Hearing your cancer has returned can feel scary. Join us as we talk together about facing the road ahead after a recurrence of ovarian cancer. From close communication with your medical team to finding the right type of support so you feel less alone, we will talk together so you can find your footing one step at a time. Join us, Let’s Talk About It!

1. RECURRENCE
Adjusting to the road ahead
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

2. UNDERSTANDA
BLE CONCERNS
• Loss of hope
• Fears of death
• Difficulty with disability
• Impaired quality of life
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

3. AT A
CROSSROAD
S
”CAN I CONTINUE?”
• Feel betrayed by body
• Doubt in the efficacy of ongoing treatment
• Frustration with side effects & feeling bad
• Tired of the limits of cancer.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

4. WHEN STRESSED, WE QUESTION…
• How hard is this going to be?
• Do I have the skills?
• Do I have the emotional strength and courage?
• Is there anyone who can help me?
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

5. LISTEN &
LEARN
• To the Medical Oncology Team
• Treatment options – Clinical Trials
• Side effect management
• Palliative Care options
• How realistic are my fears?
• To your Survivor Peers
• What questions to ask
• What works for them
• To Yourself
• What matters a great deal to you
• What are your priorities today
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

6. THROUGH THE LENS
OF GRIEF
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Sadness
• Acceptance
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

7. MAKING SENSE OF DENIAL
• Denial can feel like shock or numbness
• Minimizing important information from your medical team that indicates the need to shift
treatment
• Struggle with making decisions or moving forward
• Denial is normal but may be new or seem abnormal for you
• Denial is a protective response that helps pace the way you process an overwhelming
experience
• Over time the feeling of denial begins to shift which leads to anger and sadness
WHEN TO ASK FOR SUPPORT:
If you are avoiding treatment decision making, missing medical appointments, unable to engage
in cancer related conversations about your care needs you may need additional support working
through the feelings of shock and denial.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

8. CHANNELING ANGER IN HEALTHY WAYS
• Anger shows up in many ways from feeling misunderstood or alone to a loss of control or
uncertainty
• Anger has a lot of energy!
• Expressing anger in a healthy way as soon a you recognize the feeling helps. What can you do?
WHEN TO ASK FOR SUPPORT:
If you are feeling angry (irritated, annoyed, impatient) ALL the time, talking with a professional may
help you better understand when you are displacing your anger which can help you feel a greater
sense of control. Anger can be a protective response from feeling the vulnerability of sadness.
Share your feelings Journal
Exercise Change your surroundings – gain perspective
Use humor – sarcasm, wit Walk away
Advocate for yourself or others Deep, slow breathing
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

9. BARGAINING IS…
• An effort to regain some sense of control or understanding
• An attempt to escape by reimagining history or creating contingencies
• Can feel like pressure, urgency, desperation, self blame or unrealistic expectations
• “Head heavy” and solution focused
• When you recognize messages with traps (“shoulds”, fortune telling, “yes…but”) turn your attention to
your body. Get grounded.
• Practice messages of self-compassion
WHEN TO ASK FOR SUPPORT:
Worry and fear can cause our minds to work overtime. If you are struggling to ”grab on” to your thinking,
focus on anything other than your diagnosis or feel other normal feelings, getting support from a
therapist or support group can help you move through this stage with insight and awareness.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

10. A TUNNEL OF SADNESS
• Sadness is a vulnerable feeling
• Sadness can impact sleep, concentration, relationships
• Where (or with whom) do you feel safe? Who responds to you in the way you need?
• Do you know what feels comforting for you?
• Name the feeling and lower your expectations for this day
• Create routine and structure in your day
• Connect with others (or a pet) for comfort and calm
WHEN TO ASK FOR SUPPORT:
Sadness is a normal feeling for cancer survivors. But, if you feel fragile in a way that is impacting
functioning or persistent and ongoing talking with a professional who can help determine if medication
(antidepressant or anxiety medication) might be helpful to you.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

11. ACCEPTANCE AND THE ROAD AHEAD
• Acceptance means coming to terms with how things are today
• Letting go of “the fight” often leads to clarity and personal accountability to help you care for
yourself today.
• Acceptance can simply mean “having more good days than bad” or recognizing differences in
yourself as compared to when you first heard the news.
• Acceptance makes space for feeling two conflicting emotions at the same time – uncertainty
and hope; fear and calm; isolation and support.
WHEN TO ASK FOR SUPPORT:
When you are struggling to focus on anything other than the despair of your cancer diagnosis. If
you feel bitter, detached or unable to experience any joy in life. Professional support may help
you gain insight and perspective as you work to connect to a life that is different than you had
hoped.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

12. STAY IN YOUR LANE
Your emotions are influenced by the people
around you.
Hearing variances in treatment plans or follow
up care can cause you to second guess your
treatment.
Schedule Executive Meetings with yourself to
determine the path forward for a set amount of
time.
MAKE YOUR CANCER PERSONAL.
This is your diagnosis. Your survivorship. Your
story.
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com

13. THE COMFORT (AND
POWER) OF
IMPERMANENCE
Remember your feelings will likely change from day to
day.
Listen closely and work to learn what your feelings are
telling you about your needs.
Ignoring needs and dismissing hard feelings intensifies
distress. (The Fight)
Talking with others can help you work through your
uncertainties in a natural way.
Begin to cultivate a range of coping behaviors that are
helpful to you.
Give yourself grace….. And time.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
Julie Larson, LCSW - www.julielarsonlcsw.com