How do the Breast Cancer Recovery Coaching tools work?
This section is a little technical, however I wanted to include a brief explanation of how your subconscious influences your ability to heal and recover. The mind/body connection is one science no longer ignores. My Breast Cancer Recovery tools allow you to influence your subconscious in a positive way, and harness the power of your mind, combining proven clinical hypnotherapy, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques. There are links to independent supporting scientific studies, and other resources at the bottom.
The brain is the most powerful organ in the body. The subconscious mind controls the autonomic nervous system (ANS), divided as the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PSN) nervous systems.
Anxiety, stress, and illness activate the fight or flight response in the SNS to defend the body against real or perceived attack. This system can go into overdrive and deplete resources as energy is diverted from nourishing, healing, and regeneration to a state of fight or flight readiness. Sometimes the SNS can get caught in a loop.
The PNS is concerned with nourishing, healing, and regeneration of the body, and is essential for balanced living, for all healing, including the immune system. By remaining rested, relaxed, and keeping a positive outlook, the PNS is able to nourish and repair the body.
Because the SNS is concerned with survival, it always takes priority over the PNS and saps the resources you need to nourish and repair your body.
The combined use of clinical hypnotherapy and NLP allow you to tap into the power of your subconscious to alleviate the negative aspects of the SNS, and access the natural powers of the PNS to enhance the healing abilities of the body.
Can hypnosis reduce hot flashes in breast cancer survivors? A literature review. (Elkins G1, Marcus J, Palamara L, Stearns V.), Am J Clin Hypn. 2004 Jul;47(1):29-42.
Chronic pain management: nonpharmacological therapies for chronic pain. (Chang KL1, Fillingim R2, Hurley RW3, Schmidt S4.), FP Essent. 2015 May;432:21-6.
Clinical Hypnosis for the Palliative Care of Cancer Patients (By Gary Elkins, PhD, William Fisher, MA, and Jim Sliwinski, MA), Cancer Network.com.
Complementary Treatments – Guided Imagery, Breastcancer.org.
Complementary Treatments – Hypnosis, Breastcancer.org.
Disseminating hypnosis to health care settings: Applying the RE-AIM framework, (Vivian M. Yeh, Julie B. Schnur, and Guy H. Montgomery), Psychol Conscious (Am Psychol Assoc). 2014 Jun; 1(2): 213–228.
Hypnosis in breast cancer care: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, (Cramer H1, Lauche R2, Paul A2, Langhorst J2, Kümmel S3, Dobos GJ2.), Integr Cancer Ther. 2015 Jan;14(1):5-15. doi: 10.1177/1534735414550035. Epub 2014 Sep 18.
Immune responses to guided imagery during breast cancer treatment, (Lengacher CA1, Bennett MP, Gonzalez L, Gilvary D, Cox CE, Cantor A, Jacobsen PB, Yang C, Djeu J.), Biol Res Nurs. 2008 Jan;9(3):205-14).
Society for Integrative Oncology – Guidelines for Complementary Therapies, (Researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center with colleagues at MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and other institutions in the United States and Canad), 2014. The researchers analyzed more than 200 studies done between 1990 and 2013 on more than 80 complementary therapies and made recommendations on therapies that are effective and safe for people diagnosed with breast cancer.
The effect of hypnotic-guided imagery on psychological well-being and immune function in patients with prior breast cancer. (Bakke AC1, Purtzer MZ, Newton P.), J Psychosom Res. 2002 Dec;53(6):1131-7.
Additional information resources:
The American Cancer Society: Pain control – Hypnosis
Breast cancer.org: Complimentary treatments: Hypnosis
MD Anderson Center: links to additional research and articles about the applications of hypnosis.
Susan G. Komen: Hypnosis
NOTE: If a client is under the direct care of a licensed care giver, or has a condition that would normally fall under the umbrella of a licensed care giver, I require written permission from that care giver in the way of a written prescription or referral in accordance with Florida law. I am available by phone to answer questions as well.
Any questions you may have will be addressed during your initial consultation – or at any other time – by your hypnotherapist. If you do not feel comfortable having a discussion with your hypnotherapist, perhaps you have the wrong hypnotherapist
