Gestalt Therapy with Patients Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
Gestalt Therapy with Patients Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
Mirzoyan Vanane
Summary
Key words: cancer, gestalt therapy, chemotherapy, mastectomy, alopecia
Breast cancer is one of the most common diagnoses. The diagnosis has a powerful psychological impact on patients, causing a wide range of emotional and psychosocial problems. From the moment of diagnosis to complete rehabilitation, a woman undergoes a long, painful period. Life begins to change radically, which causes a storm of negative emotions. Even the strongest person is not able to cope with those changes. Gestalt therapy helps patients to recognize and express suppressed feelings associated with the disease and treatment, reduce the feeling of anxiety, depression and helplessness associated with the disease. It also helps to improve the quality of patients’ life by integrating and experiencing complex emotions, develop the skills of awareness and self-support that will help the patients to cope with emotional difficulties. The article presents the psychological characteristics of cancer patients, treatment methods and their consequences. The main focus is on the techniques of Gestalt therapy. With the help of Gestalt therapy, patients work with the present moment, without dwelling on the future or the past.