Psychosocial Oncology: Gains and Losses

ABSTRACT

The current article offers an overview of the development of a psychosocial counseling component in a complex outpatient and inpatient oncology treatment setting. Central to the article are the descriptions of the relationships that exist before, during, and after the transitioning of the psychosocial team into the larger treatment team. Also significant are gains and losses in our learning to handle touch, confidentiality, and related issues in a medical rather than a psychotherapy setting. Members of the psychosocial team speak in their own words about the experience of becoming part of this overall effort to treat holistically the oncology patient and her or his family.

We gratefully acknowledge the patients and staff of the Southwest Cancer Treatment and Research Center, University Medical Center and Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, for allowing us to become part of their lives.

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Professions, Graduate Psychology Education Program (Grant D40HP00010).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan S. Hendrick

Susan S. Hendrick is Paul Whitfield Horn Professor of Psychology at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Her research and clinical interests include close relationships, gender, and psychosocial oncology.

Amy Hershberger

Amy Hershberger is a counseling psychology graduate student at Texas Tech University. She is currently at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health Care System in Gainesville, Florida, for her predoctoral internship. Her research and clinical interests include women's health and psychosocial oncology.

Monica Cortez-Garland

Monica Cortez-Garland is a 5th-year clinical psychology doctoral candidate at Texas Tech University. Her clinical and research interests include behavioral medicine, smoking behavior, and psychosocial oncology.

Sharon Fleshman

Sharon Fleshman is a graduate student in clinical psychology at Texas Tech University. Her research and clinical interests include personal construct psychology and health psychology, particularly related to chronic illness.

Suzy Hutcherson

Suzy Hutcherson is a 3rd-year doctoral student in counseling psychology at Texas Tech University. Her research and clinical interests include anxiety and depression, close relationships, and psychosocial oncology.

Alicia T. Rozycki

Alicia T. Rozycki is a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology at Texas Tech University. Her research and clinical interests include prison tattoos, clinical geropsychology, addictions, multiculturalism, emerging adulthood, and psychology and the arts.