Hypnotherapy for Cancer Patients
Transformative Therapy is a private therapy practice in Bryn Mawr, PA. We specialize in working with clients who have cancer and other serious illnesses. We offer a holistic approach to therapy including hypnosis and energy psychology. This article summarizes research demonstrating the benefit of hypnotherapy for cancer patients.
The benefits of hypnotherapy for cancer patients
There is a growing interest in the mind-body-spirit approach to health. According to the NIH, 38% of American adults used some form of complementary or alternative therapy in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Hypnosis is an evidence-based form of complementary therapy that is growing in popularity. Researchers have documented the effectiveness of hypnosis for people with cancer across all phases of treatment, from detection/diagnosis, through various types of treatment, and into survivorship.
Hypnosis is a relatively low-cost and certainly low-risk intervention that has been shown to improve quality of life, decrease pain and other symptoms and treatment side-effects, decrease depression and anxiety, and improve well-being. Two studies have shown that hypnosis may even have an impact on longevity.
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a relaxed state of mind. When we are hypnotized our brains are using alpha and theta brainwaves, just as we do in meditation and some stages of sleep. These relaxed brainwave patterns allow us to more open to suggestion, or "suggestible": we are more likely to believe what we are told, and we are able to change how we think and feel about things. We can use this suggestibility to our great benefit in many areas of life, from emotional wellbeing to health. Indeed, there is a growing body of clinical data supporting the use of hypnosis for health in general, and for supporting cancer care in particular. Here are some highlights from the literature:
Cancer Detection/Diagnosis:
Hypnosis has been shown to decrease anxiety, distress, and pain for people undergoing biopsy. The studies published have focused on breast cancer screening.
- Lange et al (2006) studied 236 women undergoing core image-guided breast biopsy. Women who had hypnosis experienced significantly less anxiety (p<0.001) and pain (p=0.024)
- Montgomery et al (2002) studied 20 excisional breast biopsy patients and found that women who had hypnosis before the procedure had less pre- and post-biopsy distress and less post-biopsy pain (p's<0.001).
- Schnur et al (2008) compared the effect of hypnosis versus attention control for 90 women undergoing breast biopsy. They found less pre-biopsy upset (p<0.0001), depression (p0.02), and anxiety (p<0.0001), and the hypnosis group were more relaxed (p<0.001).
Cancer treatment
Hypnosis can support every mainstream form of cancer treatment. It has been helpful for surgical patients, has reduced side-effects of chemotherapy, and has helped with the effects of radiation. Here are some ways that researchers have found hypnosis for cancer patients to be helpful:
Surgery
Surgical patients who received hypnosis pre-operatively had less anxiety, pain, pain medication, emotional upset, and fatigue, and had shorter treatment time:
- A meta-analysis conducted by Montgomery, David, Winkel and Silverstein (2002) investigated the use of hypnosis for surgical patients. Results revealed a large and significant effect size (d=1.20) for hypnosis. Patients in hypnosis treatment groups had better outcomes than 89% of patients in control groups (effect size, D=1.20). Hypnosis affected a wide range of clinical outcomes including pain, pain medication, negative affect, blood pressure, nausea, fatigue, and treatment time.
- Montgomery et al (2007) conducted a randomized, controlled trial of 200 breast cancer patients undergoing excisional biopsy or lumpectomy found that those who were given 15 minutes of hypnosis before the procedures required pain medication, reported less pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, nausea, fatigue, discomfort, and emotional upset.
- Lang et al (2008) Studied 201 patients receiving tumor embolization or radiofrequency ablation were randomized to standard care, attention, or hypnosis groups. Patients in the hypnosis group had significantly less pain and anxiety and received significantly less medication (midazolam or fentanyl) than patients in the standard care (33% less medication) or empathic attention (43% less medication) groups.
Chemotherapy
Anti-nausea medications have improved quality of life for patients receiving chemotherapy. However, some patients still experience chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. Hypnosis has been shown to help alleviate these treatment effects:
- Richardson et alconducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n=6) of hypnosis for controlling nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. All studies reported positive results including statistically significant reductions in nausea and vomiting with a moderate effect size for hypnosis compared to attention control and a large effect size of hypnotic treatment compared to treatment as usual.
- A second review of the literature by Redd, Montgomery, and DuHamel (2001) also supports the use of hypnosis to treat chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. This review included both randomized and non-randomized studies.
Radiology
Patients undergoing radiation treatment are often affected by fatigue and emotional distress. Hypnosis helps:
- Montgomery et al (2009) studied 42 breast cancer radiation patients to test whether CBT with hypnosis could affect fatigue. They found that hypnosis had a significant impact on fatigue: fatigue increased in the control group, whereas fatigue in the CBT-hypnosis group did not increase (p<0.05).
- Schnur et al (2009) studied 40 women undergoing radiation for breast cancer to see if CBT with hypnosis could impact positive and negative affect. They found that CBTH significantly reduced negative affect and increased positive affect.
Survivorship
According to the American Cancer Society, in January 2014 there were 14.5 million cancer survivors in the United States. Many experience impaired quality of life after treatment, including neuropathy and pain, cognitive problems, fatigue, fear of cancer recurrence, hot flashes and sexual dysfunction (American Cancer Society). Hypnosis may help with the after-effects of cancer treatment:
- Elkins et al (2008) studied 60 women who had been treated for breast cancer to investigate the efficacy of hypnosis to treat hot flashes and other treatment after-effects. They found hypnosis significantly improved hot flashes, anxiety, sleep, and depression, compared to the non-treatment control group.
Advanced/metastatic disease
Metastatic and recurrent diagnoses can be very distressing for cancer patients. Metastatic patients often experience pain and suffering, as well as emotional distress. Hypnosis has had a measurable impact on quality and even quantity of life for these patients:
- Two studies ― one by Spiegel and Bloom in 1983, and a more recent replication by Butler et al in 2009 ― found that women with metastatic breast cancer who had been randomly assigned to weekly group therapy with hypnosis experienced significantly less pain and suffering and improved mood than no-treatment controls.
- In 1989, Spiegel et al studied 86 metastatic breast-cancer patients and found hat survival time was significantly longer in the women who were randomly assigned to supportive group therapy with hypnosis (mean of 36.6 months) compared to no-treatment controls (mean of 18.9 months).
- A replication by Spiegel et al in 2007 found that survival time for metastatic breast cancer patients with ER-positive cancers was not significantly affected by the hypnosis intervention (mean of 32.8 months). However, for ER negative patients, the hypnosis group had a significant longer survival time (mean of 29.8 months) than the non-treatment controls (mean of 9.3 months).
Hypnosis by any other name….
Many people hear the word "hypnosis" and think of people at comedy shows walking like a chicken. There is also often a general unease, as many believe that hypnosis will somehow make them do things they otherwise would not do. Because of this, many practitioners are inclined to use words like "guided imagery" or "relaxation". However, there is some benefit to using the word "hypnosis".
- Gandhi and Oakley compared the hypnotic suggestibility of patients in two groups receiving the same intervention, but with one group calling it "hypnosis" and the other "relaxation". They found that those in the "hypnosis" group were significantly more suggestible than those in the "relaxation" group. In their meta-analysis of hypnosis to treat distress related to medical procedures, Schnur et al similarly found greater effect sizes for interventions labeled "hypnosis" compared to "relaxation".
Hypnosis delivery: live or recorded?
There is a plethora of guided meditations, guided imagery, and hypnosis on the market, for free or offered at a low cost. While these recordings can be helpful, live hypnosis is better:
- According to results of a meta-analysis by Montgomery et al (2002), live hypnosis had a large effect size (d=1.40) whereas recorded hypnosis had a moderate effect size (d=.55).
- In their meta-analysis of hypnosis for distress related to medical procedures, Schnur et al (2008) found that live hypnosis had a large effect size (g=1.22), while recorded hypnosis had a moderate effect size (g=0.19).
Conclusions
Did you make it this far? Congratulations! Treat yourself to a guided meditation. :-) For those who are living with cancer and undergoing cancer treatment, hypnosis can be tremendously helpful to address a wide range of symptoms, from emotional distress to physical pain. Relaxing and opening ourselves up to the mind-body-spirit connection improves quality of life and overall wellbeing. If you want to explore hypnotherapy for cancer patients, contact me.
References
Butler LD, Koopman C, Neri E, Giese-Davis J, Palesh O, Thorne-Yocam KA, Dimiceli S, Chen XH, Fobair P, Kraemer HC, Spiegel D (2009). Effects of supportive-expressive group therapy on pain in women with metastatic breast cancer. Health Psychologl.28(5):579-87.
Elkins G, Marcus J, Stearns V, Perfect M, Rajab MH, Ruud C, Palamara L, Keith T (2008). Randomized trial of a hypnosis intervention for treatment of hot flashes among breast cancer survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncoogyl. 26(31):5022-6.
Gandhi B, Oakley DA (2005). Does 'hypnosis' by any other name smell as sweet? The efficacy of 'hypnotic' inductions depends on the label 'hypnosis'. Consciousness and Cognition. 14(2):304-15.
Lang EV, Berbaum KS, Faintuch S, Hatsiopoulou O, Halsey N, Li X, Berbaum ML, Laser E, Baum J (2006). Adjunctive self-hypnotic relaxation for outpatient medical procedures: a prospective randomized trial with women undergoing large core breast biopsy. Pain. 126(1-3):155-64.
Lang EV, Berbaum KS, Pauker SG, Faintuch S, Salazar GM, Lutgendorf S, Laser E, Logan H, Spiegel D. (2008) Beneficial effects of hypnosis and adverse effects of empathic attention during percutaneous tumor treatment: when being nice does not suffice. Journal of Vascular Interventional Radiology. 19(6):897-905.
Montgomery GH, David D, Winkel G, Silverstein JH, Bovbjerg DH (2002). The effectiveness of adjunctive hypnosis with surgical patients: a meta-analysis. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 94(6):1639-45
Montgomery GH, Weltz CR, Seltz M, Bovbjerg DH, (2002). Brief presurgery hypnosis reduces distress and pain in excisional breast biopsy patients. International Journal of Clinical Exp Hypnosis. 50(1):17-32.
Montgomery GH, Bovbjerg DH, Schnur JB, David D, Goldfarb A, Weltz CR, Schechter C, Graff-Zivin J, Tatrow K, Price DD, Silverstein JH (2007). A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast surgery patients. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 99(17):1304-12.
Montgomery GH, Kangas M, David D, Hallquist MN, Green S, Bovbjerg DH, Schnur JB (2009) Fatigue during breast cancer radiotherapy: an initial randomized study of cognitive-behavioral therapy plus hypnosis.Health Psychology. 28(3):317-22.
Reid WH, Montgomery GH, DuHamel KN (2001) Behavioral intervention for cancer treatment side effects. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 93(11):810-23.
Richardson J, Smith JE, McCall G, Richardson A, Pilkington K, Kirsch I. (2007). Hypnosis for nausea and vomiting in cancer chemotherapy: a systematic review of the research evidence. European Journal of Cancer Care (Engl). 16(5):402-12.
Schnur JB, Bovbjerg DH, David D, Tatrow K, Goldfarb AB, Silverstein JH, Weltz CR, Montgomery GH, (2008). Hypnosis decreases presurgical distress in excisional breast biopsy patients. Anesthsia and Analgesoa; 106(2):440-4
Schnur JB, Kafer I, Marcus C, Montgomery GH (2008). Hypnosis to manage distress related to medical procedures: a meta-analysis. Contemporary Hypnotherapy. 25(3-4):114-128.
Schnur JB, David D, Kangas M, Green S, Bovbjerg DH, Montgomery GH (2009) A randomized trial of a cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis intervention on positive and negative affect during breast cancer radiotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 65(4):443-55.
Spiegel D, Bloom JR (1983) Group therapy and hypnosis reduce metastatic breast carcinoma pain. Psychosomatic Medicine. 45(4):333-9.
Spiegel D, Bloom JR, Kraemer HC, Gottheil E (1989). Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Lancet. 2(8668):888-91.
Poetry from the Other Side, Dealing with Death.
In the summer of 2015, a client of mine―I'll call her Beth―made her transition out of the body. I had worked with her for a year and a half as she battled a particularly aggressive form of cancer. She and I became close as regular clients and their therapists do. I was sad, but even more so, I was honored to help. It is powerful, coming to terms with and dealing with death. It was an experience I will never forget.
Blocked
A few weeks before she died, I visited Beth in the hospital to do some Reiki healing. (I am a Reiki Master in addition to a regular mental health counselor). A couple of days later, I went back to do another healing session, but this time there were endless interruptions and the healing never got done. When I left her that afternoon, I told her that I would check in and do some distant healing.
I went home with every intention to do distant Reiki, but when I tried to connect, I was "told" that I wasn't allowed to. When we do distant healing, we telepathically or mentally ask for permission. For the first time in my experience, it was not granted.
Beth and I emailed each other later that week, and she wrote that she was in hospice. I offered to come and visit her and do some more Reiki. In a message on Tuesday, she suggested that maybe I could come on Friday. In the days that followed she was in and out of consciousness. Her husband took over answering her text messages. We never got the visit scheduled for that Friday, so I tried again to do some distant communication and healing. This time, permission granted.
The Healing
When I connected with Beth, the first thing that I saw was an image of her body lifted over itself. And then she and I began to have a conversation. I found myself reassuring her that it was OK for her to go. I was guided to say things that I'd never thought of before, and the words flowed through me.
Beth's biggest problem was her anguish at leaving her teenage daughter. However, I saw and shared that this early death had been known since before her daughter was born. In fact, though not consciously, all of the decisions that they had made as a family were leading to this point and preparing the daughter for success.
When I finished talking I saw my client-friend standing before me, with a blazing sun behind her. She looked radiant and reassured, confident, happy, and powerful. Three days later, she died.
Dealing with Death
I attended her funeral, which was an amazing service filled with reverence and love. Many of the women in attendance were wearing head scarves, and some of them were printed with Beth's poetry. The day was beautiful. Her spirit was surely there, proud to witness the love and devotion of her community.
On the day following her death, another friend of mine was giving a talk on metaphysics and channeling. At the end of her talk, she led our group through a guided meditation in which we connected with a loved one on the other side.
In the exercise, we went up a flight of stairs and down a hallway into a room and sat on a bench. Next to us was a box. We were to open the box and see if it had any contents. Mine contained a scarf printed with Beth's poetry, but I couldn't read the words.
And then Beth was there. I started hurriedly talking to her but then decided to stop and pay attention! Immediately I saw an image of two women walking arm-in-arm down a ballroom floor, dressed in Victorian style clothing. After that I saw an image of a white horse's head with its mane blowing back in the wind. Both images gave me the impression that Beth and I have been friends before – that was the reason we had such an easy rapport and felt so close.
And then Beth read the poem that she had written for me.
True friendship transcends all bounds of time and place.
The seeds of friendship once planted blossom over many lifetimes.
Thank you for being my true friend.
Thank you, my friend. It is an honor to have crossed paths again.
You Get What You (Think You) Deserve
In my therapy practice in Bryn Mawr, I often help clients resolve issues they have been dealing with for years. The issue may present in different forms, but at its core, it is the same thing, again and again. You get what you (think you) deserve.
Intractable issues?
Typically these intractable issues come in the areas of finance, relationship problems, or weight and other health issues. Even when we know, intellectually, that we should be able to keep our weight in check, or have healthy relationships, or freedom from financial struggle, we often let ourselves down, re-living the same problem again and again. We think we have it mastered, only to see it show up again.
Why? Why, after so much growth and effort, do we face the same stuff again and again? The problem lies deep in the subconscious mind, which is running programming from an earlier time in our lives (or lifetimes). On some level, the problem has become part of our identity; and on a deep level, we think that we deserve it. Consciously we know we deserve to be clear of it, but that doesn’t change the subconscious belief that we do not.
And it isn't simply that the problem is familiar. Usually, on a deep level, we believe that we deserve to have the problem. That's right: If you are struggling with some issue that seems to crop up again and again, chances are good that somewhere deep inside you believe you deserve it. On a deep level, you've bought the lie. The good news is that it is actually simple to find out what this reversal is and then to clear it. When we root out the mistruth we've been subconsciously repeating, the whole system collapses in on itself and we are free. I've seen clients laugh and cry when they release the lie. The world looks different and things fall into place.
And then, it shifts
Once an issue is cleared, it is cleared for good. However, sometimes there are layers upon layers that need to be addressed. Luckily, if a new facet of the issue is presented, it can be cleared in the same way the last one was. My approach combines energy psychology, hypnotherapy, and some neurolinguistic programming to efficiently resolve the issues, in a safe and peaceful way. It is always an honor to do this kind of work and so inspiring to see people make positive changes in their lives. Because they deserve to!
Is tapping really necessary? Here's the deal with EFT tapping.
I have used EFT and other meridian tapping therapies both for myself and with many clients in my therapy practice in Bryn Mawr. I have seen issues―even really tough ones―clear up quickly, almost magically. These results intrigued me, and prompted me to do some research about the field of Energy Psychology; you can read some of it here. People sometimes wonder if tapping meridian points is really a necessary ingredient to EFT's success. One particularly bright and educated client of mine said that he believed it was exposure (the repeated statement of the problem) coupled with a self-soothing technique (tapping) that helped people get clear of their issues. He is a psychologist, so he thinks about these things. The topic has been widely debated, and he is not alone in his suspicions. And the research shows that―he's wrong. Here's the deal with EFT tapping.
EFT researchers have begun conducting "dismantling studies" to separate tapping from the cognitive and exposure portions of the protocol. The first study that attempted to parse out the components of EFT's success were (EFT skeptics) Waite and Holder. In 2003, they conducted a study comparing three tapping conditions (EFT, sham points, and a doll) to a non-tapping condition. However, they mistakenly used EFT points, because they asked participants to with their fingertips, which contain meridian points. Participants in all three tapping groups showed significant improvements; the non-tapping group did not. Waite and Holder concluded that EFT owed its success to distraction and desensitization. But they failed to take the fingertip meridian points into consideration when they reached this conclusion. Perhaps because of this, their study is an outlier when compared to other EFT studies.
In 2013, Louis Fox conducted a study to parse out the components of EFT's success. He compared EFT to a control group that used the cognitive and exposure portions of EFT with mindful breathing instead of tapping. The group that used EFT tapping points did significantly better than the control group. In 2014, Rachel Rogers and Sharon Sears conducted a similar study but in this case the control group used sham tapping points. Again, the group that used the actual EFT tapping points had significantly better results. The most recent dismantling study was conducted in 2015 by Reynolds, who also compared EFT to a group using sham tapping. And again, the EFT group had better results than the control group. (See this study in the Energy Psychology Journal)
The research bears out again and again what EFT practitioners and enthusiasts have intuited for more than a decade. Tapping meridian points and focusing on the problem is the recipe for success. EFT has helped thousands of people overcome a variety of emotional issues. If you would like to learn more about it, I highly recommend EFT creator Gary Craig's website, along with the Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology's.
Peace, Love, and Crime: Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi Effect
For quite a long time now, I've been interested in the effects of distant healing and the ability of people to impact consciousness for the greater good. In my therapy practice in Bryn Mawr, I often can feel the energy shift as clients are making changes. But can we make changes beyond the therapy room? Is what I'm feeling real? I think it is, and that we can, based on what I have read about meditation and the Maharishi effect.
The 1% effect. (No, not that 1%)
One of the most fascinating studies of the impact of group consciousness on the greater whole is the Maharishi Effect. Back in the 1970s, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, developer of Transcendental Yoga and guru to the stars, predicted that if 1% of a population performed Transcendental Meditation (TM), they would produce measurable improvements in the overall quality of life for the entire population. His students began to track the data, and in 1976 published a paper that found a 16% reduction in crime when 1% of the population participated in TM.
If isolated TM practitioners could have such an effect, they wondered, what would be the impact of a group meditating together? Researchers predicted that the coherence generated by a group of TM practitioners working together could impact a group the size of the square of the number of meditators. In other words, two people meditating together could impact a group of four; 100 meditators could impact 10,000; and 1,600 could impact 256 million people― the population of the US at that time.
And so they set out to test their hypothesis, collecting FBI crime data in the US, and other data from around the world, when large TM groups met. Statisticians carefully controlled for other variables, and the findings are remarkable.
Here are some of the highlights (and here's a link to my primary source):
- 1980-1981, crime in Delhi decreased by 11% during a TM convention
- 1984-1985, crime in Manila decreased by 12.5% during a TM convention
- 1981-1983, Maharishi University opened a campus in DC; violent crime decreased.
- 1983, a group of meditators met in Jerusalem; crime in Jerusalem decreased 7.4%; crime in Israel decreased 4.1%.
- The war in Lebanon was also affected, with a decrease in war death and war intensity.
- 1993, violent crimes decreased during a TM convention in DC and politics functioned better―enough to make a reporter remark, "such a swift reversal of political fortunes is not easy to account for".
- 1979-1985, when the group of meditators at Maharishi University in Iowa numbered more than square root of 1% of US population, there was a decrease in violent deaths in the US.
- TM group participation in Iowa also affected quality of life in Canada, with a marked decrease in violent deaths, cigarette consumption and worker strikes.
Can we start to take advantage of this? Please?
The data are impactful, and I was left wondering ―why did it take me 20 years to hear about it? Why haven't we capitalized on this effect? And―can we start now? Last summer I held a group meditation on 8/8, the "Lion's Gate", as part of the worldwide synchronized meditation for peace. I think that when enough people tune in, we will make a difference in the world. I'm already marking my calendar for this year's International Day of Peace, 9/21/2015―and I hope you do, too.
I suspect that it is not TM alone, but any practice that brings people to a calm, heart-centered, spiritual state that can have such an impact. And I intend to find out!
I goofed ―and it turns out, I grew
In addition to my work as a therapist and healer, I am a yoga teacher --and I love it. Being a part of the yoga community is rewarding, being a teacher is an honor. Finding the right time-slot for a class is both art and science, as we try to figure out when people can, and want to, come to class. Two weeks ago I spoke with the owner of the studio where I teach, and we decided to start my class 15 minutes earlier. I think this is a fantastic idea: it will bring more students to the class; it will make my day end a little earlier. The new time was to begin yesterday. The problem is, I forgot. En route to the studio, I realized my mistake. Instead of being ten minutes early, I was going to be five minutes late.
And then, a miracle happened: I didn't beat myself up.
I spoke with the studio owner, who was on site as she had just finished teaching. She was gracious and handled the situation with a problem-solver's good humor. She said she'd start the class, and I could take over when I got there. Her grace made it easier for me to hold mine. That is huge. That is HUGE. That is something we can all learn from. We can make the world a safer, happier place by choosing to panic less and to be calm and kind.
According to the Dalai Lama, the purpose of life is to be happy. It is difficult to be happy when we are caught in a constant barrage of criticism, especially that sneaky and pervasive self-criticism. Giving others grace is profound. Giving ourselves the same grace that we would grant another is life-changing. We are going to make mistakes; we are human. How we respond to those mistakes can determine our overall happiness. It can take us closer to, or move us away from, the very purpose of our lives.
I have a history of deep, pervasive, acerbic self-criticism. But I have been really working on this stuff since 2002. I have an arsenal of effective and well-honed techniques that have helped me: hypnotherapy; EFT and other Energy Psychology techniques; Reiki and other energy healing; an almost-daily meditation practice. (Note this is a meditation practice, not a perfect. I have yet to achieve samadhi. I barely find pratyahara. It's all good.)
I've also grown older, and at 46, I'm not the same gal I was at 33. My dad, known for his character and wisdom, once assured me that "these [crises] have a way of working themselves out". Crises do pass, and while they are with us, they teach us a lot. Sometimes I think of my Higher Self speaking to me like a light-hearted Mafioso, saying "We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way…." Let's do the easy way, please.
Yesterday's mistake showed me how far I have come. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sarah. Good job yesterday! Congratulations on not freaking out or beating yourself up. And please, keep up the good work―life is much happier that way.
:)
The role of emotions in cancer
Susie (name changed for privacy) came in to my therapy practice in Bryn Mawr, and she was reeling. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer and treatment was underway. But she wasn't sleeping. She was trying to keep it all together, and ended up alternating between tears and anger. She was certainly having trouble engaging in life. And she knew that none of that was helping her condition. So much was beyond her control, but she could benefit from understanding the role of emotions in cancer.
The role of emotions in cancer
The mind-body connection has major implications for our health and well-being. People all across the Western world are taking up practices like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga, and they are doing it with good reason. They feel better, and there is a deep and growing body of empirical evidence showing that emotions play an important role in health.
Resources as mainstream as WebMD and the Mayo Clinic address the role of stress in health. We know that stress and traumatic events impact the hormonal stress response system in ways that impair immune function and can lead to disease―even cancer. And we know that there are ways to combat that impact and improve overall health and wellbeing.
In one study of 94 women with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer, stress was correlated to disease: women who had not experienced significant stressors remained disease-free for longer periods of time than those who did experience significant stress.
So, what are you supposed to do if you are upset?
There is good news even for people experiencing tough times. You can fare better if you deal with your emotions. According to David Spiegel, M.D., one of the study authors, "people do better in the aftermath of traumatic stress if they deal with it directly. Facing, rather than fleeing it, is important... In other words, don't suppress your emotions."
Please, don't suppress your emotions. Many people who have been diagnosed with cancer experienced a significant loss in the two years before diagnosis. I can't tell you how many times when I'm doing energy healing on a person with cancer I hear the phrase "un-cried tears ". Tears are not shameful, and we should throw away the silly lyric "big girls don't cry" and its implication that even little boys shouldn't. Tears are cleansing and we do ourselves a great service when we cry them.
The "Type C" personality
Not shedding those tears is an aspect of the "type C personality", a term dubbed for the traits commonly seen among people who have been diagnosed with cancer. In the Cancer Report, Susan Silberstein, Ph.D., of the Center for Advancement in Cancer Education, outlines the traits. They are:
- Repression of negative emotions (as mentioned above)
- Feeling hopeless, that there are no options, or a lack of control
- Not having deep emotional ties or being in toxic relationships
- A tendency to keep the peace at any cost, to put others' needs first, or even to be unaware of their own needs
- A feeling (often unconscious) that they do not deserve happiness, success, or even life
- A need to gain attention through the disease which they could not, or did not, receive otherwise
No, it's not your fault
Getting cancer is not anyone's fault. We are living at the intersection of genetics, experience, environmental toxins. A lot of that is beyond our control, which can feel scary. But some of it is, and that's why this information about the mind-body connection and the "Type C personality" can be so empowering.
When I work with clients who have cancer, we spend a lot of time re-working their emotional patterns. We create a safe space to cry. We reframe the work ethic to create less stress and a more balanced life. We practice shifting emotional boundaries to create healthier relationships. We shine the light on those tendencies to "stuff it" and practice speaking up. All of these are skills that can be learned, and learning them leads to a happier, and healthier, life.
As for Susie...
Susie and I worked together for several weeks. During that time she had a few "aha" moments. On her first visit, she cried. But after the tears were released, she started to feel lighter and clearer, and certainly more optimistic. We used some hypnotherapy and guided meditation techniques to help her find her voice. When she used it, she found that, far from driving people away, her relationships actually improved. She evaluated her work schedule and found ways to be more efficient and less stressed. And she became confident that her treatments were working. Susie managed to learn some of the lessons her cancer had to teach and was able to get back to the joy of living.
And that, it seems to me, is pretty much the point. :)
My life is giving birth to me
Being born is not a comfortable process. I often feel that my life is "giving birth" to me. This is a metaphor that often comes to mind when I'm working with my clients in my therapy practice in Bryn Mawr.
There are moments of comfort, certainly. But there are unavoidable moments of painful growth, when I am squeezed and pushed and molded into something new. Painful experience seems to be part of the human condition. We are told that humanity as a whole is progressing under the 4th Ray of Divinity, the Ray of harmony through conflict. That theory is hard to argue with.
Our painful experiences, though, are turning us into something more useful and pure. Pain is the heat applied in the crucible of our existence. When we hold this in our minds, it makes the pain a little easier to bear. When we are able to detach a little from the pain, we can navigate it a little better. One way I've found to be a little more detached is to remember that each of us is made up of many parts, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Our bodies are made up of 50 trillion cells, and each of those cells is a little unit of consciousness. Bruce Lipton, in the fabulous Biology of Belief, describes the movement of cells in a lab setting: In a Petri dish, human cells will move toward a sugar source and away from a poison. They have consciousness, of course on a different scale than ours, but consciousness nonetheless. Imagine how they respond to the thoughts we send to them…imagine how they will respond to kinder thoughts.
Our emotions exist on a different level of consciousness than our bodies or our minds. Emotions use different brain structure than thoughts. The limbic system is the emotional brain and the cortex is the "thinking" brain. The limbic system sends more signals up to the cortex than the other way around, which helps explain why emotions can sometimes overwhelm reason. Luckily we can learn to take a more detached position, and when we do, we begin to notice the flow of emotions. We still experience them, but without drowning in them.
Our thoughts are different from our feelings. Our thoughts sometimes run away with us, but with practice we learn to control them. The first step to this control is to witness them. We notice them arise and float away, and begin to realize that we have thoughts, but we are not our thoughts. We have been told that with our thoughts we create the world. As I look back on my own life experiences, it seems that there is some truth to this. But often we create by accident or default because we create the things we are afraid of. With practice we can learn to use our thoughts to create the things that are for our higher good.
The highest level of being that most of us are able to access at times is the level of our Soul, which is who we really are. Instead of identifying with the passing pleasure and pain of our 3-D physical world, we are learning to identify with a higher purpose, a higher level of consciousness. When we contact our soul, we experience pure joy, gratitude, and peace. We become more intuitive and less critical, and realize that when one member of our human family is suffering, we all suffer. We come to understand that we are more than what meets the eye.
I think that is the purpose of our suffering: To teach us to shift our focus upward. Painful experience shows us that we are placing our attention on the temporary and transient rather than the real and transcendent. Holding on to this idea has helped me to witness my suffering on one level, even as I participate in it on another. This eases the pain and opens me up to pure joy. And that is pretty fantastic!
My typo as a metaphor, and it's OK to ask for help
I sent an email newsletter last week and it had a big mistake in it. The second paragraph makes no sense. It says: "Have you ever considered that what we do that with our spaces, we can do that with our energy fields?"
I knew what I meant.
I usually have a second set of eyes proofread for me, but this time I was late getting it sent and was impatient. I read it several times, and read it out loud. Reading my writing aloud is a good way to make sure it makes sense. But this time it didn't work.
The problem was that I knew what I meant to say, so I didn't notice what I actually typed. Knid of lkie you can udnresantd waht tihs syas.
I should have used my proofreader.
Which brings me to the point: We should always use our team!
Humans are social creatures. When we tell ourselves, very stubbornly, "I can do it all by myself" we are likely mistaken. The stubbornness itself is probably a sign that we are mistaken.
Of course there are lots of things we are supposed to do alone, but in the bigger scale, "no man is an island unto himself". We humans thrive in relationships. We are happy in community. We gravitate to groups, try to find our tribe, we work out our issues in relationship with others.
When my little sister was in a high chair and just learning to talk, she wanted to do everything all by herself. One night we were having stir-fry with soy sauce, she was at that age of budding independence and wanted to pour it "all by herself". The over-sauced food made her shudder.
This is what happens to us even as adults when we stubbornly, and I dare say immaturely, decide that we can do "it" ―anything, everything―all by ourselves. We shudder as we learn the hard lessons of ego, and come to realize the beautiful reality of interdependence.
I see many brave and strong clients who mistakenly believe that asking for help in time of crisis is a sign of weakness. I have done this too, but I try to remember what I remind my clients.
Getting help is not a sign of weakness: It is a sign of humanity. Sometimes we find that the best thing we can do is to ask for help, to let others in. When we deny ourselves the help, and deny others the opportunity to be of service, we throw things out of balance.
Sometimes we give, and sometimes we take. Sometimes we lead, and sometimes we follow. But we never travel alone. And when we forget that, we have forgotten the very thing that makes us human.
The Chakras: Foundations of Health
You know you are more than your body, that you are an energy being, timeless and expansive. How does that energy become the "we" that we see? Part of the explanation comes from an understanding of the energy body. Basically, our physical bodies are the concrete reservoir of energy pouring into us from the biofield, the energy body that surrounds and interpenetrates us. Within that biofield are seven major (and many minor) energy centers, or chakras. This blog provides an introduction to the chakras, or the seven major energy centers within a human body.
Chakra is the Sanskrit word for "wheel" and the name is apt, because each of these centers spins, allowing energy to flow in and out of our bodies. The energy centers also correspond to a layer of our biofield. And inside our bodies, they correspond to a gland. Moreover, each chakra relates to some basic physical and emotional issues, both positive and negative. In this introduction to the chakras, we will use the terms "energy centers" and "charkas" interchangeably.
Introduction to the chakras
Energy flows into our system from the crown chakra and circulates through all of the other chakras, into the back and out the front. Energy steps down, layer by layer, as it circulates through the biofield or aura. It eventually makes its way into the etheric sheath, the layer of energy that envelops the physical body. From there, it enters the physical body itself.
Energy is everything, and therefore nothing exists in the physical that doesn’t first exist in the etheric or energy body. The health of our body is directly related to the flow of energy through our etheric body, and the health of the etheric body is directly related to the flow of energy through the six other chakras and their respective layers of the aura. Here's a framework to understand how it all works.
The root center.
The first or root chakra corresponds to the etheric sheath. The root chakra is located just below the perineum. It is associated with the adrenal glands, which are the masters of the “fight or flight” response. Root chakra imbalances, then, often involve either chronic stress or "flightiness.” This shows up as a lack of grounding -- aka, a poor functioning of the root center.
The issues typically associated with the root chakra include survival issues and the will to live, inherited beliefs, some sleep problems, and being grounded. Physical issues can include autoimmune disorders, kidney problems, and issues like chronic fatigue. When the root chakra is fully functioning, we are grounded. We feel fully alive and present in our physical plane lives, and have a sense of belonging here on earth.
The sacral center.
The second or sacral chakra is located at the top or the sacrum, about two inches below the navel. This energy center is related to the astral or emotional body, what we often think of as the inner child. The astral body forms the second layer of the aura. The glands associated with the sacral center are the reproductive glands.
Not surprisingly, then, issues associated with the sacral center include sexual issues, emotionalism, relationships, and even money issues. Physical issues related to the sacral center may include certain digestive complaints and issues related to the reproductive system. This center has a lot to do with relationships, as well as harmony or disharmony. When the sacral center is clear and fully functioning, we will experience emotional equilibrium, peaceful relationships, and an end to victim consciousness.
The solar plexus
The third chakra is the solar plexus center. It is located in the area of the diaphragm. This center is related to the ego or lower mental body which forms the third layer of the aura. In terms of the glands, the solar plexus corresponds to the pancreas.
The issues associated with the solar plexus center include judgments and criticisms, separativeness, and an “us vs. them” mentality. Health issues related to solar plexus dysfunction include diabetes and many digestive complaints. The solar plexus is also the seat of stress, and an overactive solar plexus can drain the heart center. Thus, heart issues often involve the solar plexus. When the solar plexus is fully functioning and clear, our little egos are under control and we are aligned with the Higher Self.
The heart center.
The fourth chakra is the heart center and is located right at the middle of the chest. This energy center connects the energy of the fourth layer of the aura. It corresponds to the thymus gland, which is important in regulating immune function. When the heart chakra is open and fully functioning, we are connected to our Higher Self and open to group consciousness. We embrace and live the understanding that what is good for one is good for all.
Low energy in the heart chakra is analogous to an overactive solar plexus: anger, criticism, and separativeness. Physical heart chakra issues can include immune deficiencies as well as heart and lung issues. Opening the heart chakra includes self-forgiveness, self-love, and releasing past hurts. Again, the third and fourth chakras are directly related to one another. An overactive third drains the fourth, and vice versa. Interestingly, some experts say that the next step forward for humanity is in opening the collective heart center. It is interesting to consider what that will mean for us, isn't it?
The throat center.
The fifth chakra or throat center is located at the base of the throat. It is associated with the thyroid gland which runs our metabolism. This chakra is all about communication: speaking our truth, connecting to our Higher Self, and manifesting. The fifth and second chakras are directly related. This seems reasonable when we consider how emotions affect communication! An overactive sacral center (emotional body) drains the throat center (unable to communicate or connect to the Higher Self).
Unsurprisingly, throat center problems arise when it is over-active (angry outbursts, for example) or under-active (unable to speak up for ourselves). Moreover, when we are not clear about what to do or how to move forward, we can guess there is an imbalance in the throat center. Illnesses associated with the throat center include many thyroid issues and some voice problems. When the throat is fully functioning and open, we can effectively and harmlessly speak the truth. Moreover, we connect to our Higher Self and we can create or manifest.
The ajna center, soon to be your third eye.
The sixth chakra is called the ajna center. It is located at the middle of the forehead. It corresponds to the pituitary body, which runs the endocrine system. When this center is fully open, it functions as the Third Eye, opening our awareness to the Buddhic plane, the center of intuition and the sixth layer of the aura.
For now, the ajna center contains the recapitulation of all the energy from the lower centers. In fact, problems with the entire glandular system may stem from problems with the ajna center. Imbalances in the sixth chakra typically happen when we are too much “in our heads”.
The crown center.
Finally, the seventh or crown chakra is located above the top of the head. Energy pours into our system via the crown chakra and circulates through the other chakras. This chakra is associated with the pineal gland and the seventh layer of the aura.
Problems in the head center may lead to migraines. It connects us with the Monad or Spirit and opens us to what is sometimes called "Christ" or "Krishna" consciousness. Sometimes people refer to this as universal consciousness. For most of us, we can only hope to connect to such high vibrations of love and wisdom! In the meantime, the crown center sows energy into our entire system.
Now, what will you do with your introduction to the chakras?
Now that you have this basic understanding of the chakras, what will you do with your knowledge? If you are intrigued, it may be worth studying a little more! ACEP's upcoming Comprehensive Energy Psychology course will provide you with more information to help you deepen your understanding. To understand how to use the chakras for developing your intuition, read Lori Hops’s blog here. If you are still a little skeptical (or know someone who is), read this report on a study focusing on the evidence for the chakras.
Author bio:
Sarah Murphy, LPC, ACP-EFT, is an ACEP Board member and chair of its communications committee. She has a private practice where she specializes in helping people with serious or chronic illness.