Face2Face Healing is hosting a new cancer support group beginning on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 6:00 PM. These meetings are for people with any type of cancer, at any stage. This group will meet online to accommodate participants who are not able to travel to our in-person groups or who cannot physically be around other people because they are immunocompromised. The support group will take place on a secured Zoom video line, with the option to have the participant’s camera on or off. The support group is free. Registration and a pre-screening questionnaire are required in advance.
Support groups can have tremendous benefits. Many patients receive a lot of support from friends and family, but the number one reason they join a support group is to be with others who have similar cancer experiences. Some research shows that joining a support group improves both quality of life and survival.
Support groups can:
- Help you feel better, more hopeful, and not so alone
- Help you determine other support services that you may need
- Give you a chance to talk about your feelings
- Help you work through your thoughts and feelings
- Help you deal with practical problems, such as problems at work or school
- Help you cope with side effects of treatment
- Help you understand changes your body is going through
- Help you learn how to control your pain
- Help with communicating to your health care team
Is a Support Group Right for Me?
A support group may not be right for everyone. Some people do not like to hear about others’ problems. And some find that their need for a support group changes over time. Before joining a support group, you may want to ask yourself if you are comfortable talking about personal isues. You can also think about what you hope to gain by joining the group.
If you are thinking about joining our online support group, here are some common questions and answers to get you started:
- How large is the group? 10 people with 2 facilitators
- Who attends? Cancer patients with any type of cancer, at any stage of cancer
- How long are the meetings? 60 minutes
- How often does the group meet? At 6:00 PM every other Tuesday, beginning July 13, 2021
- How long has the group been together? This group is a new addition to our current support group programming
- Who leads the meetings, a professional or a survivor? Both facilitators are professionals who are also cancer survivors
- What is the format of the meetings? It is an open forum so that everyone can talk freely as they wish
- Is the main purpose to share feelings, or do people also offer tips to solve common problems? Both
- If I go, can I just sit and listen? You may just listen if that helps you
Support groups vary greatly, and if you have one bad experience, it does not mean these groups aren’t a good option for you. You may also want to find another cancer survivor with whom you can discuss your cancer experience. At Face2Face Healing, we are always willing to pair you with someone who had your type of cancer and is close to your age and background. We understand the importance of having support from other people that have gone through or who are currently going through treatment.
If you are interested in joining this new online support group, please send an email to adriane@face2facehealing.org. Adriane is our Lead Counseling Clinician at Face2Face Healing and a two-time cancer survivor. She will reach out and set a time to speak with you to go over the pre-screening questionnaire and answer the questions you may have about support groups. All our support groups have limited capacity. We do this so that each participant has the time to talk at each session.
