Who can address emotional pain?
Meet the Experts
Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W. is administrative supervisor for psychosocial programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Lauder Breast Center in New York City, where she oversees all social work activities.
Diane S. Thompson, M.D. is director of clinical research at Queen's Medical Center and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine.
Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.
Question from Soulright: My medical team only addresses my body. Who takes care of my emotional pain?
- Answer —Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W.: The first thing to do is address that question to your medical team. All patients are more than their cancer, and the illness can't be fully addressed if the whole person is ignored. I would ask my physician to direct me toward the kind of emotional help and support that is essential during breast cancer treatment. Many hospitals and local American Cancer Society chapters offer support groups for women with breast cancer. Lacking that, websites such as Breastcancer.org are wonderful places to connect with other patients.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Overcoming Depression. Rosalind Kleban, M.S.W., Diane S. Thompson, M.D., and Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about medication and lifestyle changes that can ease depression along with to put hope, fun, and pleasure back into your life during and after breast cancer treatment.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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