Psychology and sexology

Your life can change drastically after your cancer diagnosis. Despite the support of your physician, nurse, and loved ones, you can encounter psychological problems. Please don't wait to seek help, not even until after your treatment. Your specialist can refer you to us. We have expertise and experience in psychological problems and support for people with (hereditary) cancer. 

Contact

Telephone number: +31 (0)20 – 512 9111
Email address: secretariaat.ckvl@nki.nl
You can find our medical social workers at the 
Survivorship Center at Clinic 4.

Your specialist, hospital psychiatrist, or medical social worker at the Netherlands Cancer Institute can refer you to us. Our supportive care consultant can refer you to us as well, in collaboration with your specialist. You cannot sign up for treatment at our center without a referral, although you are free to tell your specialist that you would like care from a psychologist. There are no additional costs for you when receiving medical psychological diagnostics and treatment at the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

Our team

We can offer the following care:

Medical psychology and sexology

You can see our psychologist if you are experiencing psychological problems that are related to your illness, such as depression, anxiety, panic, trauma, or problems in your relationship or with your sexuality. Complex decisions concerning, hereditary cancer can be topics you can discuss with our psychologists as well. Our psychologist can help you find a way to alleviate your symptoms and how you can learn to manage your emotions. Our sexologist can map out complex sexual problems after cancer with you and can offer brief treatment. 

What can we do for you?

  • You can come to see us for problems with depression, anxiety, panic, processing, sleep, relationships, self-image, decisions, and finding meaning. We can help you when you are facing difficult decisions concerning hereditary cancer. 
  • Your first consultation with a psychologist is an intake consultation. This is a meeting designed to assess the situation. We will ask questions about your symptoms and problems and the extent to which these symptoms affect your current life and that of your loved ones. We may fill out several diagnostic questionnaires with you.
  • If you need psychological guidance, our psychologist can recommend a treatment that best suits you. Medical psychological treatment is usually quite short and aims to alleviate symptoms that are a result of your illness. You may be referred for (long-term) psychological treatment outside of the hospital. 

Clinical neuropsychology

If you are experiencing cognitive problems, like trouble remembering things or focusing on tasks, a neuropsychologist can help you map out what the issues are and help you find ways to handle the problems so they won't affect you as much. If necessary, a neuropsychologist can refer you elsewhere for cognitive rehabilitation or other care.