Why Improving Communication With Oncology Patients Is Essential
Updated: Feb 9, 2024
Written by: Mara Mussoni, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
While it may seem trivial to dwell on the benefits and advantages of improving communication with oncology patients, as it appears quite obvious, there are still many professionals struggling to find the right tools to make the therapeutic relationship more effective, or even those who do not consider it necessary to find a communicative style suitable for their role.
Why does all of this happen? And what can we do to mitigate the damages of poor communication with oncology patients as much as possible?
Communication is the foundation of every relationship
Communication is ubiquitous. We communicate all the time, even when we feel we are not. A gesture, a glance, a smile, a quick greeting, even silence: everything we do when we are in the company of ourselves and others conveys a precise and interpretable message.
In healthcare settings, communication plays a much more crucial role: think about the importance of conveying a diagnosis, the tone of voice used to speak with patients debilitated by illness, or how treatments are described and lists of things to do or not do are provided.
Communication that is too cold and detached could convey the wrong message, making the illness seem like something one must endure and cannot overcome, fueling frustration and dismay in patients. Conversely, showing excessive involvement or intrusiveness could disorient the person and make them feel uncomfortable, especially if they still have difficulty openly expressing their emotions or have not yet learned to manage them.
Communication in the oncology context
Is it really possible to imagine our bodies as disconnected pieces that do not communicate with each other?
In my experience as a Cancer Coach and as a teacher in Cancer Coaching Master's programs, I have often encountered professionals or patients who showed resistance in considering the human being as a unique and connected entity, consisting of mind, body, and spirit.
Our body is a multifaceted system, and what we call 'symptoms' are merely the external manifestation of a trauma that could be superficial, yes, as in the case of injuries, but in more complex diseases such as chronic ones, it is caused by factors that must be explored in depth, namely thoughts, emotions, and relational dynamics that can cause dissatisfaction and stress-related disorders over time.
Practically speaking, this means that everyone, especially professionals in the helping relationship, should be concerned with promoting well-being in the individual, communicating not only effectively but also attentively, kindly, and respectfully.
Making a person facing oncological illness feel good and welcomed means healing, just as one would with medication or surgery. Words are therapy.
As Fabrizio Benedetti, a neurophysiologist and a leading expert in neuroscience, also says, "The clinical improvement of patients can be attributed to many factors, all inherent in the patient-healer relationship."
The advantages of proper communication for oncology patients
Good communication with the patient is the lever that sets energy in motion and activates the healing process: words are a true therapeutic art capable of restoring hope and justified optimism to people living with illness.
Trust in the professional during the helping relationship always translates into trust in therapy and hope for improvement. Being receptive to treatment, as Professor Benedetti explains again in the book "Placebo and Nocebo Effects: From Physiology to Clinical Practice," produces a condition of psychophysical well-being that facilitates healing. Nurturing this trust through gestures, words, questions, and exercises practiced during the helping relationship should be the primary goal of every professional.
The professional, let's remember, has a great responsibility: the words they use can heal, but also destroy, hurt, and negate months or years of therapeutic efforts.
As I also discuss in my latest book "Cancer Coaching: Take the Path to Your Healing," healing bodily wounds is impossible if one does not first address the traumas of the mind.
If you are interested in delving into the topic further, stay tuned for the upcoming article "Five Practical Examples of Effective Communication with Oncology Patients," you will find points for reflection and useful advice to immediately put into practice with your patients.
The advantages of proper communication for the helping relationship professional
If all a professional does is fuel anxiety, frustration, fears, and a whole host of dysfunctional emotions in the patient that prevent them from breaking out of a passive condition, how can the professional consider themselves satisfied with the work done? How can they boost their self-esteem and feel fulfilled if they see no positive changes in their patients?
Being cold and detached or, conversely, becoming excessively involved in the person's emotional flow and failing to effectively provide the necessary help reduces medical compliance and leads to work-related stress disorders. An unsatisfied and stressed professional at work will likely be an unsatisfied partner, an absent parent, a grumpy and frustrated friend or colleague in their personal life.
Preventing all of this, however, is possible. How? By embarking on a journey of inner growth that leads to the transformation of communicative, behavioral, and relational dynamics, first with oneself and then with others.
Tips for improving communication with oncology patients (and with yourself)
It may seem almost banal, but one of the most effective ways to improve communication with others is to improve it first and foremost with yourself.
By carefully choosing the words we address to ourselves during moments of internal dialogue, we automatically become capable of selecting the right words to use with others. Communication is never a one-way process: the consequences of good communication are primarily intimate and only later directed outward.
To improve your communication style and reap the benefits of your relationships with others, first learn to take care of yourself. Cultivate your passions, dedicate time to yourself, and try to listen to the messages coming from your body. Do not overload yourself with stress or work, and if you feel the need, invest time in your education.
And when you're ready to take control of your professional and personal life and make a difference in your life and that of your patients, contact me and apply for the next edition of the Cancer Coaching Master's program.
Contacts
Mara Mussoni, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mara Mussoni, the first Cancer Coach in Italy and Europe has a specific mission: to improve the lives of people facing illness. Having personally experienced cancer twice, she has developed a specific and practical method to activate people's resources, enabling them not to be passive victims of the disease but to become active participants in their journey towards healing. She helps individuals directly and indirectly affected by illness and she trains hundreds of care relationship professionals worldwide, equipping them with a specific method to utilize effective communication, approaches, and transformative strategies, making a difference in the lives of those they assist.
