Breast cancer affects nearly one in eight women in the United States. However, it affects more than just the person who is diagnosed. Friends, family, and even your employer are involved in the process. This can be both helpful and overwhelming. Instead of experiencing the aftermath of your diagnosis on your own, a therapist can help you process your feelings. Below you will find more information on how psychotherapy helps after breast cancer.
How Psychotherapy Helps After Breast Cancer
Once you are diagnosed, the minimum treatment period lasts around six months. This can be different for everyone as each person has their own unique experience and diagnosis. The process may seem like a long time, but it is often filled with a lot of emotions and the need to just focus on one moment at a time. However, once you have finished treatment, you will likely feel a flood of emotions. This can be extremely overwhelming, and a therapist can really help get you through all of it. A therapist can help with the following and help get you back on track with your feelings and emotions after breast cancer.
Safe Space:
Breast cancer can force you to face your own mortality in a way you may have never experienced before. Talking about death and illness can be daunting for you and for others. It’s difficult to share your fears with your partner and family as you know they will be concerned about you. A therapist can provide a safe space as a neutral third party to help you walk through those feelings. This can be extremely liberating for breast cancer survivors who fear remission and need to explore whatever feelings they have at the time.
Individual Focus:
Most women are diagnosed with breast cancer during adulthood. You may have a spouse, children, and extended family that rely on you. This can be extremely overwhelming and lead to you internalize your stress. A therapist can give you one-on-one attention and allow you to explore all of your feelings without you having to consider others. This individual attention surrounding your feelings can provide you with the strength necessary to process your emotions in your everyday life.
Develop Coping Strategies:
Therapy is often a one-hour session that is done weekly or bi-weekly. With that in mind, there is a lot of time in between sessions where you won’t have the support of your therapist. Your therapist can help you develop coping strategies that are both short and long-term to get you through difficult times. This is helpful as you can utilize these throughout the rest of your life as they are not just specific to your breast cancer experience.
Resources:
If you have gone to an individual therapist and want to expand your experience to a group therapy session, or even a support group, your therapist will have the best resources. They can help you find a group of people with your shared experience. So you can have an external support system outside of your family.
Houston Mammography Specialist
It is vital for your overall health to attend your regular women’s health appointments and get your annual mammography exam in Houston. If it’s time for you to schedule a mammogram appointment, contact Pink Door Imaging. Dr. Mahesh Shetty has decades of experience in women’s health, including mammogram exams. Pink Door Imaging offers an integrated approach to women’s health, and they are mindful of patient anxiety and fears. Their goal is to educate, relieve any patient anxiety, and guide patient’s in making the best decision for them no matter what their health issue is. Contact the top Houston mammography specialist today for an appointment!