How are you?

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. You don’t want to be there, and you can't speak the language. It can feel Like a very lonely and scary place to be.

Cancer doesn’t just affect your body. It can affect your emotions, your relationships, or your ability to live a normal independent life.

You may be living with a physical loss that has a visual daily reminder.

You may have lost some confidence, in yourself or in your body.

You may be living with a loss of intimacy, or the loss of what was “normal”.

You may be struggling to cope with an incurable cancer. Fearful of the future, whilst trying to live in the present.

You may be cured and trying to rebuild your life after cancer, but feel lost or isolated

Or maybe this is someone close to you, and you are looking for the best way to support both them and yourself.

As a counsellor and a cancer nurse, I have supported many people and their loved ones, through the pain of diagnosis, treatment, life after cancer and sadly sometimes their grief, and I can help you too.

Counselling for people not affected by cancer

Whilst I specialise in helping people who have been affected by cancer, this is not exclusive. I am also available to help and have experience in treating others regardless of the origins of their problems.

I also provide counselling to carers locally in Renfrewshire, and have done so for the past 3 years.

Caring can be very lonely and isolating, and many carers find it hard to talk about their difficulties. The daily struggles of providing round the clock care to a loved one.

The guilt about needing to ask for help. The heavy burden of responsibility to be caring for the person they love, and often feel bad if they have any negative thoughts, or they feel resentful or lose their patience. They report that counselling helps them to cope with daily pressures they face.

Many carers experience extreme fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, anger, and grief. Their own health and wellbeing needs tend to be shoved to the back of the queue, or just non-existent.

These are only some of the reasons that carers come for counselling. Sadly, too many carers wait till they are in a crisis, or at the point of feeling like they cannot cope any longer.

I help people find ways of coping with stress and anxiety, depression, relationship problems, grief, and much more. I also help them to find ways of looking after themselves, and their mental health. However, it can involve talking about difficult or painful feelings, and this can feel upsetting, but it is all part of helping people to feel better in themselves. I support carers with these feelings and help them to find ways through their difficulties

I also treat other problems including

· Social anxiety

· Health anxiety

· OCD

· Panic attacks

· Depression

· Self-esteem and confidence problems

· Menopause problems