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Lower Mainland:
604.734.7125
Vancouver Island:
250.595.7125
Southern Interior:
250.861.7125

Programs

LIFE Beyond Cancer: Living Well After Treatment

For many people, the transition after cancer treatment is integral to their healing and recovery. While treatment may be completed there are often questions and uncertainties about how to move forward and adapt to the change that has occurred. This program is intended to support people in this phase of transition. It is offered as an opportunity to reflect on the cancer experience, on what has changed and consider what now? The overall theme is moving forward after cancer treatment. Please note that treatment can look different for each person, some examples of “treatment” might look like: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or other alternative cancer treatments. The focus of this group is not on the treatments, so much as on the psychological experience of transition after this acute period of care.

This program is facilitated by InspireHealth counsellors, physicians, exercise therapists, and dieticians. It will be offered for four weeks in February 2022. It will be held each Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 to 4:00, from February 1st to 22nd. It will be a closed group, meaning that it will be the same people for the whole 4 weeks.

LIFE Beyond Cancer Poster

Register HERE

Inspired Conversations Workshops – Formerly known as LEAP (Mind, Body, Passion, Spirit)

Facilitated by InspireHealth counsellors or medical doctors, these engaging workshops provide a forum to explore InspireHealth’s Foundations of Health and Healing (also discussed in the LIFE Program, and InspireHealth’s Supportive Cancer Cancer Guide).

Inspired Conversations explores four main themes – Mind, Body, Emotions and Spirit – with workshop descriptions below. Please consult our schedule for class dates and times.

There are opportunities for group participants to be part of the “inspiring conversation” and share how the topics relate to their cancer experience. These group sessions help participants delve deeper into concepts that can help facilitate greater levels of self-care and self-awareness. Both patients and support people are welcome to attend.

Mind

Making Friends With Your Mind
Learn how to use your mind to promote health. Participants will learn about the mind-body connection and fight/flight/freeze vs. rest/digest/heal responses. We will explore barriers such as external and internal stressors and observe the power that our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes have on quality of life.

Introduction to Mindfulness
This workshop will introduce you to the concept and benefits of mindfulness, including stress reduction, self-awareness, the ability to relax at will, deep relaxed sleep and enjoyment of life/satisfaction. This workshop is a great opportunity to practice and learn what mindfulness is all about. You will be guided through some practices of meditation including ones that can be brought into your everyday life.

Healthy Communication
Healthy communication can be a lofty goal at the best of times- and even more so while living with cancer and its stresses. This workshop aims to provide you with tangible tools to help you become a healthy communicator and more mindful listener both in person and online. Tools for healthy communication can help decrease stress and increase connection with oneself and others.

Body

Listening to your Body
Deepen your relationship with your body, and learn how to listen and act upon its messages. You will learn about deep, relaxed breathing and take home practices that will settle both mind and body. We will also discuss exercise and sleep routine inspirations and challenges. You will leave with a renewed sense of connection and motivation to care for and listen to your body.

Creativity for Self-Care
In this workshop we will explore how creativity can help us revise, reframe, and reimagine ourselves in difficult times. We will explore research about creativity and wellness, and at the end, guide you through a simple creative exercise. Absolutely no art experience necessary! Designed for both patients and supporters, too.

Relaxation & Visualization
This workshop will explore the benefits, barriers and bliss of practicing relaxation and visualization. For the first half of the class we will discuss the practice of intentional rest and relaxation, and for the second of the class you will be guided through a relaxing calm-place visualization.

Emotions

Exploring and Caring for your Emotions
Feelings are neither wrong or right, good or bad, they just are. Join us for this workshop on emotions where we will learn ways to identify and express feelings, to build greater self-awareness. We will explore tools for how to express emotions, and explore ways to self-soothe and regulate during uncomfortable emotions.

Navigating Change, Grief, and Loss
Change, grief, and loss are common aspects of the cancer experience. For many people, grief can bring about challenging and uncomfortable emotions which may also trigger physical symptoms. In this workshop, we will explore and normalize the emotional and physiological experiences of grief; and together, explore tools and art-making as a way of navigating the grieving process.

Resilience
In this creative workshop we explore resilience through the grounding symbolism of the tree. With guidance and visualization you will connect inward and create your own “tree of life” through drawing. Come plant roots and have fun with creative expression that can help cultivate self-awareness and find ways to express emotion.

Joy & Passion
We may experience being disconnected from our passion but it is always awake and alive within us. Together we will explore passion: what it is (and what it isn’t), how to connect with the ‘spark’ inside all of us and how to express ourselves more fully and authentically. Discover how connecting with passion expands our horizons and helps us feel more alive!

An Introduction to Self-Compassion
Most of us are too hard on ourselves. In this workshop, we will explore self-compassion: the practice of treating ourselves as we would a good friend. Together we will learn about the foundations of self-compassion, and how it can help us navigate the difficulties of our lives with more kindness and less judgment. Research on self-compassion has shown that it can increase happiness and improve relationships, while decreasing anxiety, depression and shame. Join us to learn fresh perspectives and practical ways to stop being so hard on ourselves.

Spirit

Spirit and Well-Being
Connecting with our own unique sense of spirit/soul/essence/life force can help transform fear and worry and bring us a sense of peace, joy, gratitude and freedom. In this workshop we will explore how spiritual connection supports health and allows us to move with more ease through the many cycles of life.

Cultivating Gratitude
Join us for this meaningful workshop where we will explore, practice and discuss the power of cultivating a grateful heart. A growing body of research indicates there are very real benefits to cultivating this attitude for those with chronic health conditions. In this meaningful workshop we will explore gratitude through creative and mindful practices. You will leave the workshop with practices that can be used to benefit your physical, mental and emotional health.

Young Adults

Young adults with cancer (18-39 years), have been identified as a unique population, not only because of the distinct types of cancer being diagnosed but because of the lasting impact that a diagnosis at this age can have on quality of life and life expectancy, as well as the significant and unique concerns and events which tend to take place during this stage of life.

A diagnosis at this age may bring up concerns like premature confrontation with mortality; changes to physical appearance, body image, sexuality and fertility; increased dependence on parents for financial support; changes in education and employment opportunities and communication of a cancer diagnosis to their young children. Despite the unique set of concerns and challenges for young adults with cancer, there are very few practical support programs specific to this group in Canada.

InspireHealth clinicians are aware and attuned to this populations’ unique needs. Please call any of our centres to register to meet with one of our clinicians.

At our Vancouver Island (Victoria) Centre we provide monthly classes dedicated to young adults. These include a monthly rotation of: cooking classes, yoga, art therapy and nature-based activities all aimed at supporting individuals and their supports while building community and connection amongst young adults.

InspireHealth recognizes and appreciates the important work that Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) is doing to support this population. We have a collaborative relationship such that InspireHealth is privileged to participate in YACC’s annual conference and retreats as well as hosting their annual ‘Big Cancer Hook-up’.

Young adults are of course also welcome to participate in any of InspireHealth’s classes and programs.

InspireHealth is passionate about supporting young adults with cancer and we are working to expand our programming in all of our centres.