Dear Shelley,

I am recovering from breast cancer and have been advised to seek a support group for women in similar circumstances. My prognosis is pretty good although I have had to have a lot of medical intervention to make that so. My family has been great but I sense that my children, especially, would like the subject of mom’s cancer to go away! Me too! So what is your sense of the benefits of support groups, or individual therapy for that matter? --Recovering

Dear Recovering,

I have just seen a summary of the scientific debate over the effectiveness of support groups in preventing reoccurrences of breast cancer. The evidence for psychosocial support groups isn’t strong but it seems to be promising. A researcher, Barbara Anderson PhD, found that women who had remained in a support group for 26 sessions over a one year period showed a stable or increased T-Cell count, indicating a strengthening of their immune systems. Her research also shows that women in the support groups had a lower mortality rate. On the other hand, James Coyne PhD has been arguing that psychosocial intervention has not been scientifically proven to have any effect on survival rates. So there you have it!

I am going to take the view that support groups and/or individual therapy are a benefit. Scientific studies provide important data but the actual experience of people in these programs is also important (though not as easily measurable). One of the most devastating things for the human psyche is feeling isolated. Every person I have known who has had cancer feels, at some point, separate, a burden, damaged, etc. In those times there is great solace in being with others who have had similar difficulties. It is nice to not have to protect others from those thoughts you have had.

There are many resources for groups and counseling, some of which you have probably heard of during treatment. I might also add that groups teaching yoga or tai chi to cancer survivors are also a great source of support. There are also retreats and other workshop style events specifically for breast cancer survivors. If you have questions regarding resources, feel free to contact me at my office.

You can send your questions or comments to Shelley at sburns.counseling@earthlink.net