Stuffing your emotions, or keeping it all inside, has led more than one person down the path to trouble. At some point, if you do not express your thoughts and feelings, especially the negative ones, you stay emotionally frozen in time. It's kind of like physically clubbing yourself over the head repeatedly day after day. Of course, we cannot go around randomly screaming at people or speaking before we give ourselves time to think. There are effective ways to open up and share that will lead you to better health and help you to maintain a good relationship with family members and friends at the same time. Journaling is good, as is talk therapy or belonging to a support group.

The point is, until expressed, you are stuck with whatever you are feeling. With the passage of time, you might not even be aware of the emotions you are carrying around inside affecting you and your health, as they tend to pile up and become obscured from view.

Adelaide University psycho-neuro-immunology researcher Vikki Knott understands the benefit of letting it all out emotionally, and that sharing and releasing distressful emotions can help a cancer survivor survive cancer longer. Knott will be conducting research in emotion-focused treatments to improve cancer survivorship by charting the physical changes to the immune system before and after talk therapy sessions.

According to Knott, "It's about the link between the mind and the body and how your mind state can affect the disease state in the body." The researchers will be examining three techniques -- journaling, meditation and hypnosis. Previous research has already proven that breast cancer survivors who belong to a support group tend to live longer than their more isolated and disconnected counterparts.

On April 17th, in his first visit to the Mayo Clinic, the 14th Dalai Lama will speak to patients and staff. Compassion in the Face of Suffering will focus on practices that encourage a peaceful mind and positive ways to live during difficult times. The Mayo Clinic will host a live webcast of the presentation on the website.

Buddhist monk, the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual and political leader of Tibet, who is respectfully referred to as His Holiness. Yet he describes himself as just a simple monk.

Since his first visit to America in 1979, he has visited the U.S. dozens of times. He has been awarded numerous honorary doctorates, addressed major universities and partaken in scientific research involving powers of the mind disciplined by meditation. Speaking November 12, 2005 to a gathering of neuroscientists in Washington, D.C, he stated, "I feel, therefore, that a dialogue between neuroscience and society could have profound benefits in that it may help deepen our basic understanding of what it means to be human and our responsibilities for the natural world we share with other sentient beings. I am glad to note that as part of this wider interface, there is a growing interest among some neuroscientists in engaging in deeper conversations with Buddhist contemplative disciplines." I will keep you updated as more information becomes available regarding the live webcast.

The recent results of a study of cancer patients who use alternative therapies as part of their treatment for cancer found that women with breast cancer were five times more likely to seek out the services of an alternative health-care provider and twice as likely to take dietary supplements. More than 70 percent of adult cancer patients who use alternative therapies indicated a greater sense of well-being as a result of using alternative medicine.

Cancer patients in the survey who used alternative therapy were most likely to use vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals. In addition, they used the services of naturopathic doctors, spiritual advisors or massage therapists, and some form of mental or energy-based therapy such as biofeedback, hypnotism, guided imagery, crystals, chelation therapy or magnets.

The study findings suggest several key messages for health-care practitioners. "First, since most therapies were used to enhance overall health and well-being, it seems unlikely that patients would substitute these therapies for conventional medicine," Patterson said. "Second, doctors should be wary of discounting alternative medicine, given that the majority of patients overwhelmingly feel it improves their quality of life. It is important for clinicians to show an open attitude toward alternative medicine if they want patients to engage in frank and honest discussion of these choices," states Dr. Ruth E. Patterson of Fred Hutchinson's Public Health Sciences Division.

Art for Recovery is an acclaimed healing arts program based in San Francisco. In a previous post, I featured the Art for Recovery: breast cancer quilts project. I am featuring some of the other Art for Recovery programs that enable cancer patients to share their thoughts and feelings through creative expression, as a resource for communities who might be interested in starting similar programs.

• Patient-Created Artwork: l000 pieces of art work and 500 framed works of art created at the bedside by people coping with cancer are displayed at the place the art was created or in curated exhibitions in the community.
• Breast Cancer Quilts Project: Creates quilt squares for hand-sewn quilts by women coping with breast cancer, images in memory of a loved one, and images which honor a friend coping with breast cancer.
• Firefly Project: Middle school and high school students exchange hand-written letters and personal artwork with adult patients who are coping with cancer.
  
• Spirit Project: 12-week program for anyone dealing with cancer. Women with breast cancer have the opportunity to create their own altars, memory boxes, hand-made journal books, mandalas, and meditation beads.
• Healing Garden Music Series: Live music performances in the UCSF Mount Zion Medical Center Lobby or in the healing garden.
• Healing Through Writing: Workshops for anyone dealing with cancer and its effects interested in writing and poetry as self-exploration, self-expression, and sharing. 
  
• Art Support Groups: Patients meet twice a month to receive support through the creative process. These ongoing groups offer an opportunity to explore deep feelings of anger, loss, pain and hope through art therapy and music.
  

Visit Art for Recovery for more information.

The New Medicine: Returning the Human Touch to High-Tech Care, a PBS two hour documentary hosted by Dana Reeve, will go ahead and air on March 29 at 9:00 ET. Filmed months before her death, the show explores the integration of the best of high-tech medicine with a new attitude that recognizes it is essential to the healing process to treat the patient as a whole person, and not a cog in an assembly line.

According to the documentary, the practice of medicine is on the brink of transformation. As scientific findings reveal that the mind plays a critical role in the body’s capacity to heal, the healthcare community is beginning to integrate this new understanding into effective treatment with the patient. In the preview for the show, Dana Reeves is shown speaking about her belief that hope had been a positive influence on her sense of wellbeing and health, and hope is something both her and Chris, her late husband, depended on to support a positive influence for health.

Hope is a light Dana Reeve shone for each of us, by the grace, dignity and strength in how she lived her life, and in the beauty of her spirit that lives on with us.

Exceptional Cancer Patients, ECaP, celebrates the potential of balance, inner peace and wholeness for people facing the challenges of cancer and other chronic illnesses, by creating a sanctuary of resources and retreats based upon the science of mind-body-spirit medicine. ECaP was founded by Dr. Bernie Siegel.

Dr. Siegel, who prefers to be called Bernie, one of the world's foremost physicians, best-selling authors, and motivational speakers, is a compassionate, caring and loving advocate for individuals who want to take an active role in their own healing process. With Dr. Barry Bittman, ECaP is dedicated to promoting a comprehensive integrative philosophy in the context of whole person, evidence-based care. ECaP's philosophy holds that life is to be celebrated, everyone's healing journey is unique, health and healing are a process, we are all teachers and students, we are here to learn and share our experiences, and love heals.