Cancer Prehabilitation
The Inner Compass Cancer Prehabilitation program is designed to enhance the functional, emotional and healing capacity of the patient before, during and after the surgical invasive procedures, scans, radiation and chemotherapy to withstand the stress of the treatment.
Diagnosis of cancer and the treatment period is a difficult time for patients. Patients experience heightened anxiety, fear and depression as well. This impacts their immunity and recovery as well.
Patients have to deal with many psycho-social challenges and the diagnosis of this disease often has a profound impact on their identities and personalities.
The Inner Compass Cancer Prehabilitation Program focuses on providing patients with tools for increased resilience, reduced anxiety, cognitive restructuring to identify catastrophic thinking, stress coping strategies, relaxation yogic breathing re-training, psychological preparation for surgery and invasive procedures via clinical hypnosis and advanced counselling techniques and very importantly, psychoneuroimmunology.
The ICCP protocol uses 4 well established scientific and psychotherapeutic techniques to support the emotional and physical well-being of patients.
Cognitive Interventions for cultivating a positive and strong mindset to recovering patients often interpret pain during treatment as a sign of worsening symptoms.
Using cognitive interventions, we patients identify catsrophising thoughts which may be unrealistic, fear based and unful for recovery.
The patient’s perception of chemotherapy is an important area the program works on. Bernie Siegel in his book Love, Medicine and Miracles described in his work with cancer patients, how changing the perception of chemotherapy as an ‘ally’ and visualisation of the immune system going to work to defeat cancer cells ed patients significantly along with lifestyle changes. This is the application of psychoneuroimmuno therapy
.’psycho-‘ means thoughts and emotions
-‘neuro-‘ means that the physical brain is involved
-‘Immuno- how your immune system protects you from illnesses
Techniques in medical hypnosis patients alleviate panic attacks and induce calm and relaxation to equip them with greater mental strength to face their challenges for improved outcomes.
Patients are taught yogic breath techniques and pursed-lip breathing techniques for stress management, dyspnea and fear especially during scans, MRIs, tests and invasive procedures.
Counseling sessions to manage worries and fears
In these sessions, fears, personal and existential issues are discussed in a supportive, safe, confidential and caring environment. Both realistic and unrealistic worries are examined. Patients are gently introduced to concepts such as resilience, acceptance, mindfulness, meditation, self-soothing methods.
The focus is on guiding the patient to redirect thoughts back to the present, here and now while distracted with future concerns.
Body scan meditations and clinical hypnosis
Body scanning meditation is an effective technique in connecting kindly and with compassion to one’s body allowing for healing thoughts and intent.
What can participants expect:
- Participants can expect better mood and emotional resilience to cope with radiation, chemo and surgical interventions
- Reduced anxiety over needles, claustrophobia, anticipatory anxiety and scanning procedures, PEG fitting
- Increased emotional resilience to cope with interventions
- Psychological boost to support immunity
- Cultivate a positive mindset towards treatment and outcome
- Achieve a more relaxed state during invasive treatment
- Speedier post surgery recovery
- Speedy post surgery recovery
- Alleviation of phobia for needles and invasive scans and surgery
- Reduced anticipatory anxiety
- Shorter hospital stay post surgery
- This is an 8 session one-to-one program tailored to the individual needs and issues of the participant.
The ancient Greek physician Galen wrote, “He cures most successfully in whom the people have the most confidence.”
Let us you if you are a cancer patient or know someone who has cancer. To learn more about the program, Contact Us
