Episode 014: Practical Tools To Tackle Cancer

I’m really excited today because I get to talk to my new friend, Frances Goodhart who wrote this great book called "The cancer Survivor’s Companion: Practical ways to cope with feelings after cancer".  Frances is a clinical psychologist and it’s a real privilege to hear from her because she genuinely cares about people like you and me who go through these tough times.  Today, Frances shares some fantastic insights and practical tools to tackle cancer that you can start applying right away: Why it's hard to bounce back after cancer How to manage anxiety and conflicting emotions Finding emotional backup when the going gets rough On dealing with anger How to get relationship issues out of the way The importance of exercise after treatment How to manage your energy better Step by step relaxation technique you can apply anywhere Using visualisation to help you relax How to break the vicious cycle around lack of sleep Finding way back to sex and intimacy and much, much more! Links About Dr Frances Goodhart The Cancer Survivor's Companion: Practical ways to cope with your feelings after cancer Episode 007: How To Use Your Inner Resources To Better Deal With Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                 Frances, first of all, what made you write a book on cancer? Frances:           I was working in a cancer psychological support service.  I was seeing a large number of people post-cancer treatment.  They were coming in for appointments.  They came in just incredibly apologetic.  It’s as if they felt embarrassed, guilty even about using up psychological resources for particularly at the end of treatment.  I would spend a lot of certainly the first session, and often many sessions, trying to reassure people that it was very natural, very appropriate for them to be coming to a psychological support service. What I wanted to do was to be able to add to my own voice by directing people to information that would illustrate that, that would reassure them that post-cancer treatment was valuable and important to address psychological issues.  I couldn’t find a book anywhere because I was particularly looking for a book because I feel that seeing things printed out on paper that have been published just adds a weight to that information.  I couldn’t find a book anywhere, so in the end I thought, it’s not there, there’s a gap in the market and I better fill it.  That’s how I came about the idea of writing. Joe:                 That’s fantastic.  I think I found the same.  I found that there’s really not that much out there at all, in terms of real practical advice.  One thing I want to come back to, Frances, one thing you said that really surprised me is that you said that the people you actually spoke to, that the people felt guilty about coming to you and asking for help.  What’s with that? Frances:           Well, it may be something about being British.  I think as a nation there’s somehow an element of stiff upper lip.  I think there’s still an element of just keep pushing on through.  I think it’s changing hugely now, but this was ten/fifteen years ago, and I think there was still a stigma actually about seeking psychological input, seeking emotional support.  I think that people were bringing that, in a sense, in the consulting room with me. Joe:                 Yes, absolutely.  I think there is definitely that.  I think people feel guilty in a way.  I think I certainly did at one point because you feel that you’re supposed to deal with it on your own.  If you don’t, it’s somehow like a weakness.  Does that make sense? Frances:           It makes total sense.  Again, I think this is changing now, but ten years ago, I don’t think all of the medical teams were perhaps as aware of the psychological impact of the cancer diagnosis and treatment and weren’t exploring with their patients how they were coping emotionally.  I think if you’re going to a cancer service and you’re b...