How long have you been an oncology social worker?

Four years—two in an oncology setting and two years prior to that in hospice.

Where do you currently work? What is your position? How long have you been there? Include prior Oncology SW work.

I am very fortunate to work at the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, Maine, which serves the community in which I grew up. I’ve been with the center for two years providing counseling to patients and families, and recently was promoted to Manager of Psychosocial Oncology and Supportive Services.

Where did you earn your degrees?

I have a BA from Dartmouth College, an MA from the College of William and Mary, and earned my MSW from the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine.

How long have you been a member of AOSW?

For only one year and already it has been invaluable. I particularly appreciate the sharing and collaboration on the email list. It is so wonderful to be able to pose a question on an issue with which our center is grappling and to hear how others have handled it, or to get new ideas on possible programs by reading the discussions.

Have you attended the AOSW conference? When/where?

Not yet, but I plan to attend this year’s conference in Tucson and look forward to connecting with AOSW colleagues.

Other professional affiliations?

I am a member of the Young Survival Coalition’s Council of Advisors.

In your role as an oncology social worker/clinician, what is one of your favorite resources to share with clients? Why?

Insight Timer, which is a free meditation app. I incorporate a lot of mindfulness in my work with patients and families to help lower the stress response and alleviate suffering from anxiety. The app contains hundreds of free guided meditations that help make even small moments of respite from stress and worry more accessible.

In your experience with survivors, would you share a memorable story with us? 

I am a survivor myself, and one of my frustrations is that we don’t do enough to prepare survivors for the survivorship journey. Unfortunately, far too many are caught by surprise by the lasting physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual toll of their cancer experience. If distress hits, if they experience anxiety or depression, or if perhaps they aren’t recovering as quickly as they expected, they can be left feeling that they are somehow not doing it right.

My memorable story is actually a number of stories of men and women reaching out for help weeks or months after treatment has ended. As they share symptoms of anxiety and depression, one of the first things I do is to explain that what they describe is unfortunately far too common. The more they learn they are not alone, the more relief they express. Time and again, survivors ask why no one told them it might be this way. I now make a point of introducing the potential for survivorship distress early on in my work with patients and families, so that survivors and their caregivers understand that the journey doesn’t end with the last treatment, and that if they experience any difficulty as they heal, they are not alone and help is available.

In that “little something more” section, what is one thing you might share with us about you personally, one that is outside of your work life?

This is related to my work life, as it inspired it. Almost 17 years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with my second son. At that time, I had no thoughts of becoming a social worker, but I was very lucky to have wonderful nurse navigators and social workers help me in my journey. Once I graduated to survivorship, they helped me find ways to volunteer and serve as an advocate for others. Ultimately, that led me to return to school in pursuit of my MSW with the goal of becoming an oncology social worker. I feel incredibly grateful to be a survivor, to have had the past 17 years to watch my sons grow up—and hopefully many more—and to now be able to devote my professional work to serving others affected by cancer.