LCCH Masterclasses

Hypnotherapists are now making a valuable contribution, both to acute cancer care, and to the care of terminal illness, through the hospice movement and with the support of other charities. New research into psychoneuroimmunology is attracting attention at the highest levels and further opportunities for hypnotherapy research are opening up. It is an exciting field, providing the therapist with a varied and challenging caseload. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to reach people who have real needs but who otherwise would not be able to afford hypnotherapy.

However, many therapists feel daunted by the prospect of working with people who are suffering from a life-limiting or potentially terminal illness. For those who do not already have experience of working in the health service there is also the challenge of working alongside, or within, a holistic, but conventionally-trained medical team.

This Masterclass aims to give students the chance to find out if they might be suited to this field of work. It will introduce them to the way in which cancer care and palliative care are structured, and to their role within the multi-disciplinary team. It will explore the ways in which life threatening illness impacts on the patient, their families, and their therapists: the common physical symptoms of cancer, the side effects of treatment, the disruption and intrusion into family life and the spiritual issues it raises. It will give students the opportunity to discuss their concerns around these issues. Finally, it will look at recent research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology.

SYLLABUS:

• NHS cancer care in Britain
• The Hospice movement
• The cancer 'journey'
• Dealing with bad news
• Health problems arising from disease
• Problems arising from treatments
• MND and other conditions
• Nausea
• Pain
• Anxiety
• Anorexia
• Hope and loss
• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Helping the family
• Helping yourself

Lisbon - 18 September 2004
London - 25 September 2004
Leeds - 9 October 2004

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