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Psychological technique: name the feeling
The emotion sentence reads “I feel ... “ . Saying how you feel using an emotion sentence is a powerful skill that allows you to practice naming the emotion and its cause - the thought that triggers it - quickly and effectively without getting lost in the story. It helps you to be aware of what you need to feel better. Sometimes you will need to take an action, such as identifying
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Useful questions for unproductive thoughts
Our minds tend to be full of different thoughts, but there is a difference between neutral or supportive thoughts and unproductive thoughts that only lead further into the negative spiral of automatic thoughts. Here are some questions that may help you to notice your thoughts from the outside, distinguish them and start choosing what to do with them,
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What stage am I at: feeling of not knowing
Waiting for the results of the tests is like waiting for a Supreme Court ruling: your future hangs in the air, beyond your control. The days between scans like PET scans and finding out the results make you a living Schrödinger's cat: your health is getting better and worse at the same time. Fear grows tenfold with every hour of uncertainty, like a devastating shadow image. It can make
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Psychological Technique: Abdominal Breathing
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the lungs that plays an important role in breathing. When we inhale, the diaphragm contracts (tightens) and moves downwards. This creates more space in the chest cavity, allowing the lungs to expand. When we breathe out, the opposite happens - the diaphragm relaxes and rises up into the chest cavity. We are all born with the ability to fully engage the diaphragm to take deep, restorative breaths.
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Emotional balance in the cancer experience: free webinars for patients and loved ones
Cancer is life-changing, not only physically but also emotionally. It affects not only the patient, but also those closest to them. In our experience, it is important for people facing a cancer diagnosis to feel not only treated, but also heard, understood and emotionally supported. To help you feel safer and stronger during this difficult time, we invite you to two
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Four tips for living with anxiety in the face of cancer
Cancer anxiety nearly destroyed me, but I have learned to put it in its place - and keep it there. I seem to return to the theme of anxiety often. I fall into a state of anxiety very easily when certain examinations are coming up, such as the CT scans every three months. Lately, it has also become a problem when it comes to
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Self-help: an emotional underpinning of the oncology experience
A cancer diagnosis is life-changing. The balance is upset not only physically, but also emotionally. It can feel like everything is happening “to me” - without control or choice. But this is where the power of self-help begins. What is self-help and why is it important? Self-help is a conscious, intrinsically motivated action that a person takes to improve his or her
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When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer: how to maintain inner balance?
A cancer diagnosis affects not only the patient, but also the people closest to them. Loved ones often become support people, planners and companions - while also experiencing their own personal emotional turmoil. How to be there and help without losing yourself? The role of relatives in cancer Research shows that 42-46% relatives and caregivers experience symptoms of anxiety or depression (Global Oncology, 2023).
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When a cancer diagnosis also affects emotions: how to help yourself?
A cancer diagnosis is not only a medical but also a deeply emotional change in a person. It can have a profound impact on a person's identity, outlook on life and sense of the future. Alongside physical treatment, it is essential for cancer patients to receive emotional care to help manage the understandable fear, anger, guilt, loneliness, sadness and other emotions that often accompany cancer
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Mind Over Matter (MOM) emotional support programme now available for cancer patients in Latvia
From May this year, people in Latvia who have been diagnosed with cancer have the opportunity to take part in Mind Over Matter (MOM), an evidence-based, internationally recognised programme. It is designed to help people emotionally adjust and overcome the psychological difficulties of an oncology diagnosis. The Mind Over Matter programme consists of five group sessions. In them, patients and their relatives can increase their practical
