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Life and Work with Melanie Stachelski

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Stachelski.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Melanie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
One of the most difficult truths in life is that through hardship and adversity we often learn our most meaningful lessons and experience the greatest personal growth. My business, Colorado Cancer Counseling, was created out of my greatest hardship. Ten years ago, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with Leukemia. I was 29 years old and had just celebrated my 1st wedding anniversary.

The news of my cancer diagnosis left me shaken, disoriented, and scared. But at the same time, this crisis in my life gave me an invaluable opportunity to examine what I wanted more of in my life, and where I was wasting precious time and energy. Facing my own death made me very serious about living my best life.

But first I had to make it through cancer. During that time, there was a lot of talk about what my (amazing!) medical team could do for me, but there was not much said about what I could do for myself. How could I cope with the overwhelming fear, uncertainty, and anxiety? What could I do to contribute to my own health and healing?

On my journey through cancer, I was so fortunate to have people in my life who were able to guide me to the things I needed to keep my mind, body, and spirit in the best place for healing. I only wished that there was one central place that a person with cancer could go to find all of the skills, tools, resources, information, and support they needed to not only survive but to THRIVE. I decided to create this place!

As soon as I felt strong enough, I enrolled in graduate school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. My intention was to provide the much needed mental, emotional, and spiritual support to other people going through cancer. Now that I was healthy and happy, I wanted to give other people the things that had made me successful.

I opened the doors of Colorado Cancer Counseling on March 4, 2017, which was the 7th anniversary of my life-saving treatment for Leukemia. It has been a dream come true!

Has it been a smooth road?
Anyone who has been touched by cancer can tell you that the experience can be emotionally devastating. It is so common for people with cancer and their loved ones to feel scared, anxious, angry, and helpless. However, most people with cancer do not seek out support and guidance for their mental and emotional health, even though it can make all of the difference. I think that most people believe that they can manage the difficult emotions that come with cancer on their own. And when the journey becomes overwhelming, unpredictable, or confusing, they blame themselves for not being mentally strong enough. But in reality, it is not always possible (or necessary!) to stay positive!

My biggest struggle as a Cancer Counselor and Psychotherapist has been changing the conversation to recognize that mental and emotional turmoil is, unfortunately, a very normal part of going through cancer. Just because someone is struggling, does not mean they are weak!

My wish for the future is that a person’s first step after receiving a cancer diagnosis would be to find the very best medical team and that their second step would be to find the very best holistic team they can find to support their mind, body and spirit through cancer. Until then, my struggle includes keeping up with the amount of marketing and public speaking that is necessary to keep mental health at the forefront of the conversation around cancer and cancer treatment.

Luckily, cancer counseling is a topic that I never get tired of talking about! It is my passion. My best advice to young women is to follow your passion. What gives you joy? What fills you up? What makes you feel whole? Do that!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Colorado Cancer Counseling – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am a Cancer Counselor and Psychotherapist and I specialize in supporting people through every stage of a cancer diagnosis. I am most proud that my business is filling a huge need in people’s lives and in our world: Nearly 1 in 3 people will develop cancer in their lifetime and without attention to mental health, the experience can be emotionally devastating.

What I love about the work that I do is that, although I initially meet people during one of the scariest and darkest times in their lives, as we work together they develop the skills, resources, and insights to not only survive cancer but to thrive! It is such an inspiring transformation to witness and I am honored to be a part of it.

What sets me apart is that the work is personal to me because I am a cancer survivor myself! Not only do I bring a high level of education and training to my work, but I also bring a decade of experience actually walking in those shoes. I know firsthand the highs and lows of the cancer journey, and I can now stand waving that light at the end of the tunnel to those who are just starting out. Ten years after surviving Leukemia, I am now in a position to provide other people with the skills, tools, resources, information and support that made me successful.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I haven’t encountered barriers to female leadership in my work.

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Image Credit:
Janelle Rose Photography

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