A - Z Therapies

Acupuncture – Acupuncture is the use of fine needles placed at carefully chosen sites of your body to affect energy (Ki) circulating in channels which lie below the skin and connect to internal organs. ‘Needling’ a point can strengthen energy where it is weak, disperse it where it is blocked and promote physical and mental balance. It can help with pain relief, as well as uplift your mood or reduce anxiety and stress.
www.acupuncture.org.uk *

Art Therapy – Art Therapy is creative therapy that gives you an opportunity to explore difficult thoughts and emotions in a supportive environment in the presence of a qualified art therapist, through the use of art materials. No previous experience or artistic skill is necessary.
www.baat.org *

Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to improve your physical and emotional well-being, including stress-related problems. It can also be useful to relieve skin conditions, pains, tension and cramps, as well as helping with sleep and digestive problems. This therapy uses essential oils, extracted from plants, which possess distinctive therapeutic properties. The aromatherapist may use the oils in several ways, usually therapeutic massage, but they can be used in your bath, or in burners/vapourisers.
www.aromatherapycouncil.co.uk *

Counselling – Counselling offers an opportunity for you to identify things that are troubling or perplexing you and helps you though a process of self-exploration and understanding. This offers you the possibility of gaining a greater sense of your personal resources and of making a self-determined change.
www.counselling.co.uk *

Healing – Healing is the flow of healing energy through the therapist to you, to balance out your energy and allow your body’s own self healing mechanisms to work more effectively. The energy goes to where it is needed in you, whether that is emotional, spiritual or physical. You do not need to have a religious faith for healing to work for you. http://www.ukhealers.info/ *

Herbal Medicine - Herbal Medicine uses plants in the treatment of physical and emotional disease. Plant medicines use whole parts (roots, flowers, leaves etc.) and may contain hundreds of constituents. This means that the natural balance of the plant is not disturbed, allowing the plant medicine to work harmoniously with your body. Herbs and plants may be used for their specific actions on parts of the body, or to help achieve balance and well-being. Herbal medicine can be used for many symptoms and conditions e.g. digestive problems, or more generally e.g. to increase energy. www.bhma.info/ *

Homeopathy – Homeopathy is a system of healing which helps the natural healing processes within your body. Symptoms are seen as expressions of disharmony within yourself and homeopathy aims to help you achieve balance. Homeopathy uses a substance known to cause a symptom but is given in extremely small amounts to ‘kick-start’ your body’s own ability to overcome that symptom, e.g. caffeine causes sleeplessness, but when used in homeopathy is given in very tiny doses to nudge the body to overcome insomnia. It can help you overcome some of the unpleasant side-effects of cancer treatments e.g. tiredness, nausea or hot flushes.
www.homeopathy-soh.org *

Hypnotherapy – Hypnotherapy offers a chance for profound relaxation to allow your mind the space and time to start to make sense of what is happening to you. Through gentle suggestions you are shown how to become very deeply relaxed and enter a ‘daydream’ state where, with the support of your therapist, you direct the daydream towards dealing with your problem.
www.hypnotherapists.org.uk *

Massage Therapy – Massage therapy involves stroking, kneading or gently pressing the muscles and soft tissues of the body to help you relax mentally and physically. Massage may be very gentle or more vigorous, depending on your needs. It is possible to concentrate on very small areas of your body or larger areas if needed. Massage can help relieve anxiety, stress, lack of energy, sleeplessness, digestive problems or low mood, by enabling you to be relaxed and uplifted. It can also be used to relieve musculo-skeletal problems.
www.gcmt.org.uk *

Relaxation Classes - Relaxation is a learned experience. The relaxation class gives you the opportunity to learn how to relax, so that you could use similar techniques on your own to renew your energy or to use at times when you are feeling less than relaxed. Relaxation can help with helping you manage strain and tension, sleeplessness, anxiety, muscle tension, fatigue, breathlessness and helps you to maintain control. There is a small charge for the relaxation class to cover expenses.

Reflexology – Reflexology is based on the belief that different areas in your hands and feet are linked with different parts of the body. By applying firm but controlled pressure with thumb and fingers to specific zones on the hands or more commonly, the feet, the reflexologist will help to relieve imbalances in different parts of your body and renew energy flows and enhance well-being.
www.aor.org.uk *

Reiki – Reiki is a therapy that can be based on touch or not depending on what you prefer, and involves the passage of energy through the therapist to you. You may have Reiki sitting up or lying down. Reiki may be used if you feel you need some space and time away from a chaotic period of time. It can help you relax your mind and body, clear your head, and find a sense of peace. http://www.reikifed.co.uk/ *

Shiatsu – Shiatsu is therapy that is used to stimulate or unblock the ‘vital’ energy flow (Ki) within the body by using a gentle type of massage. It is a therapy that works on emotional, psychological and spiritual levels as well as on the physical state. It is used to help you relax mind and body, restore and balance energy, relieve musculo-skeletal problems and enhance well-being.
www.shiatsusociety.org/public/index.shtml *

* Cavendish Cancer Care has provided links to other websites for people who require more information on therapies. However Cavendish Cancer Care takes no responsibility for any of the content contained on any of these external sites nor does Cavendish Cancer Care promote any of the individuals named on these sites or any persons and organisations that may be advertising on these sites in any way.