Emotional wellbeing

Psychological services

It’s common to experience a wide range of intense emotions when going through cancer or supporting someone close to you through cancer.

Many people find it useful to talk through these emotions with a trained psychologist who can provide reassurance, guidance and teach coping strategies to help you manage.

Whether you are starting treatment, are just finishing up with treatment or supporting someone else, our professional psychologists are experts in providing support to people and their whanau with the distress that cancer can bring about.

Emotional wellbeing program

What are psychological services?

Depending on your needs, you may be referred through to the team of Psychologists at Cancer Society or to private Clinical Psychologist. All of the Under the Canopy Psychologists are experienced in structuring sessions to meet your specific needs, working with individuals and whanau. The team at the Cancer Society also offer group sessions for people who might benefit from interacting with others in similar circumstances

Benefits of emotional wellbeing program

What are benefits of psychological services?

All the Under the Canopy psychologists are committed to helping people negotiate the emotional and social challenges of cancer and its treatments

Talking with one of our team members in an individual counselling session or attending one of our many group programs can help with the following:

Coming to terms with a new diagnosis

Learning to manage difficult emotions such as anger, frustration, grief, sadness, anxiety or depression

Learning stress management techniques

Talking with health professionals - what questions to ask and how

Addressing communication with family members and talking with children

Learning helpful coping strategies including relaxation and mindfulness

Making the decisions that are right for you

Coping with treatment, side effects, medical procedures and tests

Moving on with life after cancer and regaining confidence

Costs and enrolment

What will these sessions cost?

Alex will advise the cost of the session.

Our team

Alex Richards BA, Dip SW, Dip Counselling, MNZCA

Alex Richards is a qualified and registered counsellor.

She has worked with people with Cancer and their families for the last five and a half years; prior to that she worked in the field of mental health.

Over the years she has worked for the NHS in the UK delivering therapies in Primary Care and as a member of Counselling teams in New Zealand, in clinical and educational settings. She has also worked for many years in Private Practice.

Alex is very much aware of the power of compassion and kindness and believes them to be undervalued virtues. She also is mindful of the value of clear information and clarity of thinking and its role in strengthening our identities and sense of self.

She has worked with people with challenging health conditions, both mental and physical and is drawn to working in a holistic way.

The modalities she uses can include Transactional Analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Mindfulness, Narrative therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique.

Alex is aware that building a therapeutic relationship is as important as the tools used and so is very much led by the thinking style of the person seeking support or exploration of their thoughts.

“Perhaps counselling, or psychological support, is about being heard and seen in such a way that facilitates navigation, a journey and forges a pathway to bring ease to the mind”

Alex is available for Zoom consultations.

Emotional wellbeing

Psychological services