Selbstbetroffenheit in der Krebsberatung (English shop)

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Cancer is a widespread disease. In times of cuts in the social sector, it quickly becomes clear to everyone affected that support beyond conventional medical care is limited, particularly in the psychosocial field. Once discharged from hospital and provided with the standard therapies, access to a counselling centre is often experienced as a very helpful resource, and such centres increasingly employ professionals who have themselves been affected by cancer.

From the patients’ perspective, access to professionals who are themselves affected is perceived as valuable: “conversations and help on an equal footing” combined with professional support.

The empirical study conducted here sheds light on the field of experiences of professionals who are themselves affected. The guiding question is: which specific potentials and limits do professionals affected by cancer themselves, working in the fields of social work, medicine and psychology in psychosocial cancer counselling, experience?

In the context of problem-centred interviews, professionals affected by cancer working in psycho-oncology care facilities, clinical social work and private psychotherapeutic practices were willing to share their knowledge, their experiences, and the resources and limits they had encountered.

In addition, the range of common psychosocial support services is discussed, and the current state of medical knowledge on cancer is presented, with a focus on the psychophysical and psychosocial consequences for those affected and on the options for treatment and therapy.