Cancer

My wife was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer when she was 35 weeks pregnant with our second child and is now thankfully in remission. I was her primary caregiver throughout her treatment/recovery and was able to help her process her trauma and access Post-Traumatic Growth. This first-hand lived experience allows me to understand and empathize with the unique mental health challenges cancer poses for patients, caregivers and their families.

Most family members I have lost have been to Cancer- including my teenage son in 2005. I have extensive experience as a loved one as well as a continued fascination with the evolution of treatment. The idea- as with other medical dilemmas, is to get to the point that Cancer is a chronic disease when not curable. And we are getting there! Still, this diagnosis provides ample opportunity for existential exploration as well as some good grief work.

Cancer is the reason I became a counselor. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, and in 2016 decided to go to graduate school to become a counselor so that I can serve fellow cancer survivors and terminally ill clients. I am not afraid to talk about pain, death, religion, sexuality, or whatever other issues come up as a result of a cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, and survivorship.

As a cancer support group leader and facilitator at a local hospital for individuals, I can help you find the courage to work through what you're experiencing, with support and guidance and provide you with tools to manage your toughest days.

I work with cancer patients in treatment and after to process the trauma of diagnosis and treatment. This work often includes helping clients explore the existential concerns of death, freedom, isolation, and meaning, which often come as a result of having cancer. Other aspects of treatment might include: body image, sexual concerns, family dynamics, and trauma. I also work with couples and families, as cancer is a family disease.

Cancer is one of the areas I enjoy working with the most in Grief and Loss. I will help you find joy and purpose again in life since your cancer diagnosis and navigate the loss maze that feels never ending. I utilize a variety of approaches to treat these issues including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Brainspotting.

I completed my entire counseling training working within the cancer/chronic illness field and continue to do so. I am passionate about helping clients discover ways to regain control and feel "patient active" after a serious diagnosis.

Certified oncology social worker. No one needs to face cancer alone & good medicine is not enough! 28 years in integrated cancer care using a person-centered, mindfulness-based approach. Honed expertise in supporting people in all phases of cancer - in treatment, post-treatment survivorship, end of life. Other serious & chronic illnesses, eg. cystic fibrosis, HIV, autoimmune diseases, dialysis, cardiac conditions, and those thriving after organ transplantation.

As an Oncology Social Worker/Counselor at a Cancer Center, I worked with adult populations and understand the emotional battles that go with diagnosis and long treatments. I worked with patients and family members of cancer patients and survivors. Using a trauma and mindfulness informed perspectives, I can help navigate the emotional path that comes with a cancer diagnosis.

Suffering as a result of loss or unexpected trauma like cancer is quite undesirable, but these shocks in life can be the catapult toward growth and transformation. I know this to be true from first hand experience. I am a cancer survivor. I can help you process and navigate the anxiety, depression, exhaustion, isolation, and hopelessness you may feel after a cancer diagnosis so that you will not only experience joy again, but live life to the fullest.

Talya has experience supporting people with high cancer risk or those affected by cancer, including those with BRCA1 & BRCA2 genetic mutations.

This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart as I am a cancer warrior. I hope is that within private practice I am able to support individuals in any stage of their process medically and mentally.

YOU GOT THIS! Lets fight this together!

Cancer is a scary diagnosis; you don’t have to go through it alone. You’re anxious, scared, praying, and pleading that it’s nothing. When you get that call from the doctor, your world starts spinning, and you feel like your life’s been turned upside down. You want to be strong to go through your treatment, be strong for your loved ones, but who can you lean on? I've been both a patient and a caregiver, so I understand what it's like beyond the clinical experience.

I completed a Master's Level Training Grant in Oncology Social Work through the American Cancer Society. I also worked at the University of Virginia Cancer Center, Hospice of the Piedmont, and Bon Secours Hospice and Palliative Care.