Tragically, cancer is the number two killer in the US, with a staggering 1 in 4 people developing some sort of cancer over their lifetime.
And as if cancer isn’t enough of a battle, the emotional struggle is its own beast.
Facing fears of mortality, experiencing distrust in your own body, and feeling out of control are just a few of the many painful emotions that commonly accompany cancer.
When battling cancer, life may seem like it’s been reduced to your disease, treatments, and all the events related to it.
Spending your days in and out of the hospital and worrying about your future can cause immense stress—for you and everyone in your life.
Due to the lifestyle changes and the mental health impacts of cancer treatment, it can be difficult to fully move on and heal from this traumatic chapter in your life—even once you are physically in remission.
Feelings of fear, grief, loneliness, worry, and anxiety are normal experiences for survivors.
This can include fear of relapse and fear of readjusting to normal life post-treatment.
The fear of an unknown future would be enough to make anyone anxious, especially when we already have so much stress in our lives as it is.
If cancer has claimed many years of your life, you may feel like you don’t remember how to reconnect with friends, family, and society after treatment has ended.
The thought of entering back into the mainstream world can cause a great deal of anxiety.
And that’s totally normal.
That’s why it’s very important to fully acknowledge your unpleasant feelings in a healthy manner, and to heal both the emotional and physical scars that cancer has caused.
Another result of dealing with cancer are the physical changes to your body.
For example, you may lose a substantial amount of weight from chemo, experience hair loss, and/or develop scars or deformities from related surgeries.
It’s not uncommon to feel uncomfortable in your new body and to feel preoccupied with how other people see you.
Society can be very judgmental when it comes to physical appearance, and you may feel like you don’t meet the standards at the moment.
We are here to remind you that the way you look should not dictate how you feel about yourself.
Whether it’s finding the motivation to establish an exercise routine or working on self-love and self care, we will help you love yourself for who you are.
Let’s be honest, these heavy emotions can be hard to cope with on your own.
That’s where professional help comes in.
It’s important to talk about what you are feeling and experiencing in order to adjust to a new way of life.
This may seem like a difficult task and nearly impossible to do in the moment, but at My LA Therapy we will assist you in reclaiming a normal, happy life.
While friends and family are a huge part of emotional support and recovery, a therapist can help you work out the questions in your mind that you are having difficulty answering, or can explain psychological phenomena that may be taking a hit to your mental health.
We will do our best to help you feel at ease and in tune with your emotions and to support both you and your family during this difficult time.
Our therapists have specialized training and experience in working with cancer and chronic illness, and integrate a variety of research proven modalities that are empirically validated to alleviate depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.
One modality of therapy that can be useful for cancer patients/survivors is CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
CBT works by targeting negative beliefs that may be preventing you from accepting your current reality. Once you identify your negative beliefs, you can challenge them with more rational responses. Eventually these new thought patterns will become second nature, and you will be able to move through life with more confidence and peace.
Check out our dedicated page on CBT to learn more.
Even the best therapies will not take away the fact that cancer is a terrifying experience.
But therapy can help you realize that you are not alone and that your battle can make you stronger, deeper, and more resilient when you face it head on.
Consider your battle wounds—both physical scars and emotional scars—a badge of honor and a part of creating a stronger and more robust you.
At My LA Therapy, we pride ourselves on working with a broad spectrum of cancer survivors of all ages and walks of life, tailoring our interventions to your unique needs.
We find you the perfect therapist – or your money back.
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