ABOUT
VANESSA MARAIS, PSY.D.
I am Vanessa Marais, M. Soc.Sc (Clinical Psychology). Ph.D. (Psycho-oncology). Director of Optima Rust-en-Vrede Hospital, Stellenbosch and Private practise, Durbanville. I am an Ambassador of AML (Acute myeloid leukaemia) which is a global network and community to increase awareness of AML.
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I am dedicated to understanding and supporting cancer patients, their families, and medical teams with the psychological and emotional complexities and changes of cancer and cancer treatment. My interest and involvement in cancer care and psychotherapy have started 30 years ago working as a Clinical Psychologist in the field of oncology and general psychiatry.
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The continuous new information regarding the psychological impact of the trauma of a cancer diagnosis and the side-effects of the treatment, especially chemo-therapy and new psychotherapeutic approaches with cancer patients has motivated me to enhance my knowledge and to complete a Ph.D. in Psycho-Oncology and breast cancer in 2017 at UNISA. ​
Working within the framework of Onco-Psychology, which is a relatively new sub-speciality in oncology and psychology, treating a cancer patient involves both mental and physical health. Cancer treatment is more than just treating the tumour, therefor emotional- and psychological well-being is the focus of my oncology-care practise. Acknowledging the interaction between body and mind, the therapeutic goal is to strengthen mental wellness for a holistic progress after being diagnosed with cancer.
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I am working very hard to collaborating medical treatment with psychological intervention, involving the oncology medical team, to enhance quality of life of a patient living with an acute or potential life-threatening illness, driving the principle that there can be no health without mental health.
Therapeutically I provide a safe space for processing and understanding emotional changes and challenges with the aim to develop coping strategies, foster resilience and promote quality of life through all the stages of cancer and cancer treatment.
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My practice allows for intervention to be tailored to a patients’ unique physical and psychological needs and family dynamics so that they can receive optimal psychological care at all stages of the illness and survivorship as part of a quality care treatment plan.
My practices are located in Durbanville and Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, and I am also available for zoom-sessions.
My Approach
TREATING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE OF CANCER WITH COMPASSION AND EXPERTISE
I strive to work from a multidisciplinary angle that acknowledges and addresses the emotional responses of patients, their families and caretakers as well as the psychological, social and behavioural factors that may influence cancer morbidity and mortality.
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In the words of Sutherland, the pioneer of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), that both science and compassion should be part of the same integrated approach to cancer and should be the core of psycho-oncology. Instrumental (cure) and affective (care) dimensions are complementary part of the oncology profession and without any one of the two, the integrity of the profession collapses
For many years cancer treatment was predominantly focussed on the biological element of survival and curing which largely overlooked the psychological experience and survival of the patient. Psychological treatment is increasingly acknowledged as an essential part of the comprehensive care of the cancer patient.
I aim to adhere to the standards of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) in that distress must be seen as the 6th vital sign when treating cancer. Unrecognised and untreated distress has been associated with reduced treatment adherence and elevated risk of illness progression and the development of depression and anxiety or other psychiatric conditions.
I work from a framework of prevention when working with a cancer patient. Engaging in psychotherapy from the time of diagnosis to work through and understand the impact of cancer and cancer treatment can prevent later development of a psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety or post- traumatic stress reaction.
One of the tasks working in the field of psycho-oncology is to nurture closer connections between onco-psychologists and health practitioners and to psycho educate them to see the patient and not just the disease.