23/08/2022
Fear of cancer recurrence group therapy
Often when people are first diagnosed with cancer, their focus is on getting through the treatment. This can be all-consuming, and it is often only on completion of active treatment that people have time to reflect on what has happened and consider what it means for their future. Fear of cancer recurrence is common, with up to 70% of cancer survivors reporting some fear of cancer recurrence, with 50% experiencing moderate or high levels (Simard et al, 2013).
People can find themselves having unwanted intrusive thoughts and worries, becoming preoccupied with the possibility of the cancer returning, being sensitive to physical changes/symptoms and either avoiding reminders or triggers, or excessively checking for symptoms and seeking reassurance. Unfortunately attempts to control, avoid or suppress thoughts about potential recurrence are often not effective.
This fear can have a large impact on mood, relationships, and general coping with life. It can make it very difficult to make plans for the future, which can result in people feeling rudderless and having little to direct their energies towards. People may face a crisis of life direction, struggling with what life means to them now or how they can live in accordance with their values and priorities when plagued by worries of cancer returning.
Kathy runs a 10 week group program based on the Conquer Fear program, which was developed to specifically target fear of cancer recurrence and has been found to result in significant reductions in fear of cancer recurrence which are maintained after treatment finishes (Butow et al., 2016). The group is a closed group, meaning that all members begin the group at the same time and each group session builds upon what is discussed in the prior session.
The program includes:
• teaching strategies for responding to intrusive thoughts and unhelpful threat monitoring;
• modifying underlying unhelpful beliefs about worry which make it difficult to decrease worrying;
• developing appropriate monitoring and screening behaviours;
• developing goals for the future which will give life purpose, meaning and direction, and the identification of helpful ways of responding to thoughts, feelings and urges that may interfere with the pursuit of them.
This group is intended for cancer patients who have completed, or are close to completing, their hospital-based treatment, are disease free at the end of treatment, and are experiencing significant fear of cancer recurrence.
Groups will be held in Erina. Please contact Kathy either by phone on 0493 046 396 or via email at kathyrooneypsychologist@gmail.com for further information. Her website is www.yourcancerpsychologist.com
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