I heard Dwight McKee, MD, say at a conference on new cutting edge treatments for cancer that he believed the first 30 days after a cancer diagnosis would best be spent learning stress management techniques. There is a strong correlation between stress and cancer, and a diagnosis of cancer is in itself a very stressful experience. Any treatment you decide on will be more effective if you are feeling less anxiety and tension.
I have been using guided imagery CDs for many years, and want to introduce you to a series that I have found very useful — by Nancy Hopps. Nancy is a gifted healer and artist who has personal and professional experience in dealing with the challenge of cancer. She has created CDs (or downloads) with a focus on relaxation, which is a great place to start if you don’t have a good strategy for managing stress.
From Nancy’s Relax into Healing™series of CDs, I have especially enjoyed the two-CD set called “Cancer: Embracing the Healing Journey.” I have particularly benefited from the track called “Embracing All Emotions,” which reminds me that whatever I am feeling is OK, and helps me identify, feel, and let go of emotions. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say that you need to “think positive” when you have cancer. I don’t think that is useful advice. I think we need to “feel it” to “heal it.” Denial of any of our feelings doesn’t support healing.
Nancy’s CDs come with extensive informational instruction booklets. Each track in the two and a half hour program has a specific focus and ranges from 2 to 20 minutes. One track has helped me particularly with decision-making, and another track of affirmations has been helpful to accomplish the Healing Journeys mission to support healing, activate hope, and promote thriving.
Even if you don’t listen to Nancy’s words, the sound of her voice and the harp accompaniment alone can be helpful for relaxing and being present. But the words are also helpful in guiding me through feelings, making decisions, trusting in my treatment choices, knowing I am not alone, and feeling hopeful about the future.
I encourage you to try her CDs. For the month of June, Nancy is offering a 20% discount (if you use the link below), and is donating a portion of the sales to Healing Journeys. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity. The promo code for the 20% discount is HEALINGJOURNEYS.
Nancy says (and I agree), “Rather than ‘fight cancer,’ you can learn to let Love be the most active, potent force in your self-healing process, enhancing overall mind body spirit healing. The power of guided healing visualization and positive healing affirmations, combined for holistic mind-body healing, cannot be overstated.”
You can listen to samples of her CDs and get the 20% discount here (remember to use the promo code, HEALINGJOURNEYS).
As always, I welcome your comments; to reply please click here.
In the Spirit of Healing,
Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Executive Director