Illness

When you are diagnosed with a serious illness

your world suddenly changes...

"When I was diagnosed, I couldn't believe it - I was sure someone had made a mistake - I felt as if my world was falling apart...my best friend couldn't understand my situation and I didn't know who to turn to..."
Talk to Someone

Who Can Help...

"I needed all the information I could get."

Suddenly you feel you are in a strange country with no road map. Questions need to be answered, but answers are not readily available. Decisions need to be made and there is no easy way to make them... and fear of the unknown can create anxiety which interferes with effective decision making.

In the beginning a psychologist can help by teaching decision-making skills to help you decide:

which doctor to consult
which treatments may be most effective
finding resources for your specific illness
providing direction to the most up-to-date information on your illness

"I felt so alone."

Research has shown that a good support system is one of the most effective elements in healing and recovery. Although the people closest to you are very important at this time, other people can be equally important. Your psychologist can help create an effective healing support system, integrating:

your existing support system
local support group members with similar illnesses
members of your religious community
nurses and other professional health care givers

YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST can identify the gaps in your support team and help you to bridge them.

"I was so anxious when I visited the doctor that I often did not really know what was being said."

During a serious illness YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST CAN COACH YOU IN SKILLS THAT WILL MAKE COMMUNICATION WITH Your MEDICAL TEAM MORE EFFECTIVE.

A psychologist can teach communication skills to better understand, evaluate and communicate with the medical team.

Under the kind of stress that comes with the experience of serious illness, many of us simply do not hear everything we are told in a doctor's office.

A psychologist can teach assertiveness skills that will enable you to feel like an equal player in medical communication. If necessary, your psychologist can join the medical team to facilitate your communication.

A psychologist can make a difference by:

guiding you through the impact of the illness and the anxiety it generates
coaching you in appropriate communication skills for dealing with the medical profession, your family and friends
designing a well functioning support network
teaching effective decision-making skills
training you in anxiety management to increase your daily energy
teaching relaxation skills to help you sleep better
applying a specially trained ear so that your needs and concerns will truly be heard
creating new visions for your future and lightening the burden of your experience
enhancing communication between patient, partner, children and other family members

Care For The Caregiver

Caregivers, like the patient, are under serious strain. It is important for them to take care of themselves in the following ways:

getting enough exercise, rest and good nutrition
restoring inner resources by:
having someone in whom to confide
permitting "time out"
doing self-care activities
maintaining contacts with nurturing, caring people
connecting with appropriate community services
restoring spiritual resources

A psychologist can help caregivers, too.

Talk to Someone
Who Can Help.

Talk to a Psychologist.

Prepared By:
Barbara Wainrib, Ed.D. and Carol Goodheart, Ed.D.

The Brochure Project

A Joint Venture of the Divisions of Psychotherapy and Independent Practice

American Psychological Association

Co-Directors:

Alice Rubenstein, Ed.D. and Sandra Haber, Ph.D.

Publication Coordinators:

Abraham Wolf, Ph.D. and Peter Sheras, Ph.D.

© The Brochure Project, 1998

(602)854-8950

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	When you are diagnosed with a serious illness your world suddenly changes...

	"When I was diagnosed, I couldn't believe it - I was sure someone had made a mistake - I felt as if my world was falling apart...my best friend couldn't understand my situation and I didn't know who to turn to..." Talk to Someone Who Can Help... "I needed all the information I could get." Suddenly you feel you are in a strange country with no road map. Questions need to be answered, but answers are not readily available. Decisions need to be made and there is no easy way to make them... and fear of the unknown can create anxiety which interferes with effective decision making. In the beginning a psychologist can help by teaching decision-making skills to help you decide: which doctor to consult which treatments may be most effective finding resources for your specific illness providing direction to the most up-to-date information on your illness "I felt so alone." Research has shown that a good support system is one of the most effective elements in healing and recovery. Although the people closest to you are very important at this time, other people can be equally important. Your psychologist can help create an effective healing support system, integrating: your existing support system local support group members with similar illnesses members of your religious community nurses and other professional health care givers YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST can identify the gaps in your support team and help you to bridge them. "I was so anxious when I visited the doctor that I often did not really know what was being said." During a serious illness YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST CAN COACH YOU IN SKILLS THAT WILL MAKE COMMUNICATION WITH Your MEDICAL TEAM MORE EFFECTIVE. A psychologist can teach communication skills to better understand, evaluate and communicate with the medical team. Under the kind of stress that comes with the experience of serious illness, many of us simply do not hear everything we are told in a doctor's office. A psychologist can teach assertiveness skills that will enable you to feel like an equal player in medical communication. If necessary, your psychologist can join the medical team to facilitate your communication.
A psychologist can make a difference by: guiding you through the impact of the illness and the anxiety it generates coaching you in appropriate communication skills for dealing with the medical profession, your family and friends designing a well functioning support network teaching effective decision-making skills training you in anxiety management to increase your daily energy teaching relaxation skills to help you sleep better applying a specially trained ear so that your needs and concerns will truly be heard creating new visions for your future and lightening the burden of your experience enhancing communication between patient, partner, children and other family members Care For The Caregiver Caregivers, like the patient, are under serious strain. It is important for them to take care of themselves in the following ways: getting enough exercise, rest and good nutrition restoring inner resources by: having someone in whom to confide permitting "time out" doing self-care activities maintaining contacts with nurturing, caring people connecting with appropriate community services restoring spiritual resources A psychologist can help caregivers, too.

Talk to Someone Who Can Help. Talk to a Psychologist.
Prepared By: Barbara Wainrib, Ed.D. and Carol Goodheart, Ed.D. The Brochure Project A Joint Venture of the Divisions of Psychotherapy and Independent Practice American Psychological Association Co-Directors: Alice Rubenstein, Ed.D. and Sandra Haber, Ph.D. Publication Coordinators: Abraham Wolf, Ph.D. and Peter Sheras, Ph.D. © The Brochure Project, 1998 (602)854-8950
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