Awakening Nurturing Integrative Therapeutic Approach – ANITA!
My Additional Healing Approaches
Energy Medicine
I reconnected with my friend and former client, Cathy Wareham, an experienced Energy Medicine Practitioner. Cathy had previously provided me with energy treatments in 2021, which I found deeply calming and restorative. Recently, I have resumed my energy medicine routines with her guidance. Cathy has generously curated and shared a series of short instructional videos, making it easy for me to follow the exercises each morning after completing my Positive Intelligence (PQ) reps and meditation.
What is Energy Medicine? – Link to Energy Medicine Overview
Mindset Shifts through Reading
A friend recommended the book You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay, which I purchased immediately. The book emphasizes how our thoughts and words shape our experiences. This has motivated me to explore my own deep-rooted beliefs that may have contributed to my diagnosis—not from a place of self-blame, but from curiosity and a desire to understand myself better. Recognizing my resistance to change and possible blind spots, I’ve decided to work with a fellow Positive Intelligence (PQ) Coach to help me on this journey.
Power of Affirmations
One key lesson from the book is the power of affirmations. While I’ve used affirmations in the past before facilitating major events, they were not part of my daily routine. Now, I incorporate affirmations every day as a ritual I share with my sister.
My Daily Routine with My Sister
My sister Ann, who lives in Kauai, Hawaii (four hours behind my time), inspired me to adopt short, high-intensity workouts. We connect on Zoom to exercise together, including my daily jaw exercises to help manage severe trismus caused by my cancer—a condition that limits how wide I can open my mouth. Our sessions also include a five-minute meditation and close with affirmations. The entire routine lasts about 30 minutes and usually takes place at noon for me (early morning for her). These daily connections have become a highlight of my day, helping me reset and refocus.
Nature Therapy
I am a firm believer in nature therapy and feel fortunate to live in Redwood Meadows, surrounded by scenic walking paths. My book club friends and others from the city often join me for walks in the evenings after treatment. Even on days when I can only manage a short stroll, being outdoors always makes a positive difference.
Mind Valley Course
I’ve enrolled in a Mind Valley course called Duality by Jeffrey Allen, which focuses on energy techniques. The course repeatedly appeared in my feeds until I finally signed up—interestingly, this was before my cancer diagnosis. I now believe my subconscious was nudging me toward it. There’s a section on healing the body that I haven’t reached yet, but my goal is to finish the course by the end of October.
Oxygen Advantage
I’ve taken several one-on-one sessions with my yoga instructor, Matthew Furlong, a certified Oxygen Advantage Breathwork Instructor trained by Patrick McKeown. Through these sessions, I’m learning to breathe through my nose and apply various breathing techniques to improve respiratory function. With chemo and radiation causing severe dry mouth, it’s essential to breathe in ways that help keep my mouth moist and free of germs. I often combine these breathwork techniques with PQ reps to slow my breathing, especially during radiation treatments, which helps manage claustrophobia when wearing the radiation mask.
