Emotioanl Care For Cancer

Does This Sound Like You? Do you often have trouble sleeping, with uneasy feelings, fear or anger keeping you from going to sleep or waking you at 3 AM? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by powerful emotions like fear, sadness, and anger? You may even feel paralyzed by the fear, not knowing what to do next or who to turn to. Do you worry about whether everything is really being done that could be done to cure your cancer? Do you wonder how to be sure your doctor is a good doctor, and that she/he really knows what is the best treatment for you? Do you know how to find out? Are you often frustrated when you don’t understand or remember what your doctor or other medical providers say to you? Or are you concerned that they don’t listen to you and give you the answers you need? Do you feel isolated, even when surrounded by loving, caring people? Do your loved ones mean to be helpful, but often say or do things that annoy you more than help you? Do you want to explore other ways to ease your nausea or pain besides taking more drugs? Do you have cancer and sometimes feel ashamed or guilty or fear that you "brought it on yourself?" Would you like to find some peace from the constant, day after day nagging of self-blame and worry? Do you sometimes feel like you are going crazy, that your life is out of control? Are you wanting to find a way to take charge of your life again? If you live in the Corpus Chrisit area you may benefit from having a Cancer Coach. Call today for more information at (361) 688-8200. We are convenitaly located in the central part of Corpus Christi by Town and Country Shopping Center, near Alameda and Robert. Home visits are avilable if you live in a 3 mile driving distance from our office.

Guided imagery and visualization techniques are now available to cancer patients in Corpus Christi, Texas. Corpus Christi residents no longer have to travel to Houston's M.D. Anderson's behavior medicine program for complementary cancer services. Guided imagery and visualization techniques are thought to promote wellness and optimize overall general health and wellbeing. Guided imagery should be used in place of standard cancer therapy and it is not a substitute for medical care or treatment. Guided imagery is a visualization technique, referred to as a "focused daydream" using your imagination in a state of deep relaxed, focused concentration, where cancer patients in Corpus Chrisit can learn to create images to heal their bodies. Cathy Armstrong is a registered nurse, licensed professional counselor, and clinical hypnotherapist that teaches patients general relaxation exercises such as progressive relaxation or autogenic training and then helps patients build detailed images in their minds. Patients are taught exercises such as visualizing their tumors shrinking or their whole body freeing itself of cancer. The Simonton method of guided imagery, developed by Dr. O. Carl Simonton and his wife was designed to work with patients undergoing standard treatments for cancer. This method teaches cancer patients to use the power of the imagination to visualize the immune system cells "gobbling up" cancer cells like "Pac Man," and destroying them. Guided imagery is based on the idea that the mind can affect the functions of the body. Guided imagery is used to promote relaxation, stress reduction and help the mind influence the body in positive ways and is thought to stimulate the endocrine and nervous systems which can lead to changes in the immune system function. The Chrysalis Counseling Center, offers individual and family emotional and spiritual support for patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. A review of 46 studies conducted from 1966 to 1998 by the American Cancer Society found that guided imagery was effective in managing stress, anxiety, depression, pain and the side effects of chemotherapy. There are no known side effects or risks of guided imagery.