Emotional Effects

One of the significant emotional issues my clients face in the emotional realm as survivors is feeling overwhelmed...by fears, the vast amount of information they've had to sift through regarding options, the choices they've had to make about treatment and dealing with all of the changes that a diagnosis and treatment generates (economic, social, career, family, wellness, intimacy, body image, friends, co-workers, self-care).

Feeling overwhelmed can affect sleep, raise anxiety and stress levels, being stuck and unable to move forward. Many of my clients begin coaching feeling like they have very low physical energy levels. Some worry about this having a negative effect on healing. Survivorship often means a shifting of priorities, values and needs.

In coaching, we help clients not only do this but work through feelings of guilt so they can, instead, give themselves permission to put self-care first without remorse.

As part of my i-Thrive! approach, I created a concept called The Four Facets which defines four sources for increasing our available energy in life.

Most people are well versed in Physical Facet and understand key ingredients to having more physical energy, but are unaware of the other three which can have a major impact on the physical…they include The Emotional Facet, The Mental Facet and The Spiritual (think mission or life purpose)Facet.

Designed Dialogues are another of my signature tools I sometimes use. These dialogues help clients generate empowering conversations to address situations where they need to make a change. There is always a very apparent sense of relief when they see what their needs are and create shifts to get them met in a way that honors themselves and creates authentic conversation with others.

Doing this work energizes them as they no longer have the conflict between what they need for their healing and the shoulds that used to run their lives. There is a vast array of resources out there for working through emotional issues stemming from the experience of surviving cancer and readers can begin right here on this site.

I often remind my readers and clients that we are not in this life alone, nor are we meant to be. We cannot know, be and do everything. We can make a choice to reach out to the network of caring and ask for help…and in doing so, we can find comfort, connection and support to make it through the challenging times.

If you have children in your life (as a mom, granny, auntie, or teacher), consider the importance of being straight with them about your hair loss. I know this seems amazingly difficult. It isn't a conversation we are ever prepared for. That's why I wrote the book I wish I had back when I was diagnosed 11 years ago. It's called Nowhere Hair (http://www.NowhereHair.com), and it's a children's book that explains cancer and the loss of hair due to chemo in a way that is whimsical yet honest. It takes away the scary, and it gives you the words you need. It's available on my website and at Amazon. sue