I recently spoke with a patient who is a breast cancer survivor, and hard won at that. She experienced horrible treatment side effects, much of the psychosocial impact that breast cancer can have on a woman’s life–mostly negative, and rigid barriers within her workplace. Her private counselor has helped her navigate her feelings around this, […]
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that my friends are more important to me than my partner. The stakes are just lower. The joy and connection is deep and meaningful. A friend is that one who “just gets it” and shows up for you in your love language, and you accept them […]
Facing breast cancer is undeniably challenging. Whether you are newly diagnosed, or managing survivorship, who helps and supports you can make a difference in your quality of life. Assembling a team you can trust is pivotal. But how do you know who to trust? How do you ensure that your medical providers truly listen to […]
When I was about 10, my mom gave me a copy of Our Bodies, Our Selves, the first book of its kind cobbled together by the Boston Women’s Health Collective in 1970 and an underground hit by 1971. This book was revolutionary at the time it hit bookstores in those early years of the ERA, […]
We’re talking about “deep listening” this month because feeling seen/heard in your life leads to greater personal satisfaction. In addition to facing a range of feelings in October (breast cancer awareness month), those of us in the Pacific Northwest also face the shift to shorter days and rainy weather, which affects our health. Being aware […]
Acceptance can be difficult when you have been diagnosed with breast cancer. You may feel angry, scared, or even hopeless. It is hard to find connection and understanding, because although women may have a breast cancer diagnosis in common, no two women process their diagnosis in the same way. Allowing yourself to feel your feelings […]
Surviving breast cancer can leave your body feeling war-ravaged. Not only do you have to learn a new way to mentally live in the world but you must also find a way to live physically. And part of your physical health is taking care of your sexual organs – which we don’t talk about enough. […]
If you are a woman with breast cancer, the notion of body betrayal can be all too real. The self you once knew and felt comfortable with now looks and acts different. It’s difficult – the sense that your own body is under attack and feeling unwell. All of this ties into body image and […]
Winter is the most uncomfortable time of the year. Color drains from the world. Frost bites the life out of the garden we so carefully cultivated. Humans seek shelter and isolation from the bitterness of the cold. We have no choice but to sit and watch winter as it blankets us. Winter is a forced […]
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