Healing Happens!

Integrative Body Therapies

Specialized Groups for People with Challenging Life-Health Situations

 Specifically for individuals dealing with:

  • Cancer - Diagnosis, Treatment, & Survivorship

  • Chronic Illness

  • Work / Life Burnout

 My cancer diagnosis came on 31 August 2016.  Since then a journey began that I had no idea would bring me to where I am today.  For all the hard moments there have been, the learning and life-altering experiences have far exceeded the very difficult times.  It is from my searching for the meaning in this diagnosis that has led me to discover a deep quality of life & possibilities that I never knew were possible.  

Born out of the experiences & connections I’ve had with Conventional &  Complementary Specialists along with my previous wellness practices; this 8 week program was inspired with the Physiotherapist, Klaas Blom where we discovered the overlaps between treatment, healing, and enhancing quality of life.

NEW GROUPS BEGIN ON DEMAND

GET MORE INFORMATION & JOIN THE WAITLIST - CONTACT LESLIE

HEALING HAPPENS PROGRAM

8 weeks - 2hrs/week

Specialized groups for individuals who have been:

  • diagnosed with cancer or another serious disease

  • are in the process of being treated

  • those who are in remission and/or stable in their diagnosis, and are on the road to thriving and evolving into a new way of life

  • caregivers, family members, others in a helping, supportive role 

 

Why the need for a parallel mental health and physical support program during a person’s cancer treatment period?

Once a diagnosis is made, a person’s life rapidly begins to change.  What lies ahead is an mysterious road of uncertainty and hope. With so many sudden changes often forcing daily routines of work and home life to be altered; a person can easily be left feeling overwhelmed, frightened, and fearful of what will come next. This emotional side of cancer is huge. Illness is not just limited to the physical body, but also the mental and emotional life. 

When the cancer has been detected, teams of specialist doctors begin to put a treatment program together.  With Western Medicine, it will involve some or all of: chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.   Depending on the type of cancer, how far it has advanced, and the level of the patients health, a plan will be developed and he or she will begin to manage it as best they are able to. Regardless of the treatments chosen, whether Allopathic, Alternative, or Integrated, the fact remains that the body is in need of intensive care and support. 


These pains you feel are messengers, listen to them.

-RUMI


During treatments and the stress of wondering if it’s working or not, it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a place of feeling anxious, scared, and worried. While these are difficult emotions to be with, it’s important to remember they are natural responses to the uncertainty of the situation.  

Finding activities that nourish your Well-Being is central to the healing process, remembering that being happy is a choice, even in the midst of tragedy.  

Healing Cancer in this Century with Dr. Bernie Siegel- trailer

 

Quality of life is important and you don’t realize how much it’s valued until it is threatened with an illness.  Supporting your quality of life needs to be a central piece of your overall treatment program and is something you can influence.

 Maintain and increase quality of life by developing skills that support your Well-Being, regardless of the circumstance. It is your power to choose living over dying that tips the balance into a greater experience of what your full whole hearted life can be.

 Your treatment choices do not affect how you can promote living a life filled with happiness, peace, inner strength, and feelings of joy and love.  

The more you are able to open up and accept the love and care from others, the more you will feel supported in this journey.  In times of great need, there is an acceleration of experiences that you are called to participate in.  

When we open up to all of the supportive resources available, we can find ourselves growing in ways that we never imagined.  Ways that bring a sense of calmness, peace, renewed energy, greater connection with others and gratitude.  

More research is coming out all the time revealing just how much mental and emotional health is affected by having cancer.

Having cancer is not just about dealing with the physical body and getting it back to a balanced and healthy state.  A person’s mental, emotional, & spiritual health is as important to address in the healing process in order to ensure the best outcome & quality of life one can imagine.  

Being part of a supportive group becomes a healing place to be.  Add as many supports to your life as you feel you need.  Reach out, allow yourself to be held by others, and find the activities that will enhance your Well-Being for the rest of your life!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have an article called:  Improving Cancer Survivors’ Mental Health and includes more research at the end.

Research is now showing that cancer survivors can suffer with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and this contributes to a poorer quality of life after treatment is finished.  Dr. Brian Goldman’s article: Cancer Survivors Get PTSD highlights examples of how PTSD is quite prevalent in survivors lives.

The University of California Irvine has just announced their launch of a New Integrative Health Program.  Integrative health care is the collaboration between Western Conventional medicine, Complementary and Alternative healthcare, and Lifestyle & Self Care.  This is extremely exciting news in that awareness is expanding amongst health care professionals and training institutions  just how important it is to bring together these disciplines and have them integrated in order to ensure that the best patient outcomes can be supported.  


Our program offers you the opportunity  to experience how you can develop your own Self Care practices thus enhancing your quality of life while undergoing a treatment and/or rehabilitation plan. It's an invitation to flourish and thrive in your life regardless of where you are in your journey. If you are reading this, then it means you are still breathing and that means, there is more right and healthy with you than there isn’t.

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Over an 8 week period, Klaas and Leslie will introduce you to a variety of Contemplative exercises and enhancing lifestyle approaches that we will practice together and encourage home practice.  All sessions include resources, with plenty of time for practicing the exercises and time for sharing. Ongoing personal support is available during the 8 week course as needed.  

Integrative Lifestyle Focus Areas:

  • exploring how you can reduce the stressors in your life, including releasing unwanted and repressed emotional baggage

  • creatively find solutions for simplifying daily expectations, leaning on others for social support

  • learning how to turn towards the difficult emotional and mental aspects of illness, empowering yourself to define this journey as your own

  • increasing your ability to listen to the 6th sense of intuition and knowing why it’s an important part of making choices

  • discovering deeper spiritual connections and recognizing the healing that comes with this

  • taking back the power of movement into your life and why it’s so important to name the activities, regardless of how small they may be

  • developing your own self care lifestyle program for enhancing the quality of your life taking into account options available regarding food and nutrition.

  • knowing what it is that makes you want to keep on living, the strong forces inside you and in your life




    Connecting with others in a positive, safe, non-judgmental, and life affirming group gives one a sense of belonging where you can be yourself exactly as you feel each time you show up. This in itself brings additional healing factors to your overall well-being.




    Current research supports each of these focus areas for increasing a sense of positive well-being and effecting changes in physical health. Resources will be shared with you.

“It’s your road and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.”
— RUMI

During COVID restrictions we have gone online

Find out more about:

  • how 'Tapping' or EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can help with your emotional, physical, or mental pains

  • ask about tailored Fitness programs to regain your health & strength

  • sample short breathing & meditation practices

  • decide if being part of a group is right for you or not at this time.

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Each week we explore one of the Integrative Lifestyle Focus areas using a variety of contemplative and healing practices along with the best practices of current research.

Methods include:

NEW GROUPS BEGIN ON DEMAND

GET MORE INFORMATION & JOIN THE WAITLIST

KLAAS BLOM

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A certified Physiotherapist for over 27 years. Early in his career he focused on Sports Physiotherapy and with experience shifted his focus towards Psychosomatic Treatments including: Cranio Sacral & Bowen Treatments, Acupressure, PilatesCare, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). 

Klaas works from the premise that movement is one of the main necessities of being human!

His experience with cancer has been in both his professional practice, as well as his personal life. Through his work with Leslie, the idea developed to start a program for people who have or had cancer.

For Klaas, it’s always important to keep the young child awake that lives within each of us, free of fear and grief to enjoy the gifts of life!

 

LESLIE PEAKE

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 Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in August 2016, her life has been turned around by the many unexpected challenges cancer treatment brings into ones’ life.  

Her healing journey has been a mix of Western Conventional and Natural Complementary Therapies.  Prior to focusing on cancer treatments, her time was spent working in International Schools as a School Counselor & traveling.  

Leslie has worked in the Counseling Psychology field for over 25 years in Canada, Middle East, China, and Switzerland.  

Training includes:

M.Ed in Counseling Psychology,  BA - Movement Studies & Dance Therapy, Mindfulness  for Education, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) & Qigong healing meditation.  

Personal passions include:

Breathing & exercising in the beautiful outdoors, Energy Psychology, Contemplative Movement, Qigong Meditation Movements, Mindful Coloring,  & Writing.  

“Every human being is the author of his or her own health or disease.”
— BUDDHA