Counselling
Counselling or ‘talking therapy’ involves talking to a trained professional about your thoughts and feelings. It may help you work through your feelings and find ways of coming to terms with things. There are different ways to get counselling.
- Ask your GP to refer you.
- Some organisations for carers offer counselling. You can search for local services on the Carers Trust website.
- Check whether your local hospital, Macmillan cancer support centre or Maggie’s centre have specialist counsellors.
- Check the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy for a counsellor who has experience of working with people affected by cancer.
- Counselling and other types of psychological emotional support can be accessed directly through the NHS England Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. You need to be registered with a GP in England, but you can refer yourself through the NHS website.
Support groups
There are cancer support groups around the country where you can meet other people going through similar experiences. They are often open to families as well as the person with cancer.
Find groups specifically for pancreatic cancer.
There are also support groups for people caring for someone with cancer. We have suggested some organisations you can contact below. Your family member’s nurse may know what groups are available in your local area.
Organisations supporting carers
There are organisations that offer information and help for carers across the UK. These include:
There are also carers’ centres around the UK that provide free support for carers. Carers Trust have more information, or ask your local council if there’s a carers’ centre in your area.
Carers can also get emotional support from a local cancer support centre, for example, a Maggie’s Centre or a Macmillan information and support centre. In Northern Ireland, an organisation called Cancer Focus Northern Ireland can also provide information and support.
Communicating with your family member
Whatever your relationship, a cancer diagnosis will mean some things change and that can be hard. Finding ways to communicate will make things easier for you both and can even bring you closer.
It’s a good idea to have an open conversation about what support your family member would like from you and what you can offer. Try not to guess what they think and feel, or what they expect from you. Listen to what is important to them. Being open with each other can help to avoid confusion or arguments over everyday issues.
Make time and space for conversations, so there are chances to talk about how you are both feeling. But keep in mind that sometimes your family member may not want to talk about their feelings, or may not have the energy for a deep conversation. There will be times when one or both of you is feeling upset or stressed and communication may be more difficult. It can help to get support for yourself if this is happening.
You might find that focusing on practical things and agreeing how some situations should be handled can help. For example, you could ask if it’s useful for you to remind your family member to take their medicines, or if there is anything they would prefer you don’t do. It’s a good idea to have these conversations more than once, to check whether anything has changed.
