This site will work and look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
Centre Newsletter
Sign up for the latest news about the Centre.
The
Centre puts on the following groups, classes and
courses:
Details about when these groups are held can be found on the Diary page.
There is no charge to attend any of the groups.
This group is just being set up. Please ring the Centre on (020) 7934 3924 for more details.
The group offers a safe environment in which to exchange experiences,
meet others, and to develop a network of support and mutual aid.
There will be opportunities to discuss living with cancer and its effects, and to share the changes that cancer has brought to people’s lives.
This group is just being set up. Please ring Pauline Withers-Born on (020) 7934 3924 for more details.
How can we express ourselves, be more creative, access our imagination, surprise ourselves? Do you need encouragement with a project you have in mind? The aim of these creativity sessions is to nurture inspiration and maintain energy and enthusiasm.
The course, which is available to anyone who is living with the after-effects of cancer (having finished their first round of treatment), is free of charge and there are six weekly sessions.
The aim of this course are to:
We all encounter stress in our lives, and this is particularly difficult when a life-threatening illness like cancer arises. Cancer, and the treatments for it, can have a profound effect not just on the body but also on the emotions.
One way to deal with stress is that of mindfulness, the moment-to-moment awareness of physical, mental and emotional sensations. Using traditional techniques of meditation and gentle bodywork, this approach helps people to help themselves, by learning to recognise and deal effectively with the causes and effects of stress.
Qigong (pronounced chee-gung) is a gentle exercise that promotes body fitness and builds internal energy and awareness. It is one of the oldest, and possibly the most popular exercise systems in the world.
In this class, several forms of Qigong movement are taught. They include mindful walking, Qigong breathing, gentle muscle stretches and joint movement. We also teach correct posture and balance, which can be very useful in ordinary life. The movements are simple to do and can be practised by anyone, in any physical condition. They can also be practiced at home if desired.
In doing the class, any loose clothing is suitable, with heel-less shoes, socks or bare feet.
Everybody can benefit from relaxation. These group sessions are intended to help you to relax more using the gentle power of hypnosis.
We shall be teaching self hypnosis so that you can use this helpful technique to relax at any time. The sessions will be interactive so that participants can raise their own stress-related issues if they wish.
When you are in a hypnotic trance the conscious mind takes a back seat and everyday tensions are allowed to fade away.
These group sessions aim to develop both self-discovery and group sharing. This will involve the healing practices of relaxation, visualisation, meditation, movement and breathwork.
This is a supportive group, with a focus on learning self-help methods and an opportunity to share experiences.
These sessions are open to people with cancer and to family members and carers. People are encouraged to come at least for a series of three groups, though it will be possible to join on any of the days.
Yoga is an holistic system for creating harmony and balance on all levels of our being - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. When this balance has been disturbed through serious illness, yoga can help to restore it.
Yoga postures work in various ways on all of the body's internal organs and systems as well as on joints, muscles and ligaments. They improve posture, breathing, circulation, digestion and elimination as well as physical strength, stamina and flexibility.
Yoga also provides simple relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety and to bring stillness and peace.
Our emotions affect our breathing. When we are anxious, angry or frightened, our breathing responds by growing shallow and erratic. The reverse is also true. Yoga breathing exercises release tension, replenish energy and calm the mind nerves and emotions.
Deeper rhythmic breathing is both calming and uplifting and so, by becoming aware of our breathing pattern and by consciously and gradually changing it, we can replace anxiety and stress with a measure of serenity and balance.
Taken together, the simple yoga breathing, stretching and relaxation techniques are a powerful way of increasing the well-being of people with cancer.