Psychological Care for Adults with Cancer

In cancer care, clinicians are routinely required to respond to psychological distress as part of everyday consultations.

Patients and their families must navigate uncertainty, treatment burden, and changes in identity, relationships, and future expectations. These concerns are often raised within standard clinical encounters and form an integral part of care, whether or not they are formally recognised as “psychological”.

While specialist psychological services play an essential role, much of this support is provided within routine care by nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals. However, there is often limited clarity about what constitutes appropriate first-line psychological support, and when referral to specialist care is required.

This can lead to variation in practice, clinician uncertainty, and either over- or under-referral.

Low-intensity psychological approaches offer a practical way to support people experiencing mild to moderate distress within routine cancer care, without replacing specialist psychological treatment. When used appropriately, they help clinicians respond with confidence, support patient self-management, and identify when escalation to specialist care is needed. They’re inexpensive, accessible and support existing staff. Their use in a variety of health settings is recommended by the World Health Organization. They enhance a patient’s personal agency, encouraging them to manage their own lived experience to promote mastery of their wellbeing. In a cancer setting, this care level provides additional support for people experiencing mild to moderate distress. It provides direction on brief face-to-face sessions that can be integrated into routine medical appointments, making it easier for patients to receive support without the need for additional visits. During these sessions, healthcare providers can offer emotional support, teach coping strategies, and address any immediate psychological concerns. The brief nature of these interactions ensures that they are manageable for both patients and providers while still giving meaningful support.

Importantly, these approaches are not intended to turn non-psychologists into therapists. Instead, they help define what first-line psychosocial support can appropriately and safely look like when delivered by nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals as part of everyday cancer care, while reinforcing clear referral pathways for more complex or persistent distress. 

The resources below draw on a substantial body of psycho-oncology research and translate it into practical guidance that can be used within routine cancer care. Their purpose is not to turn non-psychologists into therapists, but to support clinicians in responding to psychological distress in a way that is safe, appropriate, and consistent with their role.

Currently, across Australia over 200 nurses, psychologists , counselors, and GPs make use of these resources. They are designed for different roles within cancer care.

For health professionals working across cancer care

The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Adults with Cancer  provides a comprehensive, research-informed reference for responding to psychological distress as part of routine care. It supports clinicians to recognise and respond to distress, guide conversations about adjustment and uncertainty, and understand when escalation to specialist services is required.

For health professionals working specifically with prostate cancer

The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Men With Prostate Cancer adapts this approach to the specific needs of men with prostate cancer and the clinical settings in which they are treated. It provides targeted guidance relevant to prostate cancer pathways, patient concerns, and clinical practice.

For patients and partners

Facing the Tiger: A survivorship guide for men with prostate cancer and their partners is a practical survivorship guide for men with prostate cancer and their partners. It supports readers to understand their experience, manage challenges, and navigate the psychological and relational impact of cancer in everyday life.

These resources can be used by individual clinicians, but also support a shared approach across teams and organisations. By providing a common reference point, they help align expectations about first-line psychological support, improve consistency of care, and reduce reliance on specialist services for issues that can be effectively addressed within routine practice.