Being diagnosed with cancer changes your life. You're sure to have many mixed emotions at this time, and navigating those emotions can be just as hard as navigating the physical challenges you'll experience with symptoms and treatment. Seeing a counselor during this time can be incredibly helpful in the following ways.

1. Counseling can help you come to terms with the diagnosis.

Many patients go through a stage of denial after being diagnosed with cancer. You may also go through a stage of anger and a stage of grief. This is completely normal, but it is important that you do not let these feelings cloud your judgement or get in the way of your efforts to seek treatment. Your counselor can help you with this. By talking you through the anger, grief, and denial you are experiencing, they can help you come to accept your cancer diagnosis so that you can make smarter, more rational decisions about care in the coming weeks and months.

2. Counseling can help you cope with the reactions of friends and family members.

For many patients, one of the hardest parts of being diagnosed with cancer is having to tell all of your friends and family members and deal with their reactions. People often don't react the way you expect them to or would like them to, and it can be hard to move past this when you're already so overwhelmed. A counselor can help you come up with empowering ways to respond to people who may say uncomfortable things about your diagnosis. They can help you understand why people are responding the way they are responding, too.

3. Counseling can help you figure out what your next steps are.

After a cancer diagnosis, many patients go through a phase where they question and rearrange their priorities. When faced with your own death, you may realize you hate your job and don't want to waste another second working at it. You may realize your relationship with your partner has been on the rocks for some time or that you hate the town you live in and have simply been too scared to move. Your counselor can help talk you through these feelings and take smart next steps as you rebuild your life during and after your treatment. With their guidance, you can stay positive and move forward.

It's always a smart idea to seek counseling after a cancer diagnosis or after any serious diagnosis for that matter. Caring for your mental health will make caring for your physical health much easier.