Facing the Tiger: A survivorship guide for men with prostate cancer and their partners
by Suzanne Chambers, AO
Endorsed by 
Facing the Tiger is a self-directed mental health intervention to assist men with prostate cancer and their partners maintain their mental wellbeing as they move through treatment and beyond. It is not a guidebook about treatment options and does not give any medical advice. It suggests different perspectives for men and their partners on where they would like to be as they progress through their cancer journey and proven strategies to help that progress. The book incorporates the evidence-based science of CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) with relevant information about thoughts and emotions and helpful activities. Personal stories from men and women highlight the issues discussed and provide vivid insights into how others deal with prostate cancer.
Facing the Tiger fits within a stepped model of care by providing psychological support for men who are mild or moderately distressed and therefore can contribute to preventing the escalation of symptoms requiring higher intensity therapy. It incorporates an understanding and responsiveness to masculine values in the identification of a man’s personal strengths on which he can build his resilience in the face of the cancer diagnosis. The book helps patients:
- manage stress and anxiety,
- improve decision-making,
- understand their unique treatment journey,
- access appropriate support,
- increase the effectiveness of communication with their health care team.
Special pricing is available for bulk copy purchases within medical settings, whether based in Australia or overseas.
A US edition of Facing the Tiger was published in late 2021. The book is also available across the UK, Canada and the EU from leading online book retailers including Amazon.
Email Stephen May for further information.
Author royalties for Facing the Tiger are directed to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Men with Prostate Cancer
by Suzanne Chambers, AO, Nicole Heneka, Jeff Dunn, AO
The Health Professionals Guide to Delivering Psychological Care for Men With Prostate Cancer allows health professionals to incorporate cost effective accessible psychological support in the care they deliver to men with prostate cancer from the point of diagnosis and throughout the man’s treatment journey. It applies a cognitive behavioural approach and is designed to make use of the evidence-informed self-help book Facing the Tiger: A Survivorship Guide for Men with Prostate Cancer and their Partners.
Appropriate for use by a range of health professionals, including nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, psychologists, and doctors, the Guide shows how to construct a tailored intervention centred on increasing a man’s personal agency in self-managing the challenges of prostate cancer. It addresses psychological distress in patients who may not expressly ask for help through regular distress screening and allows for the delivery of appropriate psychological intervention in a timely manner.
The strategies used are evidence-informed, and the approach allows for cost-effective, flexible support that is men-centred and strengths-based and incorporates an understanding and responsiveness to masculine values in the design of care. The Guide includes:
- standardised session structure guidelines
- patient self-management resource Facing the Tiger as an Appendix
- Flexible delivery options
- downloadable and photocopiable session worksheets
- a downloadable fill-in PDF patient survivorship care plan
- download links to free external forms/tests
- external resource list covering issues such as sex, urinary problems, exercise and complementary medicine.
Special pricing is available for bulk copy purchases within medical settings, whether based in Australia or overseas. Email Stephen May for further information. The guide is also available across the UK, Canada and the EU from leading online book retailers including Amazon. A US edition is due out in 2023.
Facing the Tiger 