Season 1: Episode 4: The Mirror Image - Body Image Difficulties

Episode 4: What you don’t know until you do, with Dr Charlotte Tottman: The Mirror Image: Body Image DifficultiesWe recommend that listeners exercise self-care when listening to the Upfront About Breast Cancer What You Don’t Know Until You Do with Dr Charlotte Tottman podcast, as some may find the content upsetting. Each episode is raw and real and covers a range of topics, some of which may be triggering for people at various stages of their journey. The intention is to have meaningful conversations, present relevant information and provide practical strategies that may help someone or someone you know on their cancer journey. BCNA’s helpline provides a free confidential telephone and email service for people diagnosed with breast cancer, their family and friends. Our experienced team can help with your questions and concerns and direct you to relevant resources and services. Call 1800 500 258 or email contact@bcna.org.au (mailto:contact@bcna.org.au).In this episode of What You Don’t Know Until You Do, with Dr Charlotte Tottman, we hear about Charlotte’s experience of the changes to her body as a result of cancer treatment and how the changes to our physical form can challenge our sense of self, identity and who we are. Charlotte shares her personal stories of the challenges she faced after her second surgery, the triggers and responses she had to un-learn and strategies she used to change her mindset to focus on what her body could do as opposed to what it looked like. To help us continue to develop our podcasts, we ask for your feedback via our survey. (https://limesurvey.mq.edu.au/index.php/157549?lang=en)Resources:- Sign up to My Journey (https://myjourney.org.au/) and access a range of resources on* Changes to the way your body looks and feels (https://myjourney.org.au/article/2999) * Choosing to stay flat after mastectomy (https://myjourney.org.au/article/3458)- Visit our Online Network (https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/) to connect with people going through a similar experience.Upfront About Breast Cancer is a production of Breast Cancer Network Australia.Our theme music is by the late Tara Simmons, and this episode is proudly brought to you by JT Reid.Produced by Dr Charlotte Tottman and BCNA Engineered and edited by Jane Nield at SEN StudiosVisit our website at www.bcna.org.au/ (https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bcna.org.au%2F&token=a2153f-1-1633485223847), email us at contact@bcna.org.au (mailto:contact@bcna.org.au), or call our Helpline on 1800 500 258 if any of the content in this podcast has raised any concerns or questions.

Om Podcasten

Dr Charlotte Tottman established her own private practice in psycho oncology, providing psychological treatment for cancer-related distress, before being diagnosed with breast cancer herself, giving Charlotte’s understanding of a cancer experience a whole new dimension. Despite the circumstances, Charlotte’s own diagnosis and clinical experience enables her to connect with those who are going through comparable situations, giving them a place to reflect and relate, and learn to navigate and better understand psychological discomfort in a cancer space. Throughout the podcast series we have meaningful conversations about many topics, including the initial shock of diagnosis, emotional isolation, and coming to terms with those who show up, and those who may not during your journey, body image difficulties, how cancer changes your overall perception of life, the impact on sexuality and intimacy, and fear of cancer recurrence.   Charlotte’s own vulnerability is evident in each of the episodes, which lay out her lived experience, provide explanations of psychological triggers and responses, and practical strategies that may help someone on their own cancer journey. We recommend that listeners exercise self-care when listening to this podcast, as some may find the content upsetting. BCNA’s Helpline provides a free confidential telephone and email service for people diagnosed with breast cancer, their family and friends. Our experienced team can help with your questions and concerns and direct you to relevant resources and services. Call 1800 500 258 or email contact@bcna.org.au.