Empowering Cancer Patients in Treatment Decisions: Making Choices with Heartfelt Confidence

As cancer psychologists, we help people to navigate decisions about treatment with a focus on compassion and understanding. Often, the process of making these choices can feel overwhelming, but there are helpful strategies available to support with it. Below are a few hints and tips that may help you in choosing a direction or a path in your treatment decision making process.

Acknowledge and Embrace Your Feelings:

It's completely natural to feel anxious or scared when facing important decisions about your cancer treatment. Take a moment to acknowledge these feelings – they are valid, and you are not alone in experiencing them.

Your feelings are an important part of decision making. Try to uncover the layers of your emotions beyond the initial uncertainty or fear you might be experiencing- your feelings may be trying to tell you something important about what you value and therefore the direction you want to take that aligns with that. Consider talking to someone you trust, like a friend or family member, about how you're feeling. Their support and understanding can make a big difference.

Gather Information with Care:

Making informed decisions is essential, but you don't have to do it alone. Reach out to your healthcare team, ask questions, and gather information at your own pace. Remember, there are no wrong questions – your medical team is there to support you.

Decide Together:

Your voice matters, and so do your values and preferences. Don't be afraid to share them with your healthcare team as well as family and significant others. Working together in a process called shared decision making can bring you closer to the treatment plan that aligns with what truly matters to you.

As you make treatment decisions, know that you have a team of compassionate professionals by your side, including your healthcare team and cancer psychologist. Take it one step at a time, acknowledge your feelings, gather information, decide together with your medical team and significant other, embrace your emotions, and trust yourself. By combining your heart and mind, you can navigate your treatment journey with more heartfelt confidence.

Wishing you strength, understanding, and compassion in your decision-making process,

Cancer Psychology Collective