Do I see a psychologist that deals only with cancer patients or any psychologist?

fairydust

I was given a name of a psychologist  that specializes in people affected by cancer. My question is will any good psychologist be as beneficial or one that deals with cancer patients.  The psychologist in question is based at the hospital I attended for chemo. I still have trouble feeling comfortable going to that hospital.  
I am 2 and half months out from finishing treatment I am finding fatigue a real problem. Fatigued depressed or both who knows?
I do know symptons of depression. I am making efforts at excercise and getting out and about but compared to before cancer nowhere near my energy levels. I did not understand that you can have a high level of fatigue after treatment. 
I have read about it and read comments on this page. After experiencing it myself I can now truly say I understand.

Harlee

I think the best psychologist is the one that YOU can relate to. Doesn't really matter how experienced they are at treating cancer patients if you don't like them and especially if going to the hospital makes you uncomfortable then it's not going to work.  
A "cancer" psychologist was recommended to me but when I read her practice newsletter I knew that she was probably going to drive me crazy!!  Luckily I found one who was perfect. 
Good luck with managing your fatigue. Exercise helps with both depression and fatigue but the hard part is working out how much you should be doing when you already feel so exhausted and are still recovering from cancer treatments. Do you have an exercise physiologist or personal trainer who can assist you? Your GP may be able to refer you.  

primek

Really just having someone to talk to about your experience can help with the emotional recovery of cancer treatment. That can be a psychologist or mental health clinician. I found I only needed a few sessions to get me back in the right head space. We will always have times more difficult than others I think. 

fairydust

@Harley B thanks. I think you might be on the right track with the exercise psychologist  Probably the right psychologist is the right one. Actually admitting I need help is hard. I can continue as I am ..
. Well energy will return eventually. Wont it?..... However if there are tools and people out there that can help then not even trying is silly. I honestly thought well a year of treatment is over and I would just bounce back.....mmmmm

melclarity

@fairydust It doesnt have to be a Psychologist for Cancer, like you as part of a rehab I could have seen the Psychologist there, but I had no rapport with her strangely. I did see someone 7yrs ago for awhile due to a snowball of traumas and she was fantastic, she helped me deal with the loss of my Mum, my marriage breakdown and 1st diagnosis. Even when I had a recurrence in 2015 and had to do extensive treatment, I didnt seek her out as the strategies she taught me were so helpful. HOWEVER, leading into my Mastectomy/Diep flap recon I called her for a session, 1 is all it took to know I am not going mad, everything I felt was validated and she helped me see things and myself in a different way. I didnt look back even now, 3 months post surgery, I love how I look, never a tear nothing LOL. so it is more about connection than anything else. 

I also see an Exercise Physiologist organised through my income protection last year. AMAZING!!! recommend to anyone getting back into exercise. I couldnt have done it any other way, I needed professional help, something a little more than a personal trainer, someone who is trained in rehabilitation. She got me ready, strong in my core for surgery, (so needed for the tummy wound) 6 weeks post op was back with her and now building again. The knowledge is what gets me, so helpful and knowing how the body moves, stretches, muscles etc., 

I think everyone is individual, I dont know that we ever really bounce back without reflection as we move forward. Im 2 years clear but only 3 months post surgery. Still working with side effects, my life will never be the same, Im nothing physically to where I was, so for me its about adapting to what I can do now without getting frustrated and upset. Thats soooo hard!!! Its one thing to be grateful for the treatment, but they dont want to know the fallout or impact lifelong of what it actually does on a physical/emotional/mental level. So go and have a chat, it helps to vent but just to be heard.

xx Melinda 

LMK74

I don't think it matters,as long as you're comfortable. I've been seeing mine for 3yrs now and he's seen me through my mother's death, my heart attack,and now breast cancer. I've been in some very dark places and its important to feel comfortable with who your talking to.

Sevenbe

I saw a "cancer" psych at the hospital, and she had some good tips from other cancer patients and could tell me when things I was experiencing were normal, and she gave me a bit of a heads up about other things I might experience. If that sounds useful to you, then the specialist cancer psych might be worth seeing once or twice. But other than that I actually found her a bit formulaic. I've seen other counsellors I personally like better.

Zoffiel

It's a really personal relationship. If you have a choice and a couple of options, take advantage of that. Other people's recommendations are useless as we all have different needs.

I don't know how helpful my psychologist really is, but I can dump shit on her that I wouldn't subject my friends to and do it without any guilt or feelings that what I say to her will come back and bite me on the arse later. Poor woman.