Our service is supported by the NHS and is part funded by the charity Cancer Support Suffolk. Additionally, the charity Art for Cure funds counselling for people with a breast cancer diagnosis and therapy for people who have sexual issues that may arise following a cancer diagnosis.

 

How can counselling help?

Cancer can bring many changes to someone’s life. It can also impact on friends and family. Counselling can help people cope with the many emotional issues that cancer may cause.

Counselling provides a safe, confidential and supportive space where you can talk about whatever is important to you. Your counsellor will not give you advice or tell you what is best for you. Counselling can support you to make sense of your situation and help develop coping strategies before, during and after your treatment.

Who can access the counselling service?

We offer counselling to people who have any cancer diagnosis at any time in their pathway. We also offer counselling to relatives and carers who feel they would benefit from the service.

Counselling for people with a breast cancer diagnosis.

This can be helpful if you need support following a diagnosis or at any stage of your treatment and beyond. You may experience a myriad of feelings from denial, shock and anger, to fear, anxiety and depression. It is not unusual to experience these emotions, and working with your counsellor is a great way to find expression and focus on your priorities. Your relationship to your body; your roles and relationships as partner, parent, sibling, child, work colleague etc. can also be highlighted. You don’t have to manage on your own. Sessions with a counsellor can help to ease anxieties and create new strategies to help you manage in future.

Therapy for sexual issues that may arise as a result of a cancer diagnosis

For information about psychosexual therapy please see the next section (below).

Is Counselling confidential?

Counselling with a few exceptions is confidential. These exceptions relate to statutory disclosures required by law or if a counsellor becomes concerned about your physical or psychological well-being. Your counsellor will talk to you about confidentiality and will answer any questions you may have.

Who will I see?

The counselling team is staffed by fully qualified counsellors and student counsellors who are in their final year of training. Every counsellor will understand and value the importance of building a trusting relationship with you.

How many sessions will I have?

You will be offered up to six free counselling sessions. Each session is usually 50 mins in duration.

 

Therapy to help with sexual issues associated with cancer diagnosis or treatment

Sometimes it helps to talk about sexual problems. Your healthcare team or someone in the Cancer Support and Information Centre can refer you for counselling. We also have access to a psychosexual therapist who aims to help individuals or couples understand themselves and their life situations more clearly, make decisions and adapt to help themselves come to terms with problems and achieve a more satisfying life. The therapist works with men and women, individuals and couples, young people over 16 and the elderly. Therapy is offered across a wide range of circumstances including:

  • sexual difficulties such as loss of desire, problems with arousal or orgasm, pain on penetration, erectile dysfunction, etc

  • emotional problems related to loss of sexual interest or function following an illness or operation

  • other sexual difficulties such as problems with body image, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or difficulties related to a past history of sexual abuse

  • past or present difficult life experiences contributing to reproductive of sexual health problems and low self image

If you wish to speak with a psychosexual therapist, please contact the Ipswich Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre. Psychosexual therapy at the Centre is funded by the charity Art for Cure. Tel: 01473 715748

 

How to access the counselling service at Ipswich Hospital?

To acess the counselling service please contact the Ipswich Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre in person or by telephone (tel: 01473 715748) or speak to your Nurse Specialist or ask another Health Care professional who is involved in your care to refer you.

Once your counselling referral request has been made you will be contacted by phone by one of the counselling team managers. This will be an opportunity to talk through any questions you may have and to discuss how counselling could benefit you. If following this conversation you do wish to proceed, you will be allocated a counsellor and they will make direct contact with you to arrange counselling sessions.

Waiting times

We will always try to process your counselling referral as quickly as possible. For cancer patients there is normally a 4-6 week waiting period. Waiting times for family members and carers are likely to be longer.

 

If you would like to make a donation

We do not expect any donations to support Counselling and Psychosexual Therapy although of course we are always delighted when people are able to. Donations enable Cancer Support Suffolk, Art for Cure and the Ipswich Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre to continue making a difference to others. If you would like to make a donation please click the button below or donate in person if you visit the Centre:

 

Other organisations that offer counselling

There are many organisations that offer counselling. Do always ask questions so that you find the right kind of counselling for you. Ask if there any costs and ensure that what they are offering is suitable for what you need. It may be possible to ask for a taster session to see how you get on with the person and their style before committing to further sessions.

Always ask questions when finding the right type of counselling. Ask if there are any costs and ensure that what they are offering, is suitable for what you need. It is perfectly normal to ask for a session to see how you get on with the person and their style before committing to further sessions.

 

Support with emotional issues and mental health

1: Support in Suffolk

Wellbeing Suffolk provide a range of support for people with common mental health and emotional issues, such as low mood, depression or stress. They work with you to help you make the necessary changes to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. Their services are free and are available to people of all ages.

The Wellbeing service offers a wide variety of courses that maybe helpful to you or your family, particularly “My Cancer Diagnosis and Me”. To see the full range of courses and to find more information follow this link.

If you are aged 16 and over you can access their support through your GP or any other health or social care professional, or you can self-refer using the form on their website or by calling: 0300 123 1503 – lines open 8am-6pm

If you are aged 15 or under, please contact your GP or other health or social care professional who can support you to be referred to our Wellbeing service

 
 

2: Support in North-east Essex

Therapy for you provide a range of support for people with common mental health and emotional issues, such as low mood, depression or stress. They work with you to help you make the necessary changes to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. Their services are free. A range of online courses are available to help (e.g. “Living well with physical health problems”).

If you are aged 16 and over you can access their support through your GP or any other health or social care professional, or you can self-refer on the website or by calling: 01206 334 001 – lines open 8am-5pm.

 

Macmillan counselling

Through BUPA, Macmillan are offering up to 6 free counselling sessions for people struggling emotionally because they are living with cancer. People can access specialist support remotely within days if they qualify to use the service. Follow this link for more information or call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 and ask about the Bupa service

 

Counselling for 18-45 year olds with a life limiting illness

Ending Life’s Taboo offers rapid end of life counselling and support for 18 to 45-year-olds diagnosed with a life limiting illness. The charity will also support the families of the young person during this difficult time.

Counselling may be provided at Ipswich or Colchester Hospital, at home, over the phone or online – whatever works best for you.

 

How to find support for someone else

If you think your partner or a member of your family or a friend is struggling, you may feel they might benefit from some additional help.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has some useful suggestions as to how you might help if you are concerned about another person.

MIND (see below) provides information on their national website specifically about how to support someone or to help someone else seek support.

 

MIND

The aim of MIND is to provide support and information to anyone who is struggling with mental health issues. Follow these links to the MIND national website and the Suffolk MIND website. On the national MIND website you will find a wide range of help and guidance. For example, information about Talking Therapies and how they can be very helpful to people in many different situations.

 

Samaritans

If you are struggling to cope with your feelings following a diagnosis of cancer and need someone to listen to you without judgement or pressure, you can contact Samaritans (24 hour).

Tel: 116 123, e-mail: jo@samaritans.org