Current statistics suggest that between one in seven and one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can leave you feeling anxious and depressed, fearful of the treatment to come and concerned about your mortality. The treatment itself can have a significant impact on your wellbeing as you are faced with marked changes in your physical appearance, sense of self and energy levels.

There is lots of information available regarding cancer and its treatment, but little to help you cope with the emotional fall out. There are some excellent support services available but access to high quality evidence-based psychological interventions to help you cope is limited.

This self-help book is the first of its kind: written by a highly experienced clinical psychologist, who has herself gone through the devastating impact of breast cancer, drawing from the evidence-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach to provide you with essential coping skills. This book takes you through what your journey may look like through diagnosis, treatment and recovery, and explains the ACT skills that can help you to cope with the emotional impact of this disease and its treatment. The ACT approach enables you to respond differently to the painful thoughts and feelings that will arise during your cancer journey. Rather than fighting with them, the skills in this book help you to acknowledge and step back from your difficult thoughts and feelings so that you can focus on living your life in a way that will positively impact your physical and emotional wellbeing.

Foreword: Sarah Swan

A Unique Perspective: Penelope Cream

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Diagnosis

Chapter 3: Telling People

Chapter 4: Surgery

Chapter 5: Treatment

Chapter 6: Body Image

Chapter 7: Living in the Present

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Epilogue

Appendix I: Checklist of Skills

Appendix II: Summary Worksheet

Appendix III: Choice Point Worksheet

References

Glossary of Terms