Coping with Cancer: Emotional & Psychological Support for Patients
Understanding Emotional Distress and Accessing Support During Cancer Treatment
Being diagnosed with cancer can bring a flood of emotions—shock, fear, grief, and uncertainty. It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed. At Mind in Mind Psychology, we offer compassionate psychological support for cancer patients to help manage the mental and emotional challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
Coping with cancer involves more than just managing medical treatment; it includes recognising emotional distress, building resilience, and accessing tools for self-care and communication. Our tailored cancer emotional support services are here to guide you through each stage with care and understanding.
We have created a simple yet powerful screening process to support you in measuring and responding to your levels of psychological distress throughout your cancer journey.
How Cancer Emotional Support Can Help You Cope
Emotional wellbeing during cancer plays a vital role in physical recovery. By identifying your level of cancer-related distress early, we can connect you with tailored support; whether that’s cancer counselling, guided self-help resources, or personalised psychological support for cancer patients. Early intervention is key to managing symptoms before they become overwhelming.
Our screening process helps to:
Improve treatment outcomes and adherence
Promote self-awareness and emotional self-care
Support mental health before, during, and after cancer treatment
Identify and address underlying stressors (such as financial pressure or relationship strain)
Step 1: Understand Your Symptoms
If you’ve been navigating cancer treatment, you may notice changes in your emotional wellbeing. Below is a list of common signs of cancer-related distress. Reflect on how much each has impacted you in the past 1–2 weeks, using a scale from 0 (no distress) to 10 (high distress):
Sadness or depression
Anxiety or excessive worry
Difficulty sleeping
Loss of interest in hobbies or daily life
Fatigue or low energy beyond treatment effects
Social withdrawal
Trouble concentrating
Feeling hopeless or overwhelmed
Low self-worth
These are common emotional experiences during cancer treatment, but that doesn’t mean you have to face them alone. Recognising these signs is the first step in accessing meaningful emotional and psychological support for cancer patients.
Step 2: Know Your Distress Level
Score 7–10 (High Distress requiring urgent care)
Seek help from Emergency Services (000) or Lifeline (13 11 14)
Contact a CAT Team via your local hospital
Use a safety planning tool like “Beyond Now”
For non-urgent high distress, referrals to hospital psychiatry or psychology services are encouraged.
Score 4–6 (Moderate Distress)
Seek support from a cancer psychologist (private or hospital-based)
Talk to a hospital social worker or Cancer Council counsellor
Visit Cancer-specific support centres like the Cancer Mind Centre
Score 0–3 (Low Distress):
You may benefit from lighter support such as:
Mummy’s Wish – for mums with cancer
WeCan – cancer supportive care
Counterpart – peer support services
Support by
Cancer Type
We’ve compiled a list of targeted support services to support your emotional wellbeing during cancer:
The following list provides suggestions for practical and psychological support for cancer patients:
Upper GI:
Lung Cancer:
Bowel Cancer:
Brain Tumours:
Head & Neck:
Gynaecological:
Haematological:
Breast Cancer:
A Note to Medical Practitioners
This screening protocol is designed for routine use in medical appointments. It takes 1–5 minutes and supports timely intervention. It also helps identify underlying psychosocial challenges, like financial stress or relationship strain, that could impact treatment if left unaddressed.
We’re Here to Help
At Mind in Mind Psychology, we take a personalised approach to care. Our Director, Jen, has provided psychological support for cancer patients in hospital settings for over 7 years. She had her own experience of cancer in 2024 and has a first-hand understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing during cancer.
Whether you're seeking help in the form of cancer counselling, or looking for support with pain management, our team is here to help you.
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Written by Dr. Jennifer Menon, Clinical Psychologist
BA (Psych), DipPsych, DClinPsych, MAPS