5 Minutes with Talkativity | Your Cancer Services

06 December 2022 — david-allen

The number of people undertaking online counselling has increased tenfold since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those living with cancer.

Talkativity offer expert counselling for those affected by cancer in the UK, so we spoke to their Clinical Manager, Barbara Gonzalez to find out more.

Tell us about your organisation? 

At Talkativity, we offer specialist online counselling to anyone affected by cancer, UK-wide. All our counsellors are experienced, qualified professionals.

What services do you offer people living with cancer?

The online counselling service is open to anyone affected by cancer. Patients can access counselling at any stage of the experience, whether at diagnosis, during treatment or beyond. This is because we understand that the psychological effects of a cancer diagnosis can linger long after treatment has ended. Most counselling services offer a limited number of sessions, perhaps 6 or 12 at the most, but Talkativity allows clients to have as many sessions as they wish, without any long waiting lists. But the counselling isn’t only for patients. We know that the strain of cancer can ripple out to those closest to patients, so the service is also open to family members and carers and this may include for bereavement too.

Do you have a target demographic who use your services?

If you have access to good WiFi and a device that supports video calls, then you can access the counselling service. Our sessions take place on Microsoft Teams which is very easy to use. You also need to be at least 18 years old.

How are you funded?

Talkativity is a not-for-profit social enterprise. Each counselling session costs £55 and all the profits go back to cancer charity We Hear You. It’s a unique model for an organisation because every session of paid counselling with Talkativity, supports someone else to access free cancer counselling with We Hear You. It’s our hope that more people can access specialist counselling and in doing so, our charity can continue to offer free counselling to those who need it. 

How have things changed for you since COVID-19?

The pandemic showed us that online counselling works. Thousands of counsellors across the UK made the switch to online working during lockdown with little disruption and the same quality care and support was given. We also learned that more and more people are now open to doing counselling online. Being able to do counselling from home is ideal for those who are physically limited by their cancer, or for busy carers with limited time. Since the pandemic, we have also seen a steep rise in demand for counselling as delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment have caused greater impact on the mental health of patients and their loved ones.

What’s the most rewarding thing about the work you do?

Working therapeutically with people affected by cancer is deeply rewarding. Often patients seek counselling due to the complex anxiety that a diagnosis brings. Fearfulness, anger, shock and disbelief are some of the common issues that clients face as a result of cancer anxiety along with further repercussions on their wellbeing, relationships, confidence, sense of identity and self esteem. In counselling, clients have a safe and non-judgemental space in which to come and make sense of this hugely challenging experience and all the questions it throws into the air. Counsellors are there to support each person to put the pieces back together again through increased self awareness and understanding. As counsellors, we are careful not to tell people how they should manage their difficulties, as there is no one size fits all approach to getting through cancer. Rather, we offer the reflective space in which each unique individual can come to see their own strengths, find resilience again and move forward.

What would you say to those who are considering getting in touch with you but are nervous or apprehensive?

Starting counselling can be daunting and it’s normal to feel nervous about opening up to someone you’ve only just met! People often worry that the counsellor will ‘make them’ say more than they want to or that the counsellor can ‘see through them’. This simply isn’t true, especially as our counsellors work in a person centred way. This means that they will follow your lead and allow you to take the time that you need to develop enough trust to explore the issues that are so difficult to share with your usual loved ones.  Sometimes, people are worried about doing counselling on an online video platform. For the majority of people, once they’ve done their first session, it’s like riding a bike, they barely notice the difference anymore. We use Microsoft Teams as a meeting platform and it’s really quite simple to use whether on your laptop or desktop or even on your phone. It is also compatible with PC and Macs. We send you a link and each week, at your appointment time, you click on the link and the counsellor is there. All you need is a good, stable Wifi connection and a private space where you won’t be interrupted. 

What are the values of your organisation?

We want to ensure that each client has a safe, specialist and effective experience of counselling which is specific to the cancer. It’s really important that anyone contacting us feels that they are in the right hands and so we take great care to ensure our counsellors are working to support their clients to the highest standards.

And finally, can you describe your organisation in 3 words?

Innovative, person-centred, expert.