"The patient's soul needs as much help as his body" (J. Holland, 1977)

Patients at the clinic can take advantage of the psychosomatic and psychotherapeutic counselling, support, treatment and guidance provided by a professional team - in situations that can sometimes arise unexpectedly and in crisis situations in connection with the diagnosis of a serious illness. It includes measures to support patients and their relatives in coping with their illness. One focus is on psycho-oncological care for people with cancer.

One aim is to shape life with or after a serious illness or accident in such a way that the quality of life is as high as possible - through discussions, counselling, the joint development of helpful coping strategies and the provision of further help.

Questions arise such as:

• What will my life look like from now on?
• Who can / should / must I tell about my illness?
• Will others avoid me? Am I contagious?
• Am I to blame for my cancer?
• How will others judge me?

A changed life

Suddenly nothing is as it used to be. Involuntarily, everyday life has to be reorganised - in the family and also professionally. Financial or other worries may loom, future prospects become uncertain, change and become more unpredictable. Friendships, partnerships and family life change. Familiar roles and tasks have to be redistributed, at least for a while, and favourite activities may have to be given up temporarily or forever. Questions arise such as:

• Who can do the housework?
• How will I manage the children's meals after school?
• How openly can I talk to my partner if I'm scared?
• What will I still be able to do or work after treatment?

Dealing with the children

Children and adults are equally affected when a parent is ill. The way they deal with their own grief changes in the face of a possible or imminent farewell.

• My child is silent, what can I do?
• My child keeps asking, what can I tell him and how?
• Can I cry when I talk to him?
• Who in my child's environment should I talk to?

Physical changes

As a result of the treatment, the body changes, the body perception, the physical condition, possibly unusual emotional fluctuations, moods occur. Feelings of exhaustion, powerlessness, anger, helplessness, despair and unaccustomed dependency must also be taken into account. Questions arise such as:

• Is it normal that I feel no desire for physical closeness, that sexuality pressurises me, that I feel ashamed?
• Am I still a fully-fledged woman/man (after breast cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery)?
• I don't recognise myself - I'm always so exhausted and depressed - is that normal?

Thoughts that can affect relatives and patients alike

• I don't want to go out on the street any more, everyone else is so healthy.
• Can I have a good time, look after myself when my partner is so ill?
• How much time can I take and organise for myself when the other person is ill?
• I try so hard to be strong, but I don't succeed.
• I'm so angry and try not to show it.
• Our lives have completely changed, everything now revolves around the illness.

Returning to everyday life

Returning to everyday life after completing treatment and being discharged from hospital can be associated with very different expectations, hopes and fears and can lead to strong internal and interpersonal tensions. For example, relatives and the patients themselves may immediately expect to be completely restored to physical and mental fitness. Questions arise such as:

• Why are others still patronising me?
• Can the others not understand that I am still afraid - of the next examination, of a relapse, of the nightmares - after everything is supposedly over?
• Why doesn't my partner make more of an effort to become independent again?
• Can I finally resume my own life now?
• When will the threat of the disease finally end?

What we offer

Support, counselling and the provision of further assistance for patients and relatives throughout all phases of treatment (diagnosis, inpatient therapy, day clinic, outpatient aftercare). This offer includes individual counselling as well as counselling for couples, relatives, family, bereavement and death.