Your mind can become your friend or your foe in nearly every stressful situation but especially with a daunting diagnosis like cancer. Women are often the planners and caretakers for their families and have an especially hard time with this loss of control while single women may have no one to help them cope. There are so many questions, fears, unknowns, and difficult decisions to make that can send your thoughts and emotions on a never-ending rollercoaster ride.
We hear about the mind body connection a lot these days, yet people don’t realize how truly powerful it can be. In fact, there is an entire body of work dedicated to the study of the effect of the mind on health and resistance to disease called Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). PNI also looks at how the nervous and immune systems react to psychological processes and investigates how stressful situations and the negative feelings associated with them can cause detrimental changes in the body.
I know you’re probably thinking:
“Great, I have cancer and now I can’t even be pissed off about it?!” This is where Hypno-Oncology can help.
In this blog post, I’ll share what I learned in a rigorous certification program founded by Garry Coles who formed the Association of Hypno-Oncology Practitioners. Garry spent 17 years in an oncological setting as the resident hypnotherapist in a major hospital offering treatment for a myriad of cancer related issues. It was here that Garry decided he wanted to do medical research for his Masters thesis to prove the positive effect of presurgical hypnosis on recovery quality in breast cancer biopsies. Doctors told him he was crazy, yet they respected him because he was already helping their patients tremendously. Garry met with the surgeons and oncology Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team weekly to discuss cases and treatments in the first groundbreaking UK clinical research project of its kind. The results were astounding and are awaiting publication. Garry’s techniques and approaches are now used successfully with thousands of cancer sufferers.
I mention all of this because like Garry, I believe in science and research. I too have a long history in the medical field. I expect proof and I want people to understand that hypnotherapy is an evidence based, all-natural intervention.
I also want you to know that I learned from the best and now understand so much more about the cancer journey, the staging, the grading, and how I can help patients navigate it for the best possible outcome.
How Exactly Can Hyno-Oncology Help?
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Many cancer patients fear needles, suffer claustrophobia in scanning machines, and worry about hair loss, loss of income, hospital bills – the list of stressors goes on. Hypnotherapy taps into the subconscious mind, enabling you to cope better with treatment-related uncertainties and fears. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Montgomery et al., 2014) examined the impact of hypnotherapy on stress and anxiety levels among breast cancer patients. The results revealed that women who underwent hypnotherapy experienced significantly reduced stress and anxiety compared to those receiving conventional supportive care alone.
Study results revealed that women who underwent hypnotherapy experienced significantly reduced stress, anxiety, pain and discomfort from the side effects of cancer treatment.
Managing Pain and Discomfort
Hypnotherapy enhances relaxation and modulates the perception of pain including the other side effects of treatment like nausea, vertigo, taste issues, hot flashes, sleeping and eating issues, and fatigue. According to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (Richardson et al., 2016), hypnotherapy demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing pain and alleviating physical discomfort in cancer patients.
Enhancing Quality of Life
A study reported in the European Journal of Cancer Care (Hoskins et al., 2018) focused on the impact of hypnotherapy on the overall quality of life of women with various cancer types. The findings highlighted that hypnotherapy not only improved patients' mental well-being but also contributed to better physical functioning, symptom management, and social interactions. Women were happier and more at ease. These kinds of improvements are invaluable during cancer treatment, providing a pathway to greater resilience and recovery.
Strengthening the Immune System
Research shows that the immune system can be seriously compromised causing further health issues in cancer patients influencing the course of the disease due to psychological stress, depression, and anxiety. That’s because chronic stress suppresses the immune system, compromising the body's ability to fight cancer cells effectively. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Marc I. et al., 2018) reported that hypnotherapy can reduce stress hormone levels, and support the immune system's function. By promoting a sense of calm and relaxation, hypnotherapy can strengthen the body's defenses during cancer treatment.
Empowering Coping Mechanisms
Beyond the physical effects, cancer treatment can be emotionally draining, leading to feelings of helplessness and loss of control. Hypno-Oncology empowers patients by helping them access their inner resources and resilience and has been shown to increase adherence to treatment. With the support of a skilled hypnotherapist, women can develop coping strategies to face challenges head-on, fostering a sense of empowerment throughout their cancer journey.
Hypno-Oncology empowers patients by helping them access their inner resources and resilience and has been shown to increase adherence to treatment.
Hypno-Oncology offers a compassionate and science-backed approach to support women during cancer treatment as a valuable complementary therapy. The best part is there are no nasty side effects! All these amazing research studies involving the brain and neuroscience cannot be denied including 280,000 plus pieces of research on Google Scholar. We’ve got enough data that we’re far beyond the belief game. Through hypnosis you can tap into your most amazing and powerful resource right now – and I would be honored to help you do that.
A 6-session package (or more) is recommended to guide you through your cancer journey.