Counselling for people affected by cancer and bereavement
How are you?
Are you living with the worries, uncertainties or losses that a cancer diagnosis can bring? Entering the cancer world can feel like being dropped on another planet without a map. It can feel like a very lonely and scary place to be.
Who am I?
Hi, I'm Geraldine Hamilton
I'm a fully qualified psychotherapist and I specialise in working with people affected by cancer — whether that's people affected directly, their families, friends, or carers.
I have over 30 years' experience as a cancer nurse, prior to training as a psychotherapist. Whether that's helping you create moments of calm on stressful days, using strategies that help you live in the moment and worry less about the future, or finding a new normal after cancer — it is possible to live a calmer and less stressful life despite your cancer experience.
I also work as a counsellor at Ardgowan Hospice in Greenock, providing counselling for patients, their families, and people who are bereaved. I facilitate bereavement support groups for adults as well as a support group for people living with a life-shortening condition.
How I can help
Areas I specialise in
Cancer doesn't just affect your body. It can affect your emotions, your relationships, or your ability to live a normal independent life. I offer counselling to adults whose life has been touched by cancer in any way — and beyond.
Cancer counselling
Whether you're facing a new diagnosis, going through treatment, living with incurable cancer, or trying to rebuild your life after cancer — I can help you make sense of this new world and find a way through.
Bereavement counselling
Losing a loved one is hard at any time. If you are feeling sad, angry, alone, broken, frustrated or lost — these are all normal things to feel when living with grief. I can help guide you through the process of grief and healing.
Anxiety and depression
Stress, anxiety, and depression are experienced by most of us at some point. In people affected by cancer, levels are much higher. Counselling can help you recover the motivation, perspective, and joy you once had in your life.
Other areas
I also have experience helping with social anxiety, health anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, low self-esteem, confidence problems, menopause, and other mental health challenges — regardless of the origins of your difficulties.
What clients say
It was helpful to discuss with someone who is not your family or friend about the feelings cancer and treatment have caused. I found new and also recovered old ways to manage my stress and emotion.
Talking to Geraldine helped me come to terms with a cancer that continues to spread. Geraldine's approach was spot on — she was informative, supportive and knowledgeable in giving me the tools to manage my moods better.
Having a safe space to talk about my feelings with no judgement. I felt listened to and that my feelings were valid, and always felt so much better after each session.
The biggest thing I have learned from sessions with Geraldine is that 'I am enough as me' and it's ok to be vulnerable and let people in that want to help me.
Geraldine helped me stay grounded. She kept it real and this helped me process everything I was going through — coming to terms with my diagnosis and symptoms during chemo.
Geraldine is a fantastic listener and offered advice and was very supportive, mindful and professional. It helped me immensely.
Ready to take the first step?
Sometimes people aren't sure if counselling is the right thing for them. I offer a free, no-obligation 20-minute call so you can ask questions and find out more about how I can help — before committing to full sessions.