John says, 'My work as a therapist at the Cavendish Centre for Cancer Care in Sheffield England is about helping people discover that life with cancer can be much better than they ever thought possible'.
He goes on, 'The initial focus of my work might be the trauma of the cancer diagnosis, it might be to help with the pain, the distress, or with sleep disturbance: there may be a phobic reaction to some aspect of the treatment, or problems coping with side effects. But wherever we start, I'm working with a whole person and all aspects of their life, their relationships, their hopes and their fears - I'm working with someone suddenly facing an unexpected and dramatic change in their life'.
Then you can hear John's voice lift as he says, 'the good news is that most people can find a far more comfortable place to be, and better ways of living with cancer. You can use the power of your mind to improve how you feel, to change how you think, and to enhance your life in so many ways'.
To read the stories of some of the people John has worked with, click case studies.
For other sources of help, click the who we work with page.
Or click 'Therapeutic Voice' to find out more about John's series of audio programmes before you decide to buy.
Or if you think John could help in some other way, click contact us.
Stress and change
As with so much in hypnotherapy, the issues often boil down to dealing with stress and with change. People are in panic, or in depression or denial , or they are traumatised and have lost any sense of control in their lives. My task is to help them refocus, to find an inner calm, and to regain a sense of control in their lives.
Partners and communication
It is often the case that the person suffering from cancer will face their illness and the prospects of a shortened life with equanimity. Often I find I'm called on to help with third party issues - whether it is the patient's worries about a partner or other dependant, or helping the partner deal with their own feelings, their own sense of loss, or the problems they find in communicating direct with their loved person about their illness or the possibility of an imminent death. In some cultures we are not used to dealing with death positively, and make enormous efforts trying to avoid facing it - preferring the pretence that it won't happen - at least not yet. And the result is that we turn our face away from this once-only opportunity to accept this final transition as part of life. I find I do a lot of work helping people find ways to value their lives together, to enjoy shared reminiscences, to talk about what's been important in their lives, the things they've done well, and things they've messed up. They can use this as an opportunity to discover a sense of completeness and companionship when the illness and the fear of death can otherwise create a ‘no go barrier' between them. And they can laugh and cry together in a way that's not possible when all their efforts are focussed on pretending it's not happening.
Accessing other services
In many countries there are very good services which can be accessed on the advice of Oncology units at local hospitals. In the UK, organisations such as Macmillan are used to providing a specialised and expert services that develop in pace with the patient's need. Some areas also have centres like the Cavendish Centre in Sheffield, England, where I work, offering complementary therapies specially tuned to the needs of people whose lives are affected by cancer. Again, the Oncology Department should be the source of information and advice about any such services. And there is a spreading network of Hospices to provide and advise on palliative care when it's needed.
