The Herald has published an interesting feature about the practice of hypnotherapy as a complementary therapy in cancer treatment. Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow is offering their cancer patients hypnotherapy, massage and reiki as a means of alleviating stress, anxiety and pain. Pat Kavanagh is being treated for leukemia, and is going through chemotherapy before a bone-marrow transplant.

Kavanagh is quoted as saying, "With chemo, your body is changed, literally, by the chemicals. You look different, you have no sense of smell or taste. You feel like your body is not your own anymore. You have to give it over to doctors to treat. You feel as though you are no longer yourself. It's an awful feeling. Having hypnotherapy as a complementary treatment to my medical care has given me back a sense of being comfortable within my own body. At the end of the sessions I always feel more confident and at peace in my body. I don't know if the therapy affects your recovery time, but it must have some impact on your underlying chemistry."

Until recently, complementary therapies, like hypnotherapy, massage and reiki, were regarded as having no therapeutic value. But as the science and medicine are beginning to discover, successful treatment involves the whole person, and creating a relaxed state can facilitate the healing process. If you are interested in alternative and complementary therapies, the feature is a good read.