CounselIngForCancer.com offers counseling for coping with cancer, chronic illness etc.
About CounselIngForCancer.com
I applied and was accepted at USC to complete a masters degree in Social Work. I chose the health concentration and every paper I wrote, when allowed to chose, focused on cancer. I became well acquainted with breast cancer and the untold ways it altered a woman’s body image, sexuality and relationships. I explored colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and found each diagnosis wore a different face with treatments often being more challenging then the diagnosis itself.
I completed my first internship in a regional oncology center where I had the opportunity to interact with patients, physicians, nurses, medical assistances and technical staff. I learned the language that was spoken in the medical community and how to translate that to everyday people like myself.
My second internship was in a large private oncology practice where surgeons and oncologists partnered with the goal of providing patients with more comprehensive care in a single facility. After receiving my masters degree, I became a member of the staff and spent the next seven years providing emotional, psychological and relational support to cancer patients and their families.
It was in this setting that I found the true meaning of hope. I learned that healing comes in physical, emotional, psychological, relational and spiritual forms. I discovered that a diagnosis could free someone to live for the first time in their adult lives and that dreams could be realized in a multitude of ways. I learned that moments of genuine care were available in the most unusual places and that there are more similarities then differences between human beings.
In 2004, I opened a private practice in Irvine. I am thrilled to be able to offer a comforting environment to those experiencing cancer and other life challenging events. I am eternally grateful to those who allow me provide support, opportunities for change and the tools to take command over the journey of their lives.
