Oncology Counselor Helps Cancer Patients and Their Families Cope
…and that Includes Her Own
The dreaded “C” word. Some people won’t even say it out loud. But for Gurnee resident Melody Stried, LCSW, “cancer” is part of her daily vocabulary.
For the last 18 years, Stried has worked as an oncology counselor, providing mental health support to cancer patients and their families. It’s something she knows from the inside out, as a daughter, a sister, and a mother.
“Many patients shy away from therapy because they don’t want to think about their cancer more than necessary,” she says. “But ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.”
“In fact, studies show that patients who receive therapy not only enjoy better quality of life, they may have a better chance of survival.”
Stried manages the Cancer Connection program at Gurnee Counseling Center, one of Lake County’s most comprehensive mental health clinics. The program includes educational seminars, support groups, and individual and family therapy. Her four-week series, “Cancer—Now What?” not only addresses coping strategies, but practical ones, such as what to tell employers and how to enlist the support of loved ones.
“Patients think, ‘If I start letting my fears out, I’ll fall apart completely,’” notes Stried. “They think we have to act strong and look good, even when they’re miserable. It only creates more stress.”
Stried should know. Not only did she lose her mother to cancer, her brother is also a cancer survivor. In addition, her son Luc (now a healthy 12 year old) was diagnosed with leukemia at age three. His three-year battle took a toll on the entire family—from her older son Zac, who suffered from anxiety, to her first marriage, which ended before Luc’s chemotherapy did. (Fifty percent of parents whose kids have cancer end up divorced.)
Although Stried was already working in the field, Luc’s experience taught her a great deal about kids and cancer. For example, she tells parents to be open and honest with their children, so young imaginations won’t work overtime to fill in the blanks.
Ironically, the former candy striper’s interest in cancer predates her family’s battles with the disease. As a child, her idol was Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, the groundbreaking psychiatrist who first identified “The Five Stages of Grief” in her breakthrough book, On Death and Dying.
When her mom was stricken with breast cancer, Stried and her family created the Strike at Cancer Foundation (www.strikeatcancer.org), which continues to provide emotional support to local cancer patients and their families.
According to Stried, many patients and families are so focused on fighting the physical aspects of the disease, they overlook their emotional needs, underestimating the power of the mind/body connection.
Stried recommends that patients touch base with a counselor early on in treatment. Unfortunately, many doctors fail to suggest therapy until there’s a crisis.
Most insurance companies will cover psychotherapy for cancer patients—a good thing to know, since more Americans die of cancer than any other disease. She does note, however, that finding specialized therapy can be difficult, and that such resources are limited, particularly in Lake County.
“You want the help in place, if and when you need it. Ideally, my job is to be a tool in someone’s cancer-fighting toolbox.”
Melody Stried can be reached through the Gurnee Counseling Center at 847-336-5621, ext. 147.
Melody Stried's, "Encouraging Words", was recently featured in a SunTimes article.
|
