Cancer touches many of our lives, either directly or indirectly and the experience of living with cancer or helping a loved one deal with the effects of cancer can be overwhelming, frightening and confusing.
The impact of living life with cancer can be ameliorated by considering all the challenging, multilayered effects of cancer – by addressing the physiological, emotional, social and life effects. Using a natural, whole person therapeutic approach can help support coping with or recovering from the disease. Yoga therapy, as part of a collaborative care team, offers some of the tools which can help with the process of recovery or improving quality of life.
As the benefits of Yoga Therapy become more widely known, it is increasingly being incorporated by the medical profession (including oncologists), into individualised treatment plans for a variety of diseases and is gaining respect as an effective complement to Western medicine.
Yoga Therapists are trained in the biomedical aspects of health and adapt body and breath practices to address specific health issues. It is a somatic therapeutic approach that is accessible to all and addresses both physical and mental health, which are so interrelated in determining the outcomes for recovery and disease prevention.
Yoga Therapy has been shown to help with cancer related fatigue as well as reducing stress, anxiety and promoting recovery from cancer treatments and surgery with gentle, slow, pain free movement and relaxation techniques.
Yoga Therapy combines movement, breath and relaxation practices, that are specifically adapted to the unique needs of each client at each stage of their cancer journey. Yoga Therapists are trained to understand the types of cancers, treatment options and side-effects and this training allows for the development of an appropriate and unique therapeutic plan to support each client.
Within the framework of a therapeutic relationship, a yoga therapist can provide each client with specific practices adapted to their circumstances and type of cancer, as well as simply being there to guide and ‘hand-hold’, listen, advise and create a safe, calm space to rest. Simple somatic practices can be very effective in calming the nervous system, relieving some of the debilitating symptoms of the medication and treatments and these can be done at home, in bed, on a chair or when it all feels too much, the yoga therapist will simply guide the client to breath and rest. Sessions can also be conducted online if there are concerns with regard to vulnerability due to a compromised immune system or where cancer treatments require physical distance.
The importance of a caring support system has been proven to improve life expectancy and quality of life, in many instances and a Yoga Therapist can form part of that support structure in a compassionate, impartial and caring way.
