Psycho-oncology - Psychological support for patients during and after cancer treatment

Patients and their relatives alike know how cancer can cause great fear. It hits the patient and their family like a severe, unforeseen blow of fate. Invasive cancer therapies must often be endured and numerous uncertainties and changes in everyday life must be coped with.

Cancer and its psycho-social effects

Cancer sufferers usually lose the ground they stand on in one fell swoop: their health, their professional life, and sadly often their family life. Despondency, depression and a feeling of worthlessness can set in, even anger. In such situations it can be a great relief to receive support from professionals familiar with the psychological state of cancer patients.

Regaining quality of life

This is where psycho-oncology comes in. The aim of psychological support for patients during and after cancer therapy is relief, support and improvement in their quality of life. We focus on ways to give patients targeted help to overcome the fears and burdens that cancer brings with it. In doing so, we examine all psycho-social factors influencing the course of the illness, and positively support their coping abilities. Also to be considered is the question of what contributory roll one’s psyche (e.g. stress) might also play as a cause of cancer.

Psycho-oncological treatment helps patients to regain their self-confidence and self-worth, and thus to reintegrate into family and work life. All surveys confirm that psycho-oncology has an extremely positive effect on their recovery.

Psycho-oncology at our Practice

As a specialist in Psychosomatic Medicine, Dr. Rolf Hamberger completed further training in psycho-oncology at the University of Innsbruck in 1997. Since then, one of his main focuses in therapeutic work has been the care of patients confronted with cancer.
The type and duration of therapy depends on the patient and is based on individual consultation.