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For the last five years St Oswald’s Hospice has been holding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) session for patients.

Anne Pelham, a Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Alison Conner, a Specialist Palliative Care Nurse, hold a Cognitive Therapy Clinic every Wednesday morning.

Anne specialises in Cognitive Therapy, which is an approach that can help patients to change the way they think about themselves, their situation and the future.

Cognitive Therapy is designed to help patients learn effective ways of dealing with difficulties relating to their condition. It is of proven benefit for depression, anxiety and panic. It can also help when adjusting to and coping with pain and symptoms.

“When my GP first suggested that I might benefit from CBT, I initially thought psychological help was just for people with extreme mental health problems and that wasn’t me. However, after a session I feel so much better. I feel calmer, settled and a lot less stressed out about my illness.

“The sessions open up my thoughts, which enables me to handle things a lot better and see things clearer. I look forward to my weekly visit to St Oswald’s as I know I am going to be speaking to someone who understands my situation and the way I’m feeling about life.”

Anne said: “When somebody is diagnosed with a life threatening condition they are often affected psychologically as well as physically. The emotional impact can be overwhelming, sometimes causing the person to become anxious or depressed. When a patient feels this way their pattern of thinking can become negative and unhelpful which often affects their mood, behavior and physical reactions.

“CBT helps the person by looking at the way they think and encouraging them to find a more helpful way of thinking, enabling them to see things in a different way."

Anne also works closely with one of our Consultants, Andrew Hughes to hold outreach sessions in Gateshead.

To find out more about our CBT Service please download our leaflet. You can also view our online video, via You Tube, to find out more about all of our services.