Cancer changes more than just the body. From the moment you are diagnosed with cancer, your life is forever changed. It can shift how you feel, think and act (Keonen, 2022). Emotions often become more intense or unfamiliar. Fear, sadness, anger and confusion all may show up at once and may change moment to moment. This happens whether you are in treatment, recovering or even done with treatment. These feelings are normal. They are a normal part of facing something as life-changing as cancer. Research shows that between 30% and 50% of people with cancer go through significant emotional distress at some point in their journey (Ehlers et al., 2019; Eckerling et al., 2021). Many people experience anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and shifts in how they see themselves. With so much going on physically and emotionally, taking care of mental health becomes just as important as treating the disease. Counselling offers a safe and supportive space to work through it all, build emotional strength, and feel less alone. Counselling can offer these key benefits:
Emotional support and coping
Many people feel overwhelmed but don’t know how to talk about it. Counselling gives them space to name what they are going through and find ways to manage it. Together, we work through stress, fear, and uncertainty to restore some peace of mind.
Improved communication
Cancer can create distance between people. Counselling helps patients speak more clearly about what they need—whether with family, friends, or their healthcare team. This opens the door to more honest and supportive relationships.
Better quality of life
When people feel emotionally supported, they tend to cope better with treatment. They often stick to their medical care more consistently and feel more hopeful and in control of their lives.
Support for families and caregivers
Cancer affects loved ones too. Counselling helps them process their own emotions, support the patient with more understanding, and avoid burnout.
How counselling can help a person living with cancer?
Take the example of a colon cancer patient going through chemotherapy. They might feel exhausted, nauseated, and struggle with “chemo brain,” trouble remembering things or staying focused. That can be frustrating and isolating. In counselling, we talk openly about these feelings, help them accept their limits without guilt, and guide them in shifting their thinking from “I’m useless now” to “I’m doing the best I can in a hard time.” We explore simple daily routines, practice small achievable goals, and use tools like breathing exercises or CBT-based techniques to ease the mental load. Over time, they feel more emotionally grounded and better able to face what is ahead. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been especially helpful for people living with cancer. It is been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and distress. One large study found that CBT helps patients adjust emotionally and improves overall quality of life (Tatrow & Montgomery, 2006).
Counselling brings care to the whole person, not just the illness. It helps patients hold onto their inner strength and move through the cancer experience with greater clarity and courage. Every emotion along the way matters. Give yourself space to feel them. They may change, and that is okay. Your experience is your own. Through it all, remember the strength you have shown, the ways you have grown, and that you are so much more than the scars cancer may have left behind.
About the author:
Janie Lim is a trainee counsellor currently pursuing a Master of Counselling at Open University Malaysia. She is also a Stage 3 colon cancer survivor, bringing personal insight, empathy, and hope to those navigating similar journeys. Drawing from her lived experience and professional training in Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused approaches, she supports individuals in managing emotional distress and building resilience. Her passion lies in serving and advocating for the cancer community and underserved groups, creating safe and supportive spaces for healing and hope.
References:
Eckerling, A., Ricon-Becker, I., Sorski, L., Sandbank, E., & Ben-Eliyahu, S. (2021). Stress and cancer: mechanisms, significance and future directions. Nature reviews. Cancer, 21(12), 767–785.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-021-00395-5
Ehlers, S. L., Davis, K., Bluethmann, S. M., Quintiliani, L. M., Kendall, J., Ratwani, R. M.,Diefenbach, M. A., & Graves, K. D. (2019). Screening for psychosocial distress among patients with cancer: implications for clinical practice, healthcare policy, and dissemination to enhance cancer survivorship. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(2), 282–291.
https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/iby123
Keonen, M. (2022, Apr 26). Emotional recovery after cancer treatment. Mayo Clinic Health
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https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/emotional-recovery-after-cancer-treatment
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-005-9036-1