care for oneself, Crane says. "The relationship with the therapist can increase patients’ ability to take care of themselves."
Of course, the therapist/patient relationship demands strict confidentiality, but there are times when the therapist can intercede for a patient with other members of the care team to improve the patients’ treatment.
"For example, some people have difficulty telling others that they are in pain. If the patient is comfortable enough with his or her therapist, the patient might share his or her pain level with the therapist. Together, the therapist and patient together might decide that the therapist should discuss the patient’s pain level with the nurse," Crane says.
At other times, treatment team nurses might notice that a patient is upset or has been crying and suggest that the patient’s therapist check in to see if he or she would like a visit. In addition, family members may receive either individual or group support. "We also offer group sessions Monday through Saturday, and both patients and families are invited to attend. These groups are designed to give support and to help people have the most control and most effective response to having cancer," she explains.
The mind/body connections program also provides every patient with a relaxation tape Crane designed at the request of patients in the program. The first side of the tape is a general relaxation tape. The second side is designed specifically for chemotherapy and radiation therapy patients. "I had patients ask me to develop a tape that would help them visualize their bodies taking in their chemotherapy or radiation therapy in a good way.
"Psychological support is important to can-cer patients. A therapist can help individuals increase their ability to take care of themselves by providing hope and helping them turn to healthy behaviors and relationships that continue to strengthen their ability to care for themselves while going through the cancer experience."
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content