Mesothelioma Support

Who Can Help?

Who Can Help?

• psychologists
• psychiatrists
• clergy
• social workers
• social services

Attorneys:

• Assistance in recovering damages from the asbestos industry
• Assistance in drafting a will and other legal documents

Financial Advisors:

Help structuring financial matters to accommodate for treatment and lifestyle changes.

(Counselors, Clergy and Social Support Networks)

Counseling has many different meanings and purposes. In the case of mesothelioma support, counseling can be speaking with a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or religious guide. These individuals can offer guidance and support that is essential to mesothelioma patients. Major hospitals and treatment centers usually offer all of these services.

Advantages

There are many times in our lives when we feel needs someone to listen to us. Counseling can play a role in expressing feelings and being heard, especially when inundated with doctors. appointments and treatment information. This can help in dealing with your mesothelioma diagnosis.

If one of your relatives or friends is diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is also important to do some thinking yourself. As with any stressful time, you are bound to have strong emotions and questions that you must deal with. Coming to terms with these issues can help your relative deal with the diagnosis and provide strength in their time of need.

There are a number of advantages to speaking with a counselor in addition to family and friends. These include:

• You will not have to worry about upsetting them.
• They will not judge you or what you have done.
• You may find it easier to sort out and talk about your deepest feelings.
• Everything you say will be confidential. Your counselor won't tell anyone else.
• They will not say what they think you want to hear.

However, there are a number of things that a counselor will not offer:

• Ready made solutions to your problems or advice
• Opinions about you, other people or their actions
• More talking and less listening

What Will a Good Mesothelioma Support Counselor Do?

• Listen to what you are saying.
• Not interrupt
• Help you sort out and untangle your feelings and worries.
• Provide you with insight into how you really think and feel.
• Help you express your emotions in your own way.
• Help you work out your own solutions to problems.
• Help you accept what cannot be changed.
• Help and support you while you do all this.

Counseling is often a positive experience for people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Even an hour every week can have real significance, because it is devoted entirely to your feelings. This can provide an outlet to express your feelings without judgment, as you can say whatever you want. Seeing a counselor is not a sign of weakness, and doesn.t mean that you are mentally unstable. It is simply a venue to vent emotions.