Patient story: Counselling and Reflexology

A mother from St Albans has shared her experience of using the services provided at Grove House, following a breast cancer diagnosis last year. She said:  

“After my treatment for breast cancer last summer I enquired at the hospital about accessing reflexology and they referred me to Grove House. I live locally but before that I didn’t even know Grove House existed. Before my diagnosis I thought I was too young to need to think about anything to do with cancer or its treatments and side effects.  

“I accessed four sessions of reflexology at Grove House. For me it was very beneficial and relaxing. I would arrive for a session feeling full of stress or apprehension about the day ahead but I would leave feeling much lighter and more positive.  

“The therapist was wonderful and such a calm and mindful person. The whole experience was hugely beneficial to me at that time and I would recommend it to anybody in a similar situation.  

“Once I was known to Rennie Grove Peace, I was also able to access counselling at Grove House. I was glad to be able to access this support because after diagnosis and treatment you are not the same person. I knew that I needed to make adjustments and see things differently. The counselling sessions gave me a space to reflect on what I had been through and changes I wanted to make. The counsellor was very supportive and helped me to make my own decisions about things that I wanted to change or address in my life.  

“An example of something we worked on is how I prioritise myself. Before my diagnosis I would give my all to my two children and the colleagues that I support at work, but forget about my own needs. Counselling helped me to see that I cannot continue doing that. It helped me reflect on how much understanding and compassion I have for other people and how I should treat myself the same way.  

“I’m so glad I was referred to Rennie Grove Peace to access these treatments at Grove House. It was so helpful for me at a very difficult time and I now want to make sure that other people know about, and access, these services when they need them.”