Helping Cancer Patients Cope : A Problem-Solving Approach

Good problem-solving skills are what make people flourish and succeed in coping with major life events such as cancer. These skills are also the hallmarks of optimism, courage and self-confidence. Working with cancer patients for over 20 years, Nezu and his co-authors have crafted a time-limited programme to teach patients these problem-solving skills. This model has been empirically shown to relieve suffering and aid cancer patients in constructing effective plans for dealing with the physical, financial, social and spiritual challenges of cancer. The volume outlines a 10-session programme that can be adapted to group, family and individual settings. How to teach specific skills, such as problem formulation, decision making, and solution implementation are covered in detail. Throughout, the authors provide numerous case examples, transcripts from sessions and sample introductions that show how to teach new skills. Also included are homework assignments and handouts that should help relieve patients' sense of helplessness and despair and instill a sense of control and hope. This book should be a helpful adjunct to on-going treatment groups or individual therapy for psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse specialists, counsellors and social workers.