DESCRIPTION

Intimacy and sexuality change after we experience cancer. The topic is often taboo and avoided during follow-up visits, and life moves on sometimes with us suffering silently.  In this session we will start with intimacy; the into me I see.  Understanding how treatment affects sexuality, and learning that libido is tied up in all kinds of things (image, body appearance, history of events, levels of fatigue, what is happening at work, with our family, friends, side effects, etc.) helps us heal and give us courage to find the help that we need to move forward.

GOALS, BENEFITS, & RISKS

One goal of this session is to learn ways not to just feel better but get better at feeling.  Our body has been through a lot and there are so many things that effect our pleasure circuitry.  Understanding the short and long-term side effects of your cancer experience is key to healing, We will debunk some old myths and discover that sexuality encompasses much more than sex and identify the physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects for each of us. In the real world, this means how you see yourself, how your partner views you, how to approach dating after cancer, how to understand and express your needs and desires after cancer and so much more. As a benefit you will have something tangible to help overcome anxiety about the topic as well as find the help that you need.  You will also be encouraged to invite some grace.  This is a worldwide issue that affects people of all ages, all races, sexual affiliation, every cancer type, and it does not matter how long ago you had cancer. You are not alone.