Complementary Therapies and Creative Healing
In addition to their standard medical treatment, some of the people we interviewed used approaches such as massage, supplements, reiki and acupuncture. Many others chose not to try any of these options, and some were skeptical about them. Mindfulness practice, yoga, exercise, careful diet, and meditation helped a number of participants manage stress and anxiety and improve their overall well-being. For many of the people we interviewed, creative outlets such as writing, painting, gardening, or listening to music became an important part of the healing process. Several underscored the value of restoring a sense of balance in their life, maintaining a sense of control, and of finding time for self-care.
Dr. Lu Marchand, University of Washington, talks about complementary therapies and their benefits.
Dr. Lu Marchand, University of Washington, talks about complementary therapies and their benefits.
The most power is in using the complete toolbox in our health and healing. Conventional therapies are usually the mainstream therapies of medications, surgery, radiation, as well as the therapeutic intervention that comes from just the relationship of the clinician and the person. In terms of complementary therapies they're often seen as out of the mainstream, but I feel that this is almost an artificial division. Why aren't they a part of conventional medicine? Many of these therapies have lots of evidence to show that they should be a part of mainstream medicine, but for many different reasons, they are not. And so they are put in a box of alternative and complementary medicines that are here and in many cultures, they would be a part of mainstream medicine. I would like for the toolbox to be as large as possible for all healing modalities and we term that Integrative Health. Integrative Medicine is also another term that's used.
When I saw cancer patients, including breast cancer patients, when I did integrative medicine consultations, doing a mindfulness based, stress reduction program was one of the key components to treatment, I felt. Because when people have more in awareness of who they are, and what they want to accomplish what are their goals and how to get harmony between mind, body and spirit. So having the heart, working with the mind is of incredible importance in having the most discernment about what is most healing for you and so mindfulness helps with being curious, having intention, being as well as doing, focusing on those practices in your life that will be most healing and helpful for you. So, mind body interventions do go beyond just meditation, or yoga, meditative movement, meditative practices, body scan for increasing body awareness.
Art therapies or expressive therapies, I think of them as contemplative practices to enter more deeply into who we are. These are practices that help us really delve more deeply into who we are and music therapy is not only pleasurable, but certain music can be very evocative for us in terms of our emotions of processing grief and loss, because having a diagnosis of cancer or having even a family history of cancer can be very – a very deeply emotional experience and how do we explore that for ourselves and the expressive therapies could be dance, it could be writing, it could be collage, could be painting, it could be so many different kinds of things often
These therapies give us a path toward where the healing is and they are therapeutic in and of themselves. So, it is going to be very difficult and there have been plenty of studies to show how effective these therapies are in reducing anxiety, in increasing energy, in decreasing pain.
Complementary Therapies
Some people sought out complementary therapies right from the start of their treatment, others chose to stay focused on standard medical treatment. In additional to conventional treatment, Alison found a functional medicine doctor to seek the “the root cause” of her illness. Amy found an oncologist who would be open to complementary therapies and “support any kind of treatment option that I wanted to pursue”; she also had some bad experiences with salves and teas. Lisa J. found complementary therapy was a way for her health care providers “to get to know” her and offered the opportunity for a “meeting of the minds” where she and her providers were “a real team.”
Katrina’s providers helped her prioritize her “mind, body, and soul” throughout treatment.
Katrina’s providers helped her prioritize her “mind, body, and soul” throughout treatment.
I had to, you know, keep moving, keep praying, keep moving. And up there they had, at the cancer center, they had the sign, they meet, everything. They meet mind, body, and soul. So, they met, they gave massages. So, everything that was, that you could need or want, it was there. Physical therapy, when you're, my joints and stuff was hurting. I had physical therapy, speech therapy for my chemo brain, they, and I sometimes with my phone lost, the apps would help with your memory each day. She'd set up days that I do these activities. And they helps with like remembering things, and every day it was set up. And now I had a reminder would come on. It was just, it was everything. They helped with that. So, I would say that really helped my chemo brain. Getting a massage, you know.
John says modern medicine methods were “the way to go” for him.
John says modern medicine methods were “the way to go” for him.
INTERVIEWER: Have you ever considered any complementary or alternative treatments like acupuncture or massage or meditation?
JOHN: Right. Certainly, medication. Now, I haven’t done it. But it’s something that would be good thing to do. I’m not a fan of homeopathic methods. I’m sure improving your day absolutely will help. [uh] Massage therapy would be great. [um] Acupuncture I’ve never considered.
PART TWO...
pretty much, modern medicine methods for me was the way to go with my treatments. [uh] But yeah.
Acupuncture helps relieve Debbie’s side effects.
Acupuncture helps relieve Debbie’s side effects.
I was having so much trouble with chemotherapy, I thought, well, I'll try it. And I actually have a friend that's an acupuncturist. In fact, he's one of my clients. And, so, I went to him. And he got fluids moving through my body that hadn't been moving properly because everything gets backed up when you have chemotherapy and it gets sluggish. And there was actually one point when he was working on me, he did mostly acupressure, that I could feel the fluids moving all the way to my foot. And that was an amazing feeling. Now, I'm struggling with some neuropathy. I thought it was carpal tunnel, but it's actually neuropathy and, so, I've been going to him for that. And that has made a world of difference. It's not carpal tunnel. I don't have to have surgery.
Others we interviewed said mind-body practices, as well as herbs and supplements, helped them cope with emotions related to their cancer such as stress, fear and anxiety. Some also mentioned the importance of mindfulness, a technique for paying conscious attention to thoughts, feeling, and emotions without being critical of them.
Meditation helped Ronnie cope with getting her diagnosis.
Meditation helped Ronnie cope with getting her diagnosis.
It took like, a prescription for meditation from a behavioral psychologist for me to do it. And I think that was probably the single most helpful thing. That whole staying in the present thing sounds very cliched but it was really the reason why, when I got the news of the diagnosis, I was able to keep it together. Even though it was emotionally very difficult, I remember being in the right mind to take notes on what he said, ask certain questions. Just coming to your senses and being in tune with what is happening. It really helped me, I think, process that information.
Mindfulness helped Kim stay focused on her blessing through three episodes of breast cancer.
Mindfulness helped Kim stay focused on her blessing through three episodes of breast cancer.
It kind of set me on a path where I ended up already kind of interested in mindfulness, but I think realizing, I needed that if I was going to survive this emotionally. I had to be able to find that kind of balance inside where I could—in the moment, I wanted to be honest with myself, and acknowledge what was going on, and the risks that I had. I didn't want to get into any kind of denial about it or just assume everything was going to be okay when I didn't know, but I also wanted to be aware. I could just shift my attention for a moment and just see, also, right now. There are other gifts, you know, in my life. There are other parts of my life that are really extraordinary. So, that being able to do that and cultivating that. I mean, I worked, I cultivated really for years after that, but I really cultivated being able to hold both of those two things.
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Acceptance is a huge part of this whole experience because there's losses along the way, loss of—change in health status, loss of health, loss of a breast, loss of, you know, energy, loss of, you know, with the chemo, loss of hair, loss of—so many losses. And I found mindfulness practice helped me with this because a part of it, is learning about acceptance, learning to accept the things we cannot change, and acceptance is what brings us peace. So, this was a hard, and a big practice of mine throughout the whole process and in my life since because it's just helpful in life is to learn how do I accept this. And it's not easy, but it is where the peace comes in.
Lisa J. chants as a form of mind-body therapy.
Lisa J. chants as a form of mind-body therapy.
I'm a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist. And we chant this chant, "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo," which is loosely translated; it's a quote about the Lotus Sutra. The lotus flower is a pretty, usually, very white or cream-colored flower that grows in the muddiest of water, like really mud water. So, you're always thinking, how does this like, very light, you know, beautiful flower grow in like the sludgiest mud ever?
So, I always think about it in terms of, it's-, you chant for yourself, and you chant for others, and you're trying to always be in sync with the universe, right. So, you always have to deal with reality. Like, you're always chatting about the reality of the situation. So, when all of this was hitting, it's not that our view of it—I don't know if I'm doing it justice—but our view of it is not that, you know, you chant, and then never, never anything's going to happen. But, like, what do you-, how do you fix it? If not fix it, then how do you manage it? And what are you going to take action on? Like, what are you going to do about it? So yeah, you chant that you're better and you get the right doctors, and you chant for wisdom. You chant that your doctors are, you know, doing well, so they treat you well, and you're doing-, you come in as your best patient self. And, you know, there are times that we're going to fail. Like, that's just the nature of the beast. So, that's the nature of life. So, you always chant to see the reality.
Some of the individuals we interviewed used herbs and supplements during cancer treatment. A few found these approaches benefited them physically and spiritually. Nikki, for example, said she takes a variety of vitamins “just to have a healthier balance.”
Merle feels a connection with their culture through supplements and food.
Merle feels a connection with their culture through supplements and food.
I went to Korea last [DATE] 2018. And they sent me back with, you know, basically, medicinal things, like Korean ginseng. And I have mushrooms on my fridge right now from Korea. So the ways in which I've received support. I mean, that certainly--food is culture. And you know like. And food is also medicine. So the things that I have used as a part of my care has definitely been influenced by who I am in that way.
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Having a spiritual core in my life has been really important as well. I would say that my spirituality is kind of layered. But my mom's grandparents were Buddhist. She is not. But I actually resonate with a lot of Buddhist philosophy. And I also have been incorporating a lot of shamanic practices into my life. So, I do have an altar just to my right that I use to connect to my ancestors on both sides. I mean, this is a part of the work that I am doing in my program. But I am trying to connect more deeply to Korean shamanism. But, you know, I also have a white parent. My dad is my white parent. My grandmother was first generation French. And on her side of the family, a lot of people have been very involved with food. I mean, the same is true of my mom's family to some degree. But I am all of them. So, I would just say that being mixed race, it just means that the ways in which I have called on support, I think especially spiritually, has meant that my--my connections to my ancestors has brought me back to, say, certain forms of herbalism or traditional medicine.
Creative Outlets
Having a creative outlet allowed many people we interviewed to process their thoughts and emotions, express themselves, relax, or take a break from living with the challenges of cancer. Linda went to a monthly gardening class “geared for breast cancer survivors.” Nikki found that prayer and humor were “the best medicine” and helped her “focus on something else” while coping with her metastatic diagnosis. Peggy listened to classical music when she is anxious and founds that the notes “calm[ed]” her. Katrina painted, noting, “the strokes... It's like you're free...It just makes you relax.”
Writing and poetry were important outlets for several of the people we spoke with. When Michelle was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she began “a private Facebook group to keep friends and family updated.” At first her focus was mainly clinical, but since her recurrence, she said, she wrote “long blog posts on how I was feeling...It became very cathartic for me.” Carrie wrote “quasi-diary entries” and sent it out to “folks just to keep them updated.” June says that for her, “journal is therapy.”
Writing down positive things helps Susan appreciate everyday experiences as a gift.
Writing down positive things helps Susan appreciate everyday experiences as a gift.
So, I've started this little list. And it's based on a book that I read where I just try to jot down what those silly little blessings are. And they can be anything. You know, those blessings can be anything. So, it's taking and seeing those everyday things that I used to “Ugh” over, like raking leaves, and saying, “Oh, I get to be out here in the air on this beautiful day, raking these leaves, being in God's nature.” You know, I have the health and the wellness to sit here and do it, you know, just, turning those things around and looking at them as gifts and blessings instead of things that are challenges.
Merle says creative work is sacred and healing for them.
Merle says creative work is sacred and healing for them.
I consider my creative work also my spiritual work. And poetry used to be very tightly wound up with it. It still is a sacred practice. A lot of the songs that people used to sing for sacred purposes, they were almost one and the same with poetry. So, like, you know, it all--and that's what I also mean about like, you know silo-ing, is like, I'm in a poetry program. But really, poetry is an entry point for me to be able to do my spiritual work. And part of that is related to my cancer journey in terms of releasing, but also, like, transforming in the ways that I can, grieving. I mean, this is all, to me, a part of the spiritual work that I need to do for myself and the healing work that I have to do for myself. So, I really think of poems, or even if it's not a poem, if it's a story, or if it's a narrative like this, those are all vehicles or containers for that work to happen. That's not everybody's lens, but that's mine. You know. So it has been a way for me to--I think that sometimes it can be healing to release something into a different form. You know, that, can change how that feels. Or just having a way to not only witness your own story, but maybe even have it witnessed by others, or share it, you know. I think that the sharing feels really important.
Self-Care
Many of the people we interviewed found it helpful to keep things in perspective so that breast cancer did not completely take over their lives. Sometimes healing was helped by finding a new way of thinking about things or making time for simple acts of self-care and self-pampering.
Maria H. wishes beauty treatments were more accessible to everyone.
Maria H. wishes beauty treatments were more accessible to everyone.
Right away, I was saying, "Oh, how good would a massage be" or something that could make it more accessible to pay for on their own, but a little more accessible. A spa, a massage, or, or maybe a manicure, a pedicure. Something that raises your spirits a little. A special makeup, something in those moments that lifts your self-esteem a little, and it's the image that gets lost and makes you feel good, makes you feel like, like loved.
De pronto decía, ay, qué bien me vendría como un masaje o algo que fuera más accesible para uno poderlo pagar por su cuenta, pero un poco mas accesible--un spa, un masajito, o a lo mejor unmanicure, un pedicura, algo que te levante un poquito ese ánimo, un maquillaje especial, algo en esos momentos que te levante un poco esa autoestima y esa imagen que se pierde y que te haga sentir bien, que te haga sentir como querida.
Alison exercises regularly and thinks of her body as a healing garden.
Alison exercises regularly and thinks of her body as a healing garden.
But it, it also comes out of this sort of idea that it’s an invading, evil thing that, you know, you have to burn and poison and cut out. And I look at it more like, my body is an ecosystem, like a garden.
And when you have a garden and your flowers aren't growing and the weeds are, there's something wrong with the soil. And there's something fundamentally that needs to be fixed. Something is not right. Something is out of balance. And so that's what I was trying to do, is look at my life and see, ‘Where in my life am I out of balance?’
Ginny says pampering herself and giving herself permission to lay low was very helpful while going though chemotherapy.
Ginny says pampering herself and giving herself permission to lay low was very helpful while going though chemotherapy.
I just had this regular sort of, taking a bath every day. Feeling like I could close work if I felt done in. I didn't take a lot of work off but I gave myself license to lay low if I needed to. And just doing things that made me feel good and didn't tax me. That was my way of pampering myself.
So the advice would be to pamper yourself.
Yeah. Exactly. I mean, you're going through a lot, mentally and physically. And whatever you can do that, that makes life more enjoyable. Yeah. Yoga, massage, anything that’s, a hot tub, anything that's a pamper for you I would recommend, because you deserve it. I mean, you're handling a lot.
Others spoke about the benefits of just focusing on the present, whether it was slowing down or, as Casey put it, “to live the life…that makes me happy and that I enjoy and I think that's half my battle.” Precious was a “high energy person” before being diagnosed with cancer but realized she needed “…to slow down a little bit” to take care of herself.
Casey coped with cancer by doing his “own thing” and focusing on what made him happy.
Casey coped with cancer by doing his “own thing” and focusing on what made him happy.
I did my own thing. I had fires every night. I went up to the woods. I did my own thing that I needed to do for me.
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It, it took me out of where I was at or what was going on around me. And it just put me in the moment of, oh, sitting outside at night by myself having a fire. I was kind of hanging around the fire and doing stuff or weeding at night, headlamp on. And, I mean, I did all that. My thing was nighttime. There's nobody around. It's still is, there's nobody around. There's nobody to bother you. And it’s, it's you and outside, so that helped me a lot just be in the moment, instead of everything being just so active.
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It, it’s just the peace. It's just, it's peace. It’s, for me, it's fire.
Physical Activity & Diet
Many people we spoke with shared how diet and exercise became even more important to them after they received their breast cancer diagnoses. Asante changed her lifestyle after cancer and said “I feel like I'm the most healthy that I've ever been in my life.” Linda was a “walker” and doing that daily made her “feel better.” Sharon belonged to a dragon boat team made up of local “strong and powerful” breast cancer survivors that helped her build strength, stamina and “find ways to make my life full of meaning.” Susan has adopted a paleo diet” to reduce inflammation and pain. Yoga keeps Sarah “calm and centered. Alice appreciates that others may like to try special diets, but she prefers to stick with traditional treatments and “bring on the science.”” See our summaries on Breast Cancer and Treatment to hear about side effects of treatment that made some aspects of self-care like exercise more challenging.
Exercise and paying closer attention to her diet helps Zulma feel better.
Exercise and paying closer attention to her diet helps Zulma feel better.
I started to do—sometimes I exercise because that helps me with the pain in my bones. The chemotherapies bring many secondary effects—the medications. So, I try to do exercise. I changed the way I ate. I try to eat healthier, and I feel very well. I feel very well until now.
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When I started to feel well, I asked them if I could exercise, they told me yes. I started to exercise, not every day, but I started to do exercise, to work. I started to work because we needed money. I started to work and just changed myself. I decided to change the way I ate, opting for more natural things, more fresh food, not canned, no pork, no soda, no Cokes. Everything was healthy for me. At the root of that, my children were seeing all of that. They also changed the way they ate. They started to exercise. They support me. They support me in everything. They tell me, “Mami, leave that chore. Go relax, or exercise.
Me puse a hacer, a veces hago ejercicio, porque eso me ayuda con el dolor de mis huesos. Las quimioterapias traen muchos efectos secundarios. Los medicamentos. Entonces trato de hacer ejercicio. Cambié mi forma de alimentarme. Trato de comer más saludable y me siento muy bien. Me siento muy bien hasta ahora.
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En cuanto yo me empecé a sentir bien, yo les pregunté si podía hacer ejercicios, me dijeron que sí. Empecé a hacer ejercicio, no todos los días. Pero empecé a hacer ejercicio, a trabajar. Yo empecé a trabajar porque necesitábamos el dinero. Empecé a trabajar y solamente cambié -yo misma. Yo misma tomé la decisión de cambiar mi forma de alimentarme, optar por cosas más naturales, comida más fresca, no enlatados, no puerco, no soda, no cocas. Todo lo que fuera saludable para mí. A raíz de eso, mis hijos fueron viendo todo eso. Ellos también cambiaron su forma de alimentarse. Empezaron a hacer ejercicios. Me apoyan. Me apoyan en todo.Me dicen, mami deja ahí el que hacer, vete a relajarte, a hacer ejercicio.
Alice finds camaraderie on a dragon boat team.
Alice finds camaraderie on a dragon boat team.
I joined a dragon boat team for breast cancer survivors, and that has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life, and I never would have had it if I hadn't had cancer. Just this amazing group of fierce women that are athletes. And we all support each other. And we have a lot of fun. And we work really hard. So, that’s-, that's been very positive.
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The captain of our team, our dragon boat team, is the head of the exercise program at [LOCATION]. So, they are all about, they have a whole yoga practice, and meditation, and acupuncture, and massage. I mean, she's, it's amazing. And so, I do a boot camp once a week with her, and then we do our on-the-water practices three times a week, and there's a gym here in my building. So, and we're totally encouraged to be athletes and really push ourselves. And it makes so much of a difference. I mean, I know I was—Monday when I got the news that the PET wasn't good, and I was staying overnight at my mother's the next two nights because she needed someone with her. And so, I really wasn't focusing on it at all. And then Wednesday night, I got out on the water, and it was a beautiful night, and they kicked our butts. It was so hard. We're getting ready for a race. And we were just pushing, pushing. And at first, I thought, I can't do this. I, and by the end of the night I was just so happy. So, all of those endorphins and things.