Counselling

Cancer can lead to a wide variety of problems for the patient and their family or carers. This can include issues resulting from the diagnosis, treatment and worries about the future.

What is counselling?

Counselling offers you an opportunity to work with someone who is impartial and who respects your values, background and lifestyle. It can help you to gain increased self-awareness, bring about changes in your life, your relationships with others, or an increased awareness of the possible range of responses to your situation.

How can counselling help?

Cancer can lead to a variety of problems for the patient and their family or carers. This can include issues resulting from the diagnosis, treatment and worries about the future.

Counselling can help with many issues. Some of these include:

• Relationships
• Work related matters
• Loneliness
• Stress
• Family crises
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem
• Helplessness
• Loss
• Bereavement
• Financial problems

No problem or issue is too small to bring to counselling. If something is concerning you, counselling can help to work out changes that are right for you.

Is it confidential?

All the work you do with your counsellor is confidential. Our guidelines on confidentiality will be discussed with you in more detail during your initial counselling session.

What happens when I contact the service?

When you contact Counselling Support Cancer Services, you will be asked to give your name and a contact telephone number. At this stage you will not be asked why you are seeking counselling. An experienced counsellor will then contact you to discuss your needs, answer any questions you may have about counselling and arrange a convenient time for your first appointment.

What if I need to see someone immediately?

If you feel very distressed and believe it would help to talk to a counsellor without having to wait for an appointment, it may be possible to arrange an earlier appointment. When you contact us, we will make sure you are aware of other possible sources of help.

More information

To book an appointment call 01625 663128 / 663129 or visit the reception desk in the Macmillan Cancer Resource Centre. All counselling sessions are free of charge

Telephone 01625 663128 for a hard copy of the counselling leaflet or to book an appointment.

In the Macmillan Cancer Resource Centre we offer counselling services to cancer patients and also to their carers. Our counsellors work throughout the week offering free sessions to patients and relatives at the centre. For further information about cancer we recommend you visit any of the following websites:

Macmillan Cancer Support
Cancer Help