I was fortunate to be able to continue with my psychotherapy practice when I was in treatment for cancer.  I was also supervising at a university counseling center and I did miss a number of the supervisor’s meetings during that time.  I’ll always remember when I walked into the first meeting without hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.  I was very thin and pale. As I sat down in the group I felt so vulnerable I could hardly breathe.  It was overwhelming.  Of course, I was in a room with people who were caring and concerned about me but even that felt difficult.

It’s difficult to return to work, to school, to your “normal” life after cancer.   Below is a short piece with some helpful advice on your re-entry.

Frequently, people with health issues, such as cancer, will fret about the sorts of questions that might be asked by well-meaning colleagues, says Stephanie Smith, a licensed clinical psychologist who practices near Denver. “How much do I want to reveal to folks? How much do I want to keep private? How many times can I answer the same questions? It becomes a huge stressor.”
Smith frequently advises her patients to develop a short script before that first day—one that’s courteous but doesn’t invite further questioning.

One such line: “Thank you so much for asking. I’m glad to be back to work.” Another possibility: “All of the support I’ve gotten has meant so much to me. I’m glad to be here.”

With that script in a mental pocket, the employee hopefully doesn’t have to worry so much about a co-worker initiating an awkward conversation at the bathroom sink or in the hallway. It may even be possible to turn such a conversation into a more pleasant discussion, taking the focus off cancer and onto work performance or common goals.

“They find it so exhausting to kind of dredge up all of this emotional stuff every time someone asks,” Smith says. “It’s almost like an armor, to give you a feeling of control.” -