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Therapist's Breast Cancer Battle: Facing Fear Post-Treatment
1 Jul
Summary
- A therapist navigated stage 2 breast cancer at age 28.
- Fear of recurrence is her biggest challenge post-treatment.
- She now helps clients cope with cancer and its aftermath.
A therapist, initially diagnosed with stage 2, estrogen-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer at 28, is now navigating life nearly nine years after completing chemotherapy in early September 2017. The diagnosis, received just before New Year's Eve in 2016, led to a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy, which she describes as the hardest part physically. However, she found the mental challenges and fear of recurrence post-treatment to be even more difficult.
Her ongoing fear stems from the possibility of developing stage 4 disease and cancer cells lying dormant. This anxiety cycles around regular medical tests, including blood work and scans, as she worries about her future and seeing her two young sons grow up. Her therapist training provides tools to manage these fears, and she actively works with clients facing similar struggles.
She advocates for owning anxiety and fear, counteracting them with joyful activities and sensory grounding techniques. By sharing her lived experience, she validates clients' emotions and helps them build confidence to advocate for themselves. This phase of growth has also taught her the importance of rest, a shift from her previous hustle-culture mindset. Her ultimate goal is finding peace and seeing her children graduate.
