Keith Chilvers, who is the Director of Harrow Community Radio will be interviewing me to discuss the various issues that clients bring to counselling. I also hope to discuss some of the difficulties that some people experience in making the decision to actually have counselling and ask for help, in a society where needing help can sometimes been seen as a ‘weakness’. My hope is to be able put a postive image out there, by explaining how creative counselling can be in terms of finding a way forward.

I am also hoping to talk about another very important aspect of my work which is supporting people who have, or have had cancer; this also includes support for carers of those with cancer.  

When considering the social context for working
psychotherapeutically with clients who have cancer, by which I mean the
facility, opportunity and availability to be able to share feelings, and
experience a social network that is both supportive and empathic. This is
obviously important throughout treatment, which can be frequently aggressive
and mutilating; but equally important, are the various social setbacks brought
about by having cancer.  *Weisman &
Sobel (1979) state that 50% of the psychological problems reactive to cancer
may be improved by non-medical means. They continue by saying: “ Patients indeed seem to live longer if they
can keep active and retain enriching affective relationships…”

Psychotherapeutic work with individuals (and groups), who
have cancer, is different in many ways to general counselling and
psychotherapy, and this is where I believe the entire psychosocial approach
comes into being. In order for the client to have their full ‘voice’ heard, and
express their entire existential reality, the therapist may well find that they
choose to become much more ‘active’ in their therapeutic approach; sometimes
needing to become more flexible with the timing of sessions…also with the
clients’ permission, it may be appropriate to discuss treatment with their
Oncologist, in order to clarify possible confusion and anxiety. Again, this
kind of approach can help clients by knowing that the professionals looking
after him/her are, in fact, working together
for the ultimate good of their complete wellbeing.

When working with a client on an individual basis, again with
greater flexibility, it can sometimes be useful to have some sessions involving
friends and /or family; with this kind of systemic involvement, the effect of
the illness upon all of these people may be explored – if it seems appropriate. Very often the person who is ill becomes
anxious about the effect their illness is having on others who are close.

To have the facility to speak freely about the myriad of
emotion when going through a cancer experience that has the potential to
completely take one’s life away – in every
respect, can be enormously powerful and constantly changing; for example whilst
there might be periods of remission of the disease, there may also be
recurrences.

“ When his health is
under attack, the human being has need of affection, approval and security. He
must feel that he is a member of a group where exchanges are fruitful and where
there is trust. People who maintain significant social and emotional
relationships seem to be better able to bear the physical and emotional shock
of disease. They are able to share their feelings and their anxieties, and
correspondingly appreciate the help that is offered. “

Patrice Guex
(1989) Introduction to Psycho-Oncology

*Weisman, A.D. and Sobel,H.J. (1979) ‘Coping
with cancerthrough self-instruction: a hypothesis, Journal of Human Stress, 3-

  In this one day workshop, I would like to share and explore with participants, my own experiences and perspectives on working with clients who seek help and support with issues around stress, both past and present, and the effects with which they are physically suffering from.

My hope is that this exploration will result in an in depth understanding of the various aspects of stress, and why it is that looking at the Organism as a whole…both psychlogically AND physically, can lead to healing for the client.

In this article, my intention is to discuss what is often referred to as “mind/body connection”; in other words, the way the body responds to the way we think, feel and act. There are many ways the body can react to extreme stress: Back pain; Chest pain; Constipation or Diarrhoea; Insomnia; High Blood Pressure; Weight gain (comfort eating) or loss; Headaches..the list goes on.

What is psychological stress? Stress can affect anyone, and refers to emotional reactions experienced by an individual when confronted with a situation in which there is a demand to go beyond their own coping mechanisms, for example: death of a loved one, abuse, health problems, also a financial crisis.

Stress can affect the body dramatically. The body responds to stress by releasing hormones, for example Adrenaline and Cortisol; these are produced in order to help a person react to a situation with speed. However, although this biological process, which increases blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels, can be beneficial, in terms of helping us to be alert and improving performance. Chronic high levels of stress are thought to be harmful, for example by causing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, also various physical health problems.

The following is information from Cancer research UK: 

Stress and cancer

Many people believe that stress can cause cancer, particularly breast cancer. But the evidence for this has been poor. Stressful events can alter the levels of hormones in the body and affect the immune system. But there is no evidence that these changes could lead to cancer.

Most scientific studies have found that stress does not increase the risk of cancer. One study had even found that high stress levels can actually reduce the risk of breast cancer, by lowering oestrogen levels. And even in the event that stress and cancer are linked, the effects would be very small compared to other factors such as lifestyle, age or family history.

Problems with earlier studies

The studies that have linked stress and cancer have had flawed designs, including very small numbers of participants. Often, people with cancer were asked to recall if they were stressed before they developed their disease. But these people are likely to overestimate their past problems to try and explain their condition, or because cancer itself is very stressful.

Stress is also difficult to define and people can have different views on what they would consider to be stressful. And many studies looked at stress out of context. They ignored things that would affect how someone deals with stress like support from friends and family.

Studies which have specifically tried to address these issues have concluded that stress is not linked to cancer.

(Cancer Research UK)

As a counsellor, a significant proportion of my work is working with clients who have chronic illness, indeed, many of the symptoms that are experienced are either exacerbated by, or caused by stress. Also my professional experience has informed me that another significant stressor for many people is that of being a caregiver. I have found that as caregivers, my clients have experienced extended periods of stress, which have resulted in significant harm to their health.

So, it feels important at this point to look at ways of being able to help yourself, at least in the short term, to counteract symptoms of stress or panic. It may be helpful to: breathe in deeply through your nose, and out through your mouth. If you remain calm and concentrate on your breathing, you should start to feel better as the level of carbon dioxide in your blood returns to normal. If you are suffering frequent panic attacks, it would be advisable to seek medical advice, in order to rule out any underlying physical cause.

With my illness, you become a social outcast….
I’ve lost all interest in life…
It’s the type of disease where you wont know how its going to hit you
I’m clear of cancer now..but how do I know it won’t return..?
I can’t make any long range plans. I’ve just stopped living, I guess.

Uncertainty, helplessness, depression and isolation:

The above are just a few of many emotions individuals and families experience in the face of life threatening illness.

There can be a wide-reaching affect the challenges of coping with serious illness, for example Cancer, can reverberate through a person’s entire family. Stress upon family members may be great, or greater than experienced by the patient. Illness can affect a family in many ways, mainly in terms of a shared crisis, for example the healthy partner may feel he/she must not show upset he/she is because it may somehow exacerbate their partners worries; however, the result might be mean increased levels of anxiety, irritability and depression. Of course, this may well happen in reverse, with the patient also suppressing feelings, so as not to worry their family.

Very often when a person is ill, their role as a patient is a passive one, with feelings of helplessness and an increasing sense of lack of control. If the person has had Cancer, the fear of it returning can become overwhelming; expressing those fears and experiencing acceptance…and sometimes challenges from the counsellor…the client can then begin to look at, and focus on possible ways of moving forward in their life…and feeling empowered enough to realise, and utilise their personal choices. Very often the counsellor is a kind of travelling companion to the client, facilitating a way forward………

It seems to me that cancer is a sequence of events, beginning with a diagnosis. This is a crucial event,in that the way the news is communicated can produce huge fear and uncertainties; the workshop will look at the myriad of emotions that can shape the way patients deal with their illness.

I will be joined briefly on the day by Dr Cordelia Galgut, author of The Psychological Impact of Breast Cancer, a Psychologist’s Insights as a Patient.
Cordelia will talk, and lead a discussion based on her extensive experience as both patient and therapist.

Date : For the next workshop date please contact me.

Counselling women with breast cancer was Cordelia Galgut’s speciality but she was unprepared for the strength of emotion when it was diagnosed in her.

I didn’t have a diagnosis yet but I could see on the screen that I was in big trouble. The radiologist who was taking an ultrasound scan of my right breast looked deadpan. I asked: “Is it serious?” “At least it’s not lung cancer,” she replied. What? I presumed she was confirming indirectly that she thought it was cancer, but I was stunned by her comment.

Summoning up the courage to speak again, I asked what she could see. “Are you a medical doctor or a scientist?” she responded, as if that would answer my question, and then told me that I’d have to have a biopsy. When I said I wanted to know more, I was told that this was not possible.

These dreadful moments three years ago, when I first learnt, in my late-forties, that I had breast cancer, began a voyage of discovery. As a counsellor and psychotherapist helping women with breast cancer, I’d imagined that I could understand well enough what they were going through. In fact, I didn’t have a clue. Having breast cancer changed what I said to women with breast cancer for good.

You can read the rest of the article here

Many people are finding out how effective counselling and psychotherapy can be for alleviating depression, anxiety and distress, for recovering from painful or traumatic experiences and losses, and for achieving personal development and change.

The following is a definition of counselling by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (1985):

…people become engaged in counselling when a person, occupying regularly or temporarily the role of counsellor, offers or agrees explicitly to offer time, attention and respect to another person or persons temporarily in the role of client. The task of counselling is to give the client an opportunity to explore, discover and clarify ways of living more resourcefully and toward well-being.

 

I use the Person-Centred approach, which is defined below via an extract from the BACPA website (British association for the Person-Centred Approach).

The Person-Centred Approach developed from the work of the psychologist Dr. Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987). He advanced an approach to psychotherapy and counselling that, at the time (1940s – 1960s), was considered extremely radical if not revolutionary.

Originally described as non-directive, this therapy moved away from the idea that the therapist was the expert and towards a theory that trusted the innate tendency (known as the actualising tendency) of human beings to find fulfilment of their personal potentials.  An important part of this theory is that in a particular psychological environment, the fulfilment of personal potentials includes sociability, the need to be with other human beings and a desire to know and be known by other people.  It also includes being open to experience, being trusting and trustworthy, being curious about the world, being creative and compassionate.

The psychological environment described by Rogers was one where a person felt free from threat, both physically and psychologically.  This environment could be achieved when being in a relationship with a person who was deeply understanding (empathic), accepting (having unconditional positive regard) and genuine (congruent).

Although initially developed as an approach to psychotherapy (eventually becoming known as client/person-centred therapy/counselling), Rogers and his colleagues came to believe that their ideas could be transferred to other areas where people were in relationships. For example teaching, management, childcare, patient care, conflict resolution.

Today there are many people who, although not working as psychotherapists and counsellors, use the work of Rogers as guiding principles in their day-to-day work and relationships.