burden that goes unseen (and inadequately addressed) as they
do their best to take care of their
loved one. At the same time, they
are forced to deal with their own
personal experience of what is
happening. Since this experience is
one that provides many challenges of its own (on a psychological,
emotional, and sometimes even
physical level) this ‘support team’
can also benefit greatly from the
relaxation, stress release, and tension relief that comes from mindful
touch.
One of the beautiful things that
may not be as obvious, is that even
if you are not a practitioner or medical professional, you still have the
ability to share some of the very
same benefits of compassionate
touch. When approached mind-
fully, even a simple hug or holding
someone’s hand, can offer great
relief and comfort. Furthermore,
there are programs and resources
that provide introductory lessons in
therapeutic applications of touch,
so that even without a certification, you can share gentle massage with an ailing loved one, to
help reduce their symptoms and
improve the overall quality of their
day-to-day life.
It is clear that the expression of
touch can help with several aspects that cancer patients and
their families have to deal with as
they move through various experiences following diagnosis.
The key thing to remember is that
as a compassionate human being, whether you are a practitioner,
family member, or friend, you can
offer great relief during
these difficult times, simply through your touch!
Daniela.