Cancer Care
We recognize that the mind and body function as an integrated unit and health exists when they are in harmony.
Cancer is a serious, aggressive disease and it is normal to feel a sense of urgency after diagnosis. However, this sense of urgency, pushed by shock and fear, often leads to sleepless nights, loss of appetite, loss of concentration, and an emotional roller coaster. As we are all aware, this type of emotional behavior is not supportive of good health even for a person without a disease. Regaining confidence, learning to control stress and anxiety, eating properly, and sleeping well all help make the cancer patient an active part of the healing process instead of part of the problem.
Family, friends, and even medical personnel say “stay positive and relaxed”, and so (not wanting to cause friends and family concern) one attempts to always project a confident image. However, behind the positive façade there are times the cancer patient just wishes they could work with a professional who really understands what they are going through, and learn to control their emotions and worry.
When patient Rhio O’Connor first came in his oncologist had just told him to “get his things in order” he probably had 3 1/2 months to live.
He wrote this book
celebrating 7 years.
Shift from frustration and pain
to focusing on improving your health.
Discover the healthful
“Neutral” emotional state.
Recognize healthy
and unhealthy emotional states.
Ascribe meaning
to the disease process.
Shift to “calm” from anger,
fear, depression, etc.
Lessen the negative
effects of Chemo treatment.
Recognize the connection
between the health of your body
and the state of your mind.
Mind Over Life!
The CancerCare Program
Is Six Hours of
Individual Therapy Developed To Complement Your
Medical Treatment.
“I thought I was handling everything pretty well considering. But when I couldn't sleep anymore
and just looking at my wife would make me feel like crying, I knew I needed more than “just thinking positive”.
“Having someone who worked with others in my situation was fantastic.
I learned ways to deal with much of the worry and anxiety that I had.”
“There is strong evidence that environmental factors and physical and mental conditioning influence a person’s general health and chances of developing cancer, as well as the ability to cope with cancer if it occurs. Research on behavioral modifications is having a significant impact on symptoms of cancer and its treatment, such as pain, nausea, and vomiting.”
The American Cancer Society
Studies have shown that surgery patients who participated in two to four guided imagery sessions required less pain medication and left the hospital more quickly than those who hadn’t used imagery.
• The number of CD3+ (mature) T cells was significantly higher following chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in patients randomised to relaxation and guided imagery.
• Relaxation training and guided imagery beneficially altered putative anti-cancer host defenses during and after multimodality therapy.
ScienceDirect • Feb. 2009
“What becomes clearer all the time is that the mental state has a tremendous influence on the physical state. And the more I learn the more I understand how great that impact is.”
O. Carl Simonton, M.D.
“if psychological factors play a role in the development of cancer, then it is conceivable that psychological treatment might also affect the course and ultimate outcome of the disease.”
Karen Olness, M.D.