Brief Cancer Script

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Permalink Reply by Katin Imes on April 30, 2009 at 9:50am

There's more to getting through cancer than just eliminating bad cells. The emotional components, the relationship management with family and friends, managing the fear of your own death and all the implications that holds for your spouse and children, and just the mental fortitude to make it through those radiation and chemo treatments... I respect and treasure our doctors and medical science, but they do little to manage these other aspects of cancer.

That's where hypnosis can be truly helpful to the cancer patient. Immune system aside, it has also been scientifically proven that patients that have a positive mental outlook, manage their stress well and that continuously make the choice to live (rather than give up) have a much higher survival rate.

It has also been proven that hypnosis can help very much minimize the nausea and side effects while maximizing the effects of the treatment meds, so that the lowest doses can be used and yet show very responsive results. This is another place where hypnosis can be of great service to cancer (and other) medical patients.

I agree that the above script is not making the best of these truly powerful and proven avenues of hypnosis application, and the premise in this script can become psychologically problematic.

If you are going to work with cancer patients, there really is a whole world of listening, care, customization and world-model matching that you should be doing; it's serious business. Scripts aren't a strong way to manage the flexibility and blending with client needs that is really key in these cases.

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Permalink Reply by HypnoRich on February 5, 2009 at 7:09pm

I have family and friends who have indeed stated that they feel that the "extra" help of hypnosis during their treatments by doctors have made a big difference. I refuse to abandon anyone because they have nothing to lose and much to gain once they realize how powerful their minds can be. Give the individuals more credit than that. Nobody, not even a doctor can offer a certain cure but, together, miracles can happen.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Rhodes on April 14, 2010 at 9:19am

I agree Rich. My father died of cancer 2 years ago, at the age of just 56. I was reluctant at the time to use hypnotherapy to help him. Eventually I tentatively asked him if he wanted any hypnotherapy and he said he did. However he died before I had chance to help him.

My mother has now recently been diagnosed with cancer, at the age of 52, and she has agreed to hypnotherapy. She has been given around a 1 in 20 chance of surviving it so the odds are against her. However we have done research on what foods are best to eat, we are helping her to stay positive and live a calming but purposeful lifestyle, and I am about to start treating her with hypnotherapy. I want to do everything I can, and I think that includes hypnotherapy since I am a hypnotherapist.

AT worst it will make no difference physically, but help her feel relaxed throughout the sessions as she enjoys them, and more optimistic that she has some sort of chance of survival. I really don't see this as a problem.

I think the problem more lies in how it is presented. If I was charging her £200 a session, and claiming that it will definitely cure her, then it is very ethically challenging. However if you are honest about the treatment and charge a fair fee (I'm of course doing it for free) then I cannot see a problem.

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Permalink Reply by HypnoRich on April 14, 2010 at 9:55am

Thanks Jon....I worked with my own mom prior to her death and the rewards were tremendous!

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