WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Nutrition & Supplements for Cancer & Cancer Risk Reduction:   A healthy diet can reduce the risk of cancer and cancer recurrence and improve your health during cancer treatment. This workshop will explore how to modify your diet, and safely integrate nutritional supplements and herbs for cancer prevention and treatment.

Making Informed Medical Decisions:   This workshop teaches critical thinking and evaluation for looking at and understanding data; teaches you how to analyze available cancer treatments and understand scientific data so that you can make informed decisions about your cancer treatment. We will review some of the scientific literature and debunk some commonly cited myths by showing you how to decipher statistics to see what the real survival statistics are. .
 
Living the Precautionary Lifestyle: How The Environment Impacts Health: A discussion of the Precautionary Principle which states that "when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not yet fully established scientifically.” Risk reduction strategies including chemicals you need to avoid.There are a multitude of chemicals in our environment that have never been adequately tested for their effects on health and the development of cancer. We will explore environmental effects on health, and risk reduction strategies you can implement, including chemicals you need to avoid.

Complementary Medicine 101: What is complementary medicine? How can we utilize it in the prevention and treatment of cancer and integrate it with conventional, allopathic cancer treatments? We will explore modalities including nutrition, imagery and visualization, bodywork, energy work, herbs, homeopathy, meditation and acupuncture.

Reframing Fear: This is a workshop on recognizing and understanding how fear is personally visible in our lives, and then, more importantly, how to gather that energy for use in more constructive ways.  The tools of breath and imagery will be taught and practiced.

The Rollercoaster of Emotions: Sometimes living with breast cancer can feel like being on a never ending emotional rollercoaster.  At times the highs and lows, twists and turns of feelings like fear and faith, dread and gratitude, isolation and connection, grief and relief can seem overwhelming.  This workshop will help you explore this natural flow of emotions and learn some skills to manage the ride. 

Imagery and Energy: Powerful Tools to Transform the Treatment Experience: Guided imagery, visualization and energy work are potent techniques that can transform the experience of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. In this experiential workshop, we will explore ways to re-frame cancer treatments to empower you, reduce side effects, accelerate recovery and support healing on all levels.   

                                                                                                                                                                      Spirituality and Healing: We will explore the connection between mind, body and spirit and how our concepts and practices of spirituality can enrich and deepen our healing process.                                                                                                        

Understanding The Role of Hormones in the Endocrine System:  The endocrine system carries out a wide variety of physiological processes through chemical messengers called "hormones." The system that produces these hormones are necessary for normal bodily functions. When functioning properly, the endocrine system, is like a fine-tuned orchestra. This workshop will explain the intricacies of the endocrine system and just how you can "make it play" the music you want it to.

Assessing The Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence: The ONCOTYPE DX Test: Oncotype DX™ is the first cancer test that uses the unique gene expression profile of a patient's tumor to quantify the likelihood that her breast cancer will recur. Oncotype DX can provide doctors with a better understanding of the aggressiveness of individual tumors, and can also assess a patient's likely benefit from certain types of chemotherapy. This information may provide an added measure of confidence that the treatment plan is tailored to the patient's individual disease.

The Importance of Detoxification and its Impact on the Body, Mind, & Spirit: Detoxification is the process of releasing accumulated toxins and waste products that build up in our systems. Bodies age and our systems are stressed by years of poor diet, toxic exposures, illness and pharmaceutical treatments. As a result, we sometimes need to give our system an extra helping hand. Learn how physical detoxification programs impact your health on all levels.

Breast Cancer 101: A general introduction to the science of breast cancer. An overview that will allow patients and providers to better understand the biology and nature of the disease and look at available treatments.

Insurance Problems & The Consumer: What Are Your Rights? As a consumer in New York State, you have the right to receive quality care, to obtain basic information about your plan and to have your claims paid in a timely manner. You can also challenge decisions made by New York HMOs and health insurers, and appeal denials of service and claims. The NY Attorney General's Health Care Unit can help you when these rights are being denied. A representative will outline your rights and answer your questions.

 

          Jane Elven is Director of HIV Prevention Services for Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley, and a breast cancer survivor. The imagery and energy work she used through her surgery, chemo and radiation continues to transform her journey from initial shock and fear to acceptance, resilience and gratitude. 

 

          Diane Epstein is a NY State Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master and certified practitioner of Process Acupressure.   She is the creator of Interface Healing­a hands-on energy-healing technique­and co-founder of Transforming Your Surgery, which uses energy work, imagery and acupressure to transform surgery into a positive healing experience.   In July of 2007, Diane will be ordained as an interfaith minister through All Faiths Seminary International.
                               
        Dr. Tom J. Francescott, ND received his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University. He is co-founder and the director of Rhinebeck Cooperative Health Center, a private, multi-disciplinary holistic health center  that includes his Naturopathic practice,  chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and psychotherapy. Most recently he has opened Dr. Tom’s Tonics- A Modern Apothecary, a retail store specializing in organic natural remedies with the expertise of a Naturopathic Doctor on site. He is in  process of receiving certification to facilitate workshops in Holotropic Breathwork.              
                                                                                   
     Debby Franke-Ogg CSW is a psychotherapist, healer and 20 year cancer survivor practicing in Shokan, NY. Her specialty and passion is transformational work with people with life-threatening  illness.           
                                                                                                                                                                                        Una Hopkins, RN, BSN, MSN, CFNP, APRN BC has worked for Montefiore medical center in Breast Oncology since 1998.  She has worked for Montefiore Medical Center in Breast Oncology since 1998 and is the clinical Study Chair Liaison for the PACCT1 ECOG clinical trial entitled: PACCT-1: Program for the Assessment of Clinical Cancer Tests: Trial Assigning individualized Options for Treatment: The TAILORx Trial an has completed the Genomic health speaker-training program involving this subject matter.  She is a co-author of several breast cancer journal articles            

 

            Joy Hopkins-Hausman, CSW is a certified social worker, and co-founder of  the Woodstock Therapy Center. Her life as therapist, sculptor, and artist is the subject of an award-winning film entitled "Cancer: Just a Word, Not a Sentence," which documents her experiences living with breast cancer. She runs cancer support groups and consults with hospitals, hospices and schools.   
                                                                                 
       Carol Hornig C.N.S., C.E.D.S., NYS certified nutritionist, is the former Chief Nutritionist of the Strang Cornell Cancer Prevention Center in NYC. She now practices in Ulster County and is a Certified Laughter Leader, Hakomi Therapist, and Vipassana Meditation Practitioner.          
              
     Maryann Napoli is Associate Director of Center For Medical Consumers and writes most of the articles for its newsletter and Web site. She serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Nursing and Cancer Spectrum, the online version of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute; is an active member of the consumer network of the Cochrane Collaboration and Prevention First, a Coalition of independent advocacy organization united to combat misleading drug ads;  serves on a advisory committee of the Office of Medical Applications, which sponsors the State-of-the-Science conferences for the U.S. National Institutes of Health.    
                                                                                           
     Cheryl A. Osimo, BS has been a devoted breast cancer activist and advocate since she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 41. She joined the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition(MBCC) and served as a Board member until 2003. She is one of the founders of Silent Spring Institute, an independent environmental research institution founded by the MBCC, and is the Cape Cod Coordinator. She has been a catalyst in raising public awareness of the possible environmental links to breast cancer on Cape Cod. Ms. Osimo serves as a role model to women with breast cancer.      

 

        Dr. Carol Robin, DC, CCN is a Chiropractor, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, energy healer, and imagery/visualization guide. She has practiced alternative and complementary medicine for 30 years and works with people in preparation, recovery and transforming surgery, cancer treatments and a wide range of health conditions. She has a private practice in West Shokan, NY.