Navigating Cancer with Compassion: How Trauma-Informed Care in Counseling Can Help

A cancer diagnosis changes everything — not just for the person receiving it, but also for those who love and support them. At Team Hutch Counseling, I offer trauma-informed care in virtual therapy for individuals, survivors, and caregivers navigating the emotional impact of cancer.

As a cancer survivor myself, I understand how deeply cancer can affect your sense of self, your relationships, and your daily life. You're not alone — and support is available.

Cancer Is More Than a Medical Experience

Cancer touches every part of life — identity, relationships, work, and emotional wellbeing. It brings waves of uncertainty, loss, fear, and disruption. Whether you're in active treatment, adjusting to survivorship, or supporting a loved one through it, your emotional experience deserves care and space.

What is Trauma-Informed Care in Counseling?

Trauma-informed care in counseling acknowledges that cancer can be a traumatic experience — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It provides a space where you can talk openly about the hard parts, be met with compassion, and move at a pace that feels safe and respectful to you.

I was first trained in trauma-informed care early in my career while working with individuals in crisis and those who had experienced significant trauma. Since then, I’ve continued deepening my practice through ongoing learning and through meaningful relationships with the people I support — including those navigating cancer.

Who I Work With

Through secure telehealth counseling, I support:

• Individuals navigating a cancer diagnosis — from first appointments to treatment, remission, or recurrence

• Cancer survivors adjusting to life after treatment and the emotional weight that can come with it

• Caregivers and loved ones balancing emotional stress, grief, and burnout

• Women and adults facing the mental health impacts of chronic illness or medical trauma

Whether you're feeling anxious, uncertain, isolated, or overwhelmed — your experiences are valid, and healing is possible.

What to Expect in Therapy

In our work together, we will focus on what matters to you. Sessions may include:

• Space to explore what you’re carrying emotionally

• Tools to manage fear, uncertainty, or stress related to treatment or survivorship

• Support in navigating changes to identity, relationships, or body image

• Gentle space for grief — for what’s changed, shifted, or feels unfamiliar

• Strength-based approaches to help you reconnect with meaning, values, and hope

This is a space for honesty, comfort, and support — wherever you are in your journey.

Self-Pay Counseling Groups Now Available

In addition to individual sessions, I also offer self-pay virtual support groups, including options for cancer survivors, caregivers, and others seeking community. Groups typically run for 4–6 weeks and cost $30–50 per session.

Let’s Connect

If you or someone you love is walking through cancer, and you're looking for virtual counseling in Michigan, I invite you to reach out. Whether you're seeking individual virtual therapy or want to learn more about counseling groups, I’m here to walk alongside you with care, understanding, and lived experience.