Integrative medicine services
Looking Forward's integrative medicine services augment the exceptional clinical
care provided by our cancer center and inpatient Oncology unit. A broad spectrum
of programs and services enhances the quality of life for cancer patients and
their loved ones.
Integrative therapies differ from alternative treatments, which are unproven and
can interfere with traditional cancer treatment. We offer treatments that have been
proven to reduce stress, aid healing, ease pain or provide other patient benefits.
Read more about integrative therapies here.
Our location is a warm, friendly environment with reflective spaces and a beautiful
garden designed to facilitate healing . Working in consultation with your physicians,
our highly trained practitioners are sensitive to the needs of cancer patients. They
have been carefully selected to provide the highest level of care and most healing
experience possible.
As few insurers cover integrative therapies, patients are often faced with the choice of
paying themselves or forgoing them altogether, leaving them medically underserved. But at
Saint Raphael's, we endeavor to carry out the mission of our sponsors, the Sisters of
Charity of Saint Elizabeth, and to provide these services to all who need them. The Saint
Raphael Auxiliary and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation have been generous donors
and subsidize these treatments so that they are available to all at a nominal or no cost.
Our therapies are available to all cancer patients and their loved ones undergoing treatment at the Hospital of Saint Raphael.
Note:
These therapies should not be used to replace traditional
medical care.
See our Calendar of Events for
details about Looking Forward integrative medicine classes,
or call (203) 789-3111 for more information.
Gentle yoga
Also called integrative yoga therapy, this individualized, gentle style of yoga allows
anyone to participate by modifying postures. The physical activities include breathing
exercises, stretches, movements, and postures - where you stay in a position for a several
moments.
Yoga provides many benefits, including stress reduction, improved health and immunity,
increased flexibility and strength, improved thought processes and concentration and lower
blood pressure.
Yoga can be modified to meet individual needs and is often used as a form of physical therapy.
Postures can even be performed while seated. Your yoga instructors can talk with you about
physical limitations to help modify and create an individualized yoga experience.
“One of my peak experiences ever is doing yoga in the sunshine on the shore with the waves
crashing & glistening, the breeze blowing, and sharing the experience with my sisters thriving
with breast cancer!! …Sharing this journey with others on the same quest is healing, inspirational,
and opens me to new possibilities and new friends. Thank you so very much”
- Beverly Sager, Oxford, 55
Looking Forward offers an ongoing yoga class that meets every Tuesday. Deborah Del Vecchio-Scully:
M.S., N.C.C., integrative medicine manager, and
certified integrative yoga therapist, teaches a gentle, individualized style of yoga.
back to top
Meditation
Meditation is any activity that holds the mind in the present moment. There are
many types of meditation. The most common types are:
- Vippasana, during which you sit quietly and focus your attention on your breath.
- Relaxation response, during which you focus your attention on a sound, thought or
any repetitive movement.
- Mindfulness, during which you sit quietly and simply observe whatever goes through
the mind without becoming involved in any thoughts, worries or memories.
The benefits of meditation can include reduced anxiety and stress, an improved immune
system and pain management.
back to top
Guided imagery
Imagery is a flow of thoughts you can see, hear, feel, smell or taste in your imagination;
during guided imagery, you enter your imagination with the direction of a "guide." It is a
kind of deliberate, directed daydreaming that uses soothing music and narrative to evoke
powerful physical responses.
It gently guides the mind and body into a relaxed, healing and immersive state. It works
easily for most people and becomes easier with continued practice. Whether climbing a
mountain or floating on a cloud, these sessions teach the valuable technique of visualizing
comforting and empowering places - places you can return to during the moments of pain and
loss common during the cancer journey.
Proven scientific benefits include reduced stress, pain and anxiety; slowed heart rate; a
strengthened immune system; decreased treatment side effects; and increased creativity and
problem solving.
To schedule a one-on-one session or group training, please contact
(203) 789-3836 or dscully@srhs.org.
back to top
Chair massage
Massage therapy has proven beneficial for a variety of conditions like
chronic pain, arthritis, and stress relief. It is particularly helpful
for increasing circulation and enhancing flexibility for the elderly
population. Massage therapy involves hands-on techniques to knead or
apply pressure to the body. It is generally offered in a quiet, warm
room with soft music to create a relaxing environment.
The McGivney Center offers fully clothed, seated massage sessions. All
patients undergoing treatment should obtain a medical clearance from
their physicians before getting a massage.
back to top
Holistic nutrition
At the McGivney Center, we look at nutrition from a mind/body perspective
and an integrative approach to nutritional counseling. Our program, lead
by a registered dietitian with an M.S. in human nutrition, teaches patients
how to adopt healthy eating habits during their treatment and recovery. To
help the healthy habits stick, we use several proven techniques including
mindfulness training, behavior modification, stress management, smoking
cessation, and gentle exercise.
The program includes a review of vitamins, herbals, and supplements to determine
benefit or harm during treatment. It provides patients with strategies to manage
treatment-related digestive symptoms through diet modification.
In addition to individual counseling, the program includes group education sessions
on a variety of topics.
back to top
Energy balancing
Energy Medicine is a form of healthcare recognized by the National
Institute of Health’s National Center of Complementary and Alternative
Medicine and is defined as a healthcare intervention that focuses on the
various levels of the human energy field with the intent to create optimal
health. One example of your energy field is your heartbeat, which has an
electrical impulse.
When you are sick or in pain, your energy can become blocked or knotted.
Energy balancing is an intentionally directed process of energy exchange
during which the practitioner uses their hands as a focus to facilitate
the flow of energy within you. When you are sick or in pain, your energy
can become blocked or knotted. It is a gentle and effective way to balance
and restore health to the body, mind and spirit. It is achieved using a
light touch at times, in an effort to remove energy blocks; it is the
process of clearing and balancing your energy field.
Guilford resident Richard Elston, 51, says these one-on-one sessions helped
ease some of his worries, as well as the abdominal distress he suffered as
a side effect of chemotherapy. "Even before I was diagnosed with rectal
cancer, I had very strong spiritual and holistic beliefs. So when I learned
about these sessions, I wanted to take advantage of them and get all the
positive energy I could," Richard says. "It ended up being great for both
my mind and body."
What to expect during an Energy Balancing Session
- The session will last approximately 30 minutes;
- You remain fully clothed , removing only your shoes;
- The practitioner will speak with you briefly asking your current levels of pain, stress and mood;
- You will lay on either a massage table, hospital bed or in a recliner chair ;
- The practitioner will place their hands on your feet to assess your energy flow and will work their way up to the crown of your head, clearing and balancing your energy;
- Energy balancing can also be done without touching your body if preferred; and
- You will not change position unless you need or want to.
What others have said about energy balancing:
Of those patients who have received energy balancing in the Father Michael J.
McGivney Center for Cancer Care, 97 % reported significant pain and stress reduction;
95 % reported improved mood and outlook
back to top
 Back to Previous Page
Back to Patient Support
|
