Self-Care for Cancer Survivors:

Support for Mind, Body, Emotions & Spirit

Presented to: The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer CoalitionLocation: Harrisburg, PA

Date: Monday, October 5, 2015

by Margaret Healy, MSW, LSW

© 2015 Rising Tide

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When a person is diagnosed with cancer…

(a.k.a. When life is turned upside down…)

(a.k.a. The psychosocial impact of cancer…)

…life is never the same afterward.

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When a person is diagnosed with cancer…

Daily life is often put on hold Work life often is reduced or comes to a stop Days are consumed with medical appointments and treatment Emotions run high and/or are held at a distance Difficulties in telling news to the family and/or to children Treatment side effects cause fatigue, illness, sleep disruptions,

physical changes, pain, loss of the ability to concentrate Depression and/or anxiety can manifest Challenges in accepting help from others

Loss of a sense of control in life, or feelings of “things falling apart”

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Life is never the same afterward for survivors because…

a survivor’s self-identity has likely changed a survivor may be mourning the loss of a professional identity a survivor may be grieving the loss of friends who couldn’t

cope with their diagnosis a survivor may be cherishing new friendships made with other

survivors Often a survivor has been reminded of how precious life is

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Life is never the same afterward for survivors because…

family dynamics may have shifted in healthy or unhealthy ways a family may want life to go back to pre-diagnosis patterns, and this

may no longer be possible for the survivor anxiety and depression may linger* a survivor may have lost direction once they are released from

medical care there is always the worry of “What if…?”

* If emotions become overwhelming or difficult to manage, seeking assistance from a professional psychotherapist is recommended.

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A New Opportunity

Life changes related to a cancer diagnosis

provide an opening and an opportunity to introduce

self-care practice

as a means toward positive change.

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What is self-care?

Self-care is any enjoyable practice or activity

that a person engages in

which is supportive, renewing and/or nourishing

to the person on a

mind, body, emotion or spirit level.

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Examples of self-care

Writing Exercise Music Prayer or meditation Healthy eating Staying hydrated Having alone time Having social time Having a babysitter while

you take a nap

Creating art Working with your hands Massage or bodywork Reiki or energy work Reading Taking a reading holiday Seeking counseling Crying Journaling Mindfulness

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The importance of self-care for survivors

The experience of diagnosis can be traumatic Treatment and tests can be invasive and a shock to the system Adjustment to volumes of new information can be

overwhelming Relationships can become strained Changes in quality of life or functional status can be

experienced as losses Navigating the cancer journey can be an exhausting and

depleting experience Self-care is Self-sustaining

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Benefits of self-care

A sense of having time and space for one’s own experiences

and feelings A sense of having breathing room and/or space to rest Minimization of feeling pulled in many directions by many

life responsibilities A greater sense of control in life An experience of confidence that body, mind, emotion and

spirit needs will be met A greater sense of life balance Development of resilience

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The concept of resilience

Resilienceis a term used to describe

a person’s capacity to manage stress

and cope with crisis.

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Characteristics of resilient people

being flexible

engaging in self-care to nurture oneself

viewing setbacks as temporary

having an attitude of gratitude and appreciation

seeking support from others

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Barriers to self-care success

Our busy, fast-paced, pressure-filled lives

Electronic devices

A sense of duty and/or responsibility

Socialization

Guilt

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Moving past barriers to self-care

Requires a paradigm shift in thinking

We need to recognize that we cannot give from an

empty cup

We need to seek support from others

We need to find a self-care ally

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Self-care for the whole person

Body – healthy food, hydration, nutrients, exercise

Mind - stimulation for the mind or rest for the mind

Emotions – expressions of anger, grief, laughter,

tears, hope*

Spirit – prayer, meditation, mindfulness, creating art

or music, laughter, connecting with nature

* If emotions become overwhelming or difficult to manage, seeking assistance

from a professional therapist is recommended.

Highlight on Mindfulness:

An introduction of mindfulness as a self-care tool

Defining mindfulness

Mindfulness is

a state of consciousness in which we have

moment to moment awareness

without expectation or judgment.

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Defining Mindfulness

Jon Kabat-Zinn, defines mindfulness as:

“the awareness that arises

by paying attention on purpose, in the present moment,

and non-judgmentally.”

From Full Catastrophe Living

by Jon Kabat-Zinn (2013)

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Mindfulness and awareness

Mindfulness is “an open awareness practice.”

In other words, we can be aware of the breath, or the ground beneath our feet, yet when we are mindful we are also open to sensing other stimuli in our environment.

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- Diane Reibel, Ph.D. From a Presentation to the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work September, 2014

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Mindfulness

The origins of mindfulness can be found in Buddhist spiritual tradition, dating back many hundreds of years.

Similar to present day yoga practice, one need not be aligned with a particular religion or spiritual practice in order to benefit from mindfulness practice.

Cramer et al.: Mindfulness-based stress reduction for low back pain. A systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012 12:162.

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Benefits of mindfulness

Mindfulness provides those who practice it an opportunity to become highly tuned in to the present moment, i.e. being able to be truly present, moment by moment.

When we are truly present to self and others, we are able to become more aware of attitudes, beliefs and judgments we may have about various life situations.

AWARENESS is the key to having CHOICES

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Benefits of mindfulness

Responding vs Reacting

Lack of awareness leads us to a more reactive stance when faced with stressful life situations or stressful energy. We reflexively react when we believe (consciously or unconsciously) that we have no options.

Self-awareness allows us to become aware of choices when it comes to responding to stress. When we are aware of choices, we can be more flexible in our responses to others and to stressful life situations.

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Experiential Exercise in Mindfulness

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Mindfulness and awareness

With mindfulness, AWARENESS is the key

Awareness is an ally for us

Awareness allows us to intimately know our Selves

Awareness allows us to live more connected lives

- Diane Reibel, Ph.D. From a Presentation to the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work September, 2014

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Mindfulness and awareness

How many daily activities do we do while on “autopilot?”

Driving Checking e-mail, answering the phone, using devices Watching television Shopping – lifting and carrying Household chores Exercising Breathing Eating – mealtime, snacking and while watching movies or TV

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Why mindfulness for cancer survivors?

Practicing mindfulness can enhance our interactions with our family and friends

We can find ourselves being truly present with our family We can find ourselves experiencing deeper connection with loved ones Our family and friends sense when we are fully present with them

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Why mindfulness for cancer survivors?

Mindfulness is a gift to our Selves (i.e. self-care)

A gift of self-awareness A gift of self-compassion A gift of connection with Self that allows us to connect with others

Conclusion

Mindfulness can be a helpful tool in a

cancer survivor’s self-care toolbox.

There are also many other self-care ideas that

may not have been mentioned yet.

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Conclusion

As a survivor, what self-care practices

might you like to develop in

your own life?

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