--- title: "The Psychosocial Approach: Psychologists Tackling Emotional Stress" description: Pediatric psychologists play a prominent role in helping patients and families manage the impact of having a life threatening disease. image: https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/hubfs/title394179027.png --- [![The Valerie Fund](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/hs-fs/hubfs/TheValerieFund_November2017/Images/img-logo.png?width=138&height=230&name=img-logo.png "The Valerie Fund")](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/) - [About Us](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/) - [**About Us**](http://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/) - [Mission](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/) - [History](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/our-history/) - [Impact](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/impact/) - [Leadership](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/board/) - [Junior Board](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/our-sponsors/) - [Our Sponsors](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/financials/) - [Financials](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/financials/) - [News](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/news/) - [Blogs](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/) - [Videos](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/videos/) - [Online Newsletters](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/newsletters/) - [Contact Us](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/contacts/) - [What We Do](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/) - [**What We Do**](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/) - [Our Centers](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/our-centers/) - [Our Programs](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/programs-services/) - [Beyond Our Centers](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/beyond-our-centers/) - [Camp Happy Times](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/camp-happy-times/) - [TVF Scholarship](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/tvf-scholarship/) - [Staff Stories](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/staff-stories/) - [Meet Our Valerie Fund Kids](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/meet-our-kids/) - [You Can Help](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/) - [**You Can Help**](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/) - [Donate](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/donations/hope-and-healing.php) - [Volunteer](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/volunteer/) - [Green Light Initiative](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/green-light-initiative/) - [Events and Campaigns](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/) - [Kids Helping Kids](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/kids-helping-kids/) - [In Lieu of Presents](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/in-lieu-of-presents/) - [Gift Shop](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/store/) - [Events & Campaigns](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/) - [**All Events & Campaigns**](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/) - [Signature Events](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/signature-events/) - [Community Events](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/community-events/) - [Campaigns](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/campaigns/) - [Past Events](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/past-events/) - [Get Inspired](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/events-campaigns/get-inspired/) - [For Patients & Families](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/for-patients-and-families/) - [**For Patients and Families**](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/for-patients-and-families/) - [Our Centers](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/our-centers/) - [Our Programs](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/programs-services/) - [Beyond Our Centers](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/beyond-our-centers/) - [Camp Happy Times](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/camp-happy-times/) - [TVF Scholarship](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/tvf-scholarship/) - [Other Scholarships](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/what-we-do/tvf-scholarship/other-scholarships/) - [Flashes of Hope](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/for-patients-and-families/flashes-of-hope/) - [Mom2Mom Hotline](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/for-patients-and-families/mom2mom/) - [News](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/news/) - [Contact](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/about/contacts/) - [Volunteer](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/youcanhelp/volunteer/) ### When Valerie Goldstein lost her battle to cancer at the age of 9, her parents Ed and Sue vowed to help families in similar situations gain easier access to more customized care. 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[Learn More](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/for-patients-and-families/) ### Our Centers - [Children's Hospital of Phila/Voorhees](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/childrens-hospital-philavoorhees) - [Columbia University Medical Center](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/columbia-university-medical-center) - [Monmouth Medical Center](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/monmouth-medical-center) - [Morristown Medical Center](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/morristown-medical-center) - [Newark Beth Israel Medical Center](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/newark-beth-israel-medical-center) - [Overlook Medical Center](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/overlook-medical-center) - [St. Joseph's Children Hospital](https://www.thevaleriefund.org/st.-josephs-children-hospital) ## Supporting children with cancer and blood disorders since 1976 [![Donate](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1822020/f5fd0642-8c84-439d-b936-77fbecbe7166.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1822020/f5fd0642-8c84-439d-b936-77fbecbe7166) # The Valerie Fund Blog   # The Psychosocial Approach: Psychologists Tackling Emotional Stress Posted by [The Valerie Fund](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/author/the-valerie-fund) on 1/19/16 3:37 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Pediatric psychologists play a prominent role in helping patients and families manage the impact of having a life threatening disease. From the moment a child and their family arrive at the hospital there is an urgency to confirm a suspected diagnosis of cancer or a blood disorder and begin treatment. Not only is their world turned upside down, the medical and psychosocial implications of the disease and treatment are major and ongoing. Parents who have difficulty coping with their child’s cancer diagnosis feel relieved after hearing that it is common for many parents to experience the same feelings. Some are unsure about how to discipline a child battling an illness. Siblings may experience their own fears and anxieties, and may receive less attention from parents while their brother or sister is in treatment. On-site psychologists offer psychological counseling services to patients and their parents when these needs arise  --- ![title694322653.png](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/hs-fs/hubfs/title694322653.png?width=300&name=title694322653.png "title694322653.png")The psychologist will identify and address the family and child’s strengths and vulnerabilities which can help them maintain as normal a life as possible during the inevitable ups and downs of treatment. Improving coping mechanisms causes less disruptions in school and work as well as a decrease in noncompliance of medical treatment. Some of the interventions psychologists provide are short and can help patients through a particularly challenging time while others may require long term counseling. The issues patients and family members fall into several broad categories: coping with stress and anxiety around the illness, pre-existing mental health issues, noncompliance with treatment, and grief or palliative care.    Stress is particularly high for parents of children with cancer and blood disorders and studies consistently have shown that parents have higher rates of PTSD than either their children or adult cancer survivors suggesting that the experience of parenting a child with cancer may be more traumatic than actually having the illness. “A cancer or blood disorder diagnosis is devastating for the child and for everyone in the family. Many families and children pay a heavy emotional and psychological price, both short term as well as long term,” says Dr. Peri Kamalakar of the [Newark Beth Israel Children's Hospital](http://www.barnabashealth.org/Childrens-Hospital-of-New-Jersey-NBI-.aspx). Many adolescent patients, for example, need support coping with the stress and anxiety of illness around medical procedures. There are also patients, however, who may have underlying mental health or neurodevelopmental issues that makes psychological counseling very important. Among the primary issues reported and observed by hospital staff include anxiety, depression, physical symptoms without medical explanation (e.g. vomiting before procedures, eating and sleep disturbances, unusual pain), and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity or noncompliance with medical treatment.   With patients coming from diverse backgrounds, psychologists recognize the need to integrate a family’s culture into their treatment plan. Having a translator on staff for non-english speaking families is important for the families to make informed decisions during meetings with physicians, psychologists and [social workers](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/hematology/oncology-social-workers-one-person-many-roles).    ![title394179027.png](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/hs-fs/hubfs/title394179027.png?width=223&height=165&name=title394179027.png "title394179027.png") Chemotherapies that cross the blood-brain barrier can have an impact on IQ, memory, problem solving, attention and processing. Children may experience withdrawal or behavioral issues and have difficulty sleeping. Dr. Heather Ginter, Psychologist at [Morristown Medical Center’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital](http://www.atlantichealth.org/goryeb/) administers neuropsychological testing to assess skills and learning issues within the context of the patient’s developmental stage and medical history. The interpretation of the results can also be used to help plan for the future as the child’s brain develops and the effects of cancer treatment appear over time.    ---   Having a psychologist available for individual and family counseling may help patients improve their coping mechanisms and decrease stress and anxiety.  As a result, it may increase their ability to comply with treatments, and lessen the side effects of treatment.  Long term effects will be similar, as children/families who undergo psychological counseling during their cancer treatment may learn how to decrease their stress levels in all aspects of their lives. This will lead them to ultimately decreasing the risk of suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.  [![Click To Meet Child Psychologist Dr. Stephen Sands ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1822020/72955adb-223b-4767-a9d2-cb4d0503ec59.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1822020/72955adb-223b-4767-a9d2-cb4d0503ec59)     Topics: [psychologists](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/topic/psychologists), [psychosocial support](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/topic/psychosocial-support) ## The Power of Giving ### Learn more about the ways you can help.  ### Join in the fight against childhood cancer and blood disorders: donate, participate in an event, or volunteer your time. Our philosophy is that to truly heal the children whose care we are entrusted, we must treat them emotionally, socially, and developmentally, as well as medically.   ### Subscribe to Blog Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Blood Disorders (47)](https://blog.thevaleriefund.org/topic/blood-disorders) - 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