As people who have "been there, done that," our very presence provides a new arrival on the cancer rollercoaster a sense of stability and certainty.
BY Mike Verano
PUBLISHED December 01, 2018
Mike Verano is a licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist and thymic cancer survivor with over 30 years experience in the mental health field. Mike has had articles published in national and international magazines and is the author of The Zen of Cancer: A Mindful Journey From Illness to Wellness. In addition, he maintains the blog, Confessions of a Pacifist in the War on Cancer. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Lanexa, Virginia.
I've been given the opportunity recently to do something that many of us cancer survivors literally live for: paying back the kindness and support to someone who is just starting the cancer journey. That this opportunity involved a family member, which made it both extra special and deeply moving.
What I found most rewarding wasn’t about what I had to say regarding biopsies, scans and waiting for results, but what it was like to go through these things myself. As a therapist, I know that the "secret" of why support groups work has more to do with the, "I know you get me," effect than any information that is exchanged.
No comments:
Post a Comment