Healing the Spirit
Complementary therapies provide physical-and emotional- comfort
to those fighting breast cancer
THE BREAST CANCER JOURNEY is challenging to the
body and the mind. While traditional treatment approaches, such as
surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, are necessary to eradicate the
disease, they don't address the needs of the mind and the spirit.
That is where complementary therapies come in. Here are a few
options to explore:
Massage therapy. After surgery and other cancer
treatments, which can alter personal appearance, breast cancer
patients often struggle to reconnect physically with other human
beings, says Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., a breast surgeon and
medical director of the Breast Health Program at Holy Redeemer
Hospital in Philadelphia who also serves as chairman of the Board
of Advocates of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. Massage
therapy allows patients to receive touch without having to
reciprocate, to fully relax and become comfortable and open again,
she says.
Guided imagery. Patients can be taught this form of
focused relaxation, which can alleviate anxiety. In her practice,
Dr. DuPree's patients are offered this therapy to ease fears and
anxiety before surgery. There is even evidence that guided imagery
can boost the immune system, when patients imagine healing light
focused on a tumor's location or on immune cells multiplying and
fighting cancer cells.
Journaling. When patients hold on to negative
emotions, they remain inside and fester, which impedes recovery,
Dr. DuPree says. By writing about their feelings, patients can come
to terms with their journey and move on. She recommends keeping a
daily "gratitude journal" of positive thoughts to refer back to on
bad days. She also suggests writing negative thoughts on an index
card and then getting rid of it: "Trash it, burn it, but let it
go."
Art therapy. Another form of self-expression and
release, art therapy can be healing-and fun. Dr. DuPree recently
co-sponsored a workshop in which patients decorated one of their
bras to reflect their healing journey. This "bra wall" now is a
traveling exhibit in museums.
"Complementary therapies take someone who's just surviving
breast cancer to thriving after breast cancer," Dr. DuPree
says.
-By Jodi Bafundo
For information about additional complementary therapies for
breast cancer patients, visit breastcancer.org/treatment/comp_med/.