1:1 Therapies

We offer a range of complementary therapies which can be used alongside your conventional medical treatment to support you during your treatment and recovery.

Complementary therapy works alongside allopathic treatments to help alleviate symptoms, relax the mind and body and bring the body to a state of equilibrium.

Our Therapy treatments complement the clinical treatment that you may receive in hospital. Therefore our collaborative approach means that we need your GP or consultants’ consent before we start giving therapy.

A diagnosis of cancer can be a devastating and very stressful time for you and your family. You may feel that you are struggling to cope both physically and emotionally during your treatment and after it has finished. You may feel exhausted, anxious or depressed or suffer physical symptoms.

The positive way in which Complementary Therapies can help the body and mind to regain balance at such times is well documented; if we give ourselves time to rest and relax, different signals will be sent to our body to support the hormone, nervous and immune systems.

Some people find that they get all they need from one therapy sessions while others find it helpful to explore a few different ones over time. Generally, therapies are offered once a month but there is an opportunity for one-off ‘taster’ sessions. Our Centre Coordinators will be able to discuss the options open to you and help you to plan your therapy programme.

To discuss options and book a session please email, call the Centre or drop in to the office. We suggest a voluntary contribution per session for members receiving a therapy. Non-members please contact the Centre team to discuss membership options.

Acupuncture is a treatment that comes from ancient Chinese medicine. Fine needles are inserted at certain sites in the body to help manage conditions or relieve symptoms. It is available in many NHS hospitals, pain clinics and hospices.

Some studies show that it may help to reduce nausea in people who have had chemotherapy. It may also be used to relieve pain and other symptoms or side effects.

Aromatherapy is a gentle massage therapy that uses natural aromatic essential oils extracted from specific plants for their therapeutic effects. It is a truly holistic therapy taking account of the mind, body and spirit.

Aromatherapy massage is offered in some hospitals and hospices to relieve the symptoms of cancer and its treatment and recipients often report feeling relaxed and nurtured by this therapy. It may be effective for relieving anxiety and improving sleep.

Your therapist is qualified and experienced in modifying aromatherapy massage for people with cancer and will work with you to adapt it in light of your individual condition.

Bach flower remedies are a complementary therapy offering gentle emotional support. They can help with fears and anxiety, stress, poor sleep or focus and can help you cope with change as well as a range of other emotional issues.

The treatment involves a ‘guided conversation’ to enable Gwenda to select the most appropriate remedies from the 38 available. Your individualised mix of remedies is then taken for a few weeks. During this time, negative emotions can be brought back into balance leaving you better able to cope with life’s ups and downs.

The Bowen Technique is a gentle therapy that is applied to areas of the body, using thumbs and fingers in a specific process or order.

The move is a rolling-type move of the thumbs and forefingers, and is designed to stimulate nerve pathways which allow a ‘conversation’ to take place between different nervous systems of the body. Between each set of moves, there are pauses to allow the communication process to take place. These breaks increase the effectiveness of each subsequent set of moves.

The move does not slide or flick over the surface of the skin, but uses the slack in the overlying skin to move over the underlying tissue, so each move covers a small area, defined by how far an individual’s skin can move over a targeted area.

Bowen is very gentle and suitable for all ages.

If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, emotional support can help. Spending time with our understanding therapist and communicating your anxieties and fears will help you feel less alone and better able to cope.

Indian Head Massage is based on the Ayurvedic system of healing which has been practiced in India for over a thousand years.

It is a deeply relaxing holistic treatment that uses acupressure massage to release stress that has accumulated in the tissues, muscles and joints of the head, face, neck and shoulders. It aims to rebalance your body’s energies. It may help relieve anxiety and insomnia.

In the skilled hands of the massage therapist, manipulation of the skin and soft tissue structures of the body encourages muscles to relax, stimulates circulation creating a feeling of warmth and often provides relief from pain.

In the context of massage for those with cancer and other chronic illnesses, generally only a light and non-invasive form of massage is used to sooth the superficial muscles. However, the therapist will work with you to ensure that the pressure, fluidity and speed of manipulation are ideal for you.

Reflexology is an holistic treatment based on the principle that there are several reflex points on the hands and feet that are relative to all organs, functions and parts of the human body.

The therapist uses the pressure points on the hands and feet to help unblock the energy pathways, eliminate toxins and
encourage the body to achieve a sense of balance and well being.

The therapist will often concentrate on the feet as these are regarded as being more responsive to treatment.

Reflexology is often accompanied by a light massage to the feet and lower legs to aid the relaxation process.

Reflexology may help to reduce stress, relax mind & body and improve various conditions including nausea, tension, fatigue, pain and sleeplessness.

Talking Therapy offers the opportunity to chat 1-to-1 in a judgement-free, comfortable environment that allows the client to think, feel and process exactly what they need in that moment

Our therapists goal is to provide a holistic approach that is tailored to the individual. Educated in multiple therapeutic disciplines, our therapist employs the technique that will most benefit the client. We are all wired differently – during sessions the therapist listens and learns about the individual, providing resources and techniques that best suit their unique and wonderful self.