Clare Reed,
CBT for Cancer Therapist
CBT Lifestyle for Cancer
Using CBT to help you get an improved new lifestyle for Cancer is crucial because I often think the ‘B’ in CBT is overlooked. Information on CBT spends a lot of time focussing on negative thoughts and dysfunctional cognitions that often behaviour becomes secondary. In my decade as a CBT therapist I have really upped the ante with behavioural work, making sure my clients get fully engaged in behavioural change and lifestyle adaption during and after Cancer. Just working on your thoughts alone is not going to cut it. You need a 360 approach and an empowering CBT lifestyle for Cancer plan.
Our mood and mental well-being is influenced by our thoughts and our actions. Actions include choices, what you eat, what you drink, how you move your body, what environment you live in, how many hours you work, what time you go to bed, who you choose to spend your time with and how well you look after yourself etc.
When Cancer has knocked the stuffing out of you it is so easy to reach for comforting foods, treats, goodies, sweets, alcohol, cigarettes etc. It is also so easy to sit on the couch on sick leave and watch day time TV wrapped up in blankets and not moving your body. It is so easy to have excuses to not do things such as socialise, work or exercise, excuses like, ‘I have Cancer, I don’t need to do these things’. The excuses have to stop.
Sitting around eating rubbish food, drinking toxins, not exercising, not being engaged in life, not getting an early night is seriously going to impact your chances of getting through your Cancer treatment plan in a healthier and brighter way.
I will work with your treatment plan and your own individual needs to formulate a behavioural action plan that will be integrated with your Cancer treatment and enable you to keep strong in body and mind throughout.
We will work on eliminating stressors on your mind and body such as:
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Ditching processed foods containing sugar, salt, artificial ingredients, meat and dairy.
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Quitting unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking alcohol and lack of sleep.
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Correcting a lack of exercise, and reducing extreme exercise like marathons and triathlons.
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Reducing environmental toxic exposure.
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Being around draining and unhelpful people
When you eliminate these from your lifestyle you will be amazed with the transformation.
Don’t think I didn’t do this myself - I did. As soon as I had the first inkling I had Cancer I hit the books, I already have an Integrative Nutrition Diploma so I researched many scientific journals correlating diet and lifestyle with successful Cancer outcomes. I studied a certificate in Integrative Oncology to understand the different Cancer treatments and what lifestyle change needed to be made.
I was a little overweight at 10 ½ stone, something that had shot up since my mid thirties when I was always hovering at 9 stone. Within 3 months of seriously adapting my diet I lost 2 stone! I literally feel like I am floating along the pavement these days. I had no problem with exercise, as it turned out I had to pare back on the exercise! Previously, I had been hitting the x-trainer 4 times a week, plus lots of hikes and cycling. For my type of TNBC Cancer I had to be less strenuous, I swapped to walking and yoga. I am a firm believer that as a CBT for Cancer therapist I have to try everything I recommend to my clients, there is no point talking the talk and not walking the walk!
Cancer Lifestyle Adaption & Motivation
I will help get you motivated to get your lifestyle in shape, hopefully there will be only minor adaptions, but whether there is one adaption, or many, I will be your cancer coach, mentor and cheerleader. Lifestyle adaptions can be tough and I find that sometimes temptations are placed in front of us by well meaning friends and loved ones. Like one of my client’s neighbours who kept baking her sugary biscuits during her chemo, she didn’t eat a single one! Being assertive in the right way when other people want you to join in with alcoholic drinks, or eat a slice of chocolate cake is key, you don’t want to upset people so I will help you with great communication tools to kindly decline these temptations, when you want to. Your health comes first.
The best thing about your new lifestyle for Cancer is, just as with myself and my clients, you will soon learn to love your new lifestyle. When you actually feel better than you have in years, with more energy even though you are going through chemotherapy, and the Oncology Doctors are really happy by how up beat and healthy you are, you really won’t want to go back to the old debilitating lifestyle that more than likely contributed to you getting Cancer in the first place – why would you!
This lifestyle behavioural work will change your life for the better not just for the Cancer.
Book a session today and let’s get started on this right away.
Adrian's Story with CBT for Cancer
I always thought I would get a stroke or a heart attack, rather than Cancer. I knew I had tied myself firmly to advancing my career at the expense of my health but I couldn't get off the hamster wheel! The year before I was diagnosed with Cancer I had been averaging 70 hour weeks in my job as a Partner in a law firm, I rarely ate breakfast, sometimes skipped lunch and ate a lot of take outs. My crutch was wine and chocolate and I knew I was on a slippery slope but I didn't stop it. Cancer stopped it! My friend recommended me to Clare because I was failing badly to address my lifestyle after being diagnosed, the only thing I had cut back on a bit was work.
Clare is a straight shooter, she doesn't mess about and draw things out, she put the facts on the table and for once I listened. We broke things into incremental steps so it was easier to add changes in and it worked. Within 4 weeks of working with Clare I had lost 2 inches off my waist and had stopped drinking alcohol. This was a week before my operation and my Doctor was really pleased. When I started chemotherapy I had fewer side-effects than I was expecting and miraculously I was able to work regular hours and keep my clients happy! Fairly important for a business owner like myself. 6 months on I am lighter by 3 stone, I have a personal trainer, I don't fit in any of my old clothes and I feel great. Sometimes you need a wake up call to change and Cancer is one of the big ones' but I really feel this couldn't have been achieved without Clare's unfailing support and her great CBT methods.
Who is CBT for Cancer for?
It is for you if you are newly diagnosed with cancer, going through cancer treatment, or in remission and also for those affected by cancer, if you are a carer, an adult child of someone with cancer (over 18), parent, partner, friend of someone with cancer I am here to help.
The best part is you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home as all my CBT sessions are 1:1, face to face, on Skype.
CBT for Cancer in a Nutshell
CBT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It helps you with your mental thoughts (cognitions) and your behaviours (actions). When you are struggling with cancer, at any stage, your mind can be your own worst enemy.
I will teach you techniques and tools to help you regain control of your mind and kick negative and unhelpful thoughts into touch.
When your body feels like it is letting you down it is easy to give up and not help yourself, cancer can undermine your confidence and self-esteem, leading to sabotaging behaviour. I will motivate you with actionable techniques and tools to get your body and your actions back onto the achievable life plan you want to lead.
