Coming to Terms With an Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
- Ni Guttenfelder was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in October 2017, and quickly realized she needed a therapist to help her process what she was feeling.
- She suggests finding a counselor whom you trust and feel comfortable opening up to about your cancer.
- Accepting your cancer diagnosis is a process that takes time and happens incrementally.
- Limit your time with anyone who doesn't lift you up and support you right now.
"Initially I went to a session where I just cried and the counselor basically told me what I was feeling was normal and didn’t offer me any type of feedback. But I knew that I needed something more than that. Not just a crying session and a pat on my shoulder," she tells SurvivorNet. "What I have found is that it's critical to find the right counselor, not just any counselor."
Read More It took some time, but she finally found someone she trusts. "One of the things that my counselor has taught me from the very beginning that has helped me is the concept of acceptance," she says. "Acceptance is a process. It’s like downloading a computer file in increments. Visualizing it in that way has really helped me." Part of Guttenfelder's therapy has focused on managing the people in her life who aren't supportive and accepting like her father, who was resistant to the idea of her getting chemotherapy. "It makes it more of an uphill battle and a challenge because we’ll sometimes get into arguments about it," she says. "My counselor would say, for my own benefit and health that it’s best to limit the time with others who may not be lifting me up during my treatment." She has some words of advice for other women with ovarian cancer: "Whatever it is that you’re facing right now along your cancer journey, know that you are stronger and more resilient than you could ever imagine," she says. "I think there’s a misconception that we beat cancer when we finish treatment. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case for everyone. I want you to know that you beat cancer by how you live your life."
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