cforms contact form by delicious:days

Sexy After Cancer

Can someone come with me if they aren’t pre-registered?
This retreat is open only to those who are pre-registered because we will have materials available for the participants. We are unable to accept walk-in registrations.

Can I attend only one day?
Please plan to attend both days and stay for all sessions. The retreat is designed to take you on a deepening journey, and each section builds on those that precede it. Because we will be an intimate group doing intimate work, it’s important for the group process that everyone participate in the complete event.

Will I receive any materials at the retreat?
Yes, each participant will receive a packet of materials, tools and resources.

Will I be able to get a vegan lunch? Gluten-free?
There are several options on the registration page for lunches. If you don’t see what you need to accommodate your diet, please plan to bring your lunch.

Will there be DVD’s or recordings of this retreat available?
This retreat is highly interactive and very personal to the participants. To maintain and honor confidentiality, recordings will not be available. (Portions of the retreat may be recorded, and if appropriate, recordings may be made available in the future.)

Are there scholarships available?
The price of this first workshop has been greatly reduced because it is the launch of the workshop and we’d like feedback from the participants. Because the workshop fee has already been reduced, we regret there are no scholarships available.

Where do I park? Do I have to pay for parking?
There is free parking. Please refer to the parking map that you will receive after registration.

Healing Journeys Presents

Sexy After Cancer

ON THIS PAGE:

Date and Time
Location
Facilitator
Workshop Fee
Scholarships
Lunch
Registration
Overnight Accommodations
Parking
Cancellations
For More Information

Date and Time:
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Registration at 9:00 am
Workshop from 10:00 am — 6:00 pm

Sunday April 22, 2012
Workshop from 10:00 am — 4:00 pm

Note: This is a 2-day retreat. Please plan to attend both days and stay for all sessions. The retreat is designed to take you on a deepening journey, and each section builds on those that precede it.

Return to Top

Location:
Rudramandir Center for Spirituality and Healing
830 Bancroft Way, Ste. 101
Berkeley, CA 94710

Return to Top

Facilitator:
Barbara Musser, AASECT (American Association of Sexuality                                     Educators, Counselors and Therapists)

Return to Top

Workshop Fee:
The price of this first workshop has been greatly reduced because it is the launch of the workshop and we’d like feedback from the participants.

Early Registration: $177 by March 31
Registration:         $197 by April 16, 9:00 am, Pacific Time

(includes coffee, tea and water)

Return to Top

Scholarships:
The price of this first workshop has been greatly reduced because it is the launch of the workshop and we’d like feedback from the participants. Because the workshop fee has already been reduced, we regret there are no scholarships available.

Return to Top

Lunch:
Box Lunches are available from Whole Foods for $15—17 per day.
Lunch must be ordered by April 16, 9:00 am Pacific time. The order form is included on the registration page.

You are welcome to bring your own lunch, and there is a restaurant 1 block away with prices in the $8—14 range.

Return to Top

Registration:
Please fill out a separate registration form for each person.

Online registration — click here.
Printable form to mail or fax — click here.

Mail or Fax to:
Healing Journeys
PO Box 221417
Sacramento, CA 95822
Fax: 916-391-1004
Phone: (800) 423-9882 or (916) 391-0549

Return to Top

Overnight Accommodations:
A block of rooms is being held at a special discount rate at the La Quinta Inn listed below. Ask for the “RUDRA rate” code when you make your reservation. Please make your reservations by April 6, 2012. The hotel is 4 blocks from the Center.

La Quinta Inn
University and 8^th Streets
Berkeley, CA
510-849-1121
http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do?propId=6238

Discount code: RUDRA Rate (both words)*
$69.00 plus tax

*Advise the hotel when you check in that you have the RUDRA
 Rate.

Return to Top

Parking:
You will receive a Parking Map when you register, which shows available street and garage parking around Rudramandir Center.

Return to Top

Cancellations:
Cancellations received in writing or online by April 16, 9:00 am Pacific Time, will receive a refund less a $50 administrative fee.

Return to Top

For More Information:
916-391-0549
800-423-9882
info@healingjourneys.org

Return to Top

We’ve been watching a spot on my lung since 2007 (Cancer Again? 2010) that I had been told in 2010 was stable so nothing to worry about. We didn’t know what it was. This past year it grew from 1.2 cm to 1.5 cm. This year it became something to be concerned about. A lung needle biopsy in December showed it is metastatic breast cancer.

Even though this could be devastating news, I don’t feel devastated. I have held onto the lesson I learned several years ago — that I will be OK no matter what. Of course I am disappointed that I won’t get my celebration, and I’ve had some anxious moments, but I also feel energized by the challenge of mobilizing my healing forces once again. And I am exercising my responsibility to be the director of my treatment team. When my doctor recommended a treatment I wasn’t comfortable with, I asked for a second opinion.

January 9th I had my “second opinion” appointment with another oncologist. He came totally prepared with having read my extensive chart and knowing my 23-year history with cancer. He showed me the images on the computer of my CT scans and my PET scan, which I hadn’t seen before. I now know what the tumor looks like so I can do more effective guided imagery.

The best news is that he gave me information about my lung tumor that I hadn’t been told before. He said between August and December of 2010, it grew 2 mm. Between December 2010 and December 2011 it grew 3 mm. So in 2010 it grew 2 mm in only 4 months. In 2011 it grew only 3 mm in an entire year. That means the growth has actually slowed down. I have been working hard to create a terrain in my body that is inhospitable to cancer. This news tells me that what I have been doing seems to have made a difference. That’s very empowering news.

His recommendation is that I have a thermal ablation. This is the very treatment I had learned about through other sources that felt like my best option. He will present “me” to the lung board to determine if I am a good candidate for this treatment. The team he is presenting to is the very team I had found on the internet that is the most experienced in Sacramento with this treatment.

He said as slow-growing as this is, even if it does come back, it probably won’t be noticeable for 5 years.

I’m feeling blessed, excited, and optimistic, and committed to being more diligent with my nutrition and exercise program, my spiritual growth, and my stress reduction. I always have time to do what is important for my health (new affirmation). I’m feeling empowered that I really can make a difference, both in the quality, and the quantity of my life.

Please leave a reply, or read comments left by others. Thank you!

In the spirit of healing,

Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Program Director

Return to Turning Points eNewsletter – January 2012

Healing Journeys Presents:

Sexy After Cancer

April 21-22, 2012
Saturday: 10:00 am — 6:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm

Rudramandir Center for Spirituality and Healing
830 Bancroft Way, Ste. 101
Berkeley, CA 94710

You know the statistics ~ more than 2 million women are living with breast cancer in their history. This brings up questions about the quality of life for women on the breast cancer journey.

It’s not really surprising that one of the biggest survival issues related to breast cancer treatment is poor sexual function. Studies show that 40-90% of women experience sexual difficulties as a result of treatment, and, even 20 years after they have been treated, 50% continue to have difficulties. The support and resources available are primarily clinical. There’s a need for a bridge for healing and transforming the trauma women experience to their femininity, sexuality and relationships.

Barbara Musser’s passion is helping women to experience breakthroughs in their capacity to experience joy and wonder, to heal on many levels and to learn how to be vibrant, radiant, alive women who love their life and body, and know that they are sexy and desirable.

Facilitator:

Barbara Musser had breast cancer 23 years ago as a young single woman. She married and had a child after treatment. As a sex educator and workshop facilitator for 20+ years, she has supported many women and their partners and families along the journey; interviewed hundreds of women about their experiences and needs; worked with support groups on the subject of sexuality and intimacy; presented to tumor boards and interviewed many surgeons, plastic surgeons and oncologists about the subject.

Barbara was the Stress Management Specialist in Dr. Dean Ornish’s original research study on reversing heart disease, a facilitator for the Human Awareness Institute and the “Love, Intimacy and Sexuality” workshop series for 15 years, and is a frequent speaker on sexuality and intimacy. Barbara is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. www.sexyaftercancer.com

Who Should Attend:

• Women with breast cancer who want to experience deep emotional, psychological, spiritual and sexual healing
• Women who are experiencing or have experienced sexual difficulties as a result of cancer treatments

At this Retreat You Will Experience:

• An exploration into the roots of our beliefs about how we should look and what our breasts should be like, from their purpose to how they have become sexualized and the source of pleasure and pain, to what breast cancer means to femininity
• The opportunity to tell your breast cancer story in a structured way to feel part of the shared journey and be witnessed in a sacred circle of others on this path
• An inquiry into the nature and elements of inner and outer beauty, to enable us to reveal the truth of who we are and what makes us beautiful
• Processes to forgive ourselves, our bodies and God for the cancer experience, leading to gratitude and appreciation for this journey
• Expanding the concept, definition and experience of sexuality far beyond the genitals and partner sex. We’ll explore sex as Sacred Energy Exchange and learn what that is for each woman; learn about self pleasure and how to ease back into our bodies and our sexuality gently, compassionately and with humor and wisdom.
• Learn Sexercise including tools and exercises to build pelvic floor strength and flexibility. You’ll design your personal plan to develop and maintain strength and pleasure in this area.

This is the time of the year when I ask myself what impact Healing Journeys has had in the past year, and what we should plan for next year. Our programs for 2011 have just finished. We offered three Cancer-Fighting Kitchen workshops, and a one-day version of our Cancer as a Turning Point, From Surviving to Thriving™ conference, serving a total of just over 1,000 people.

Did we make a difference? Can a one- day program have an impact on people’s lives? The feedback from attendees says the answer to both questions is a resounding YES. Here is a representative quote from each program:

From Cancer as a Turning Point:

Well paced, very informative. Brought my spirits up. Inspiring and motivating. A wonderful celebration of life and making integrative health operational. Reinforced my values and belief system in a supportive environment. Nourished my body and soul. Empowered me in my social work practice.

From Cancer-Fighting Kitchen:

You have been so successful in creating a sharing environment and pool of knowledge for those who want to thrive! So inspiring!

I have heard the words “you have cancer” a number of times since my first diagnosis in 1989. I attribute the healing I have experienced in the past 22 years not only to my “treatments,” but also to the many things I have done to nurture my body, mind, and my spirit, and to create harmony and balance in my life. The Healing Journeys’ programs are grounded in my experience of what truly makes a difference.

There is still an emphasis in the “cancer world” on looking for a cure and developing new drugs to treat cancer. While we are waiting for that “cure,” there is so much we can do to improve the quality (and perhaps the quantity) of our lives. There are tools we can use and lifestyle changes we can make that help to activate our inner healers. The Healing Journeys’ vision is that EVERYONE touched by cancer or any life-altering condition be empowered to move from surviving to thriving.

Our Cancer-Fighting Kitchen is the best program I know of to help you nurture your body and strengthen your natural resistance to cancer. The Cancer as a Turning Point™ conference provides education and also presents options for nurturing the mind and the spirit. Some of the most potent tools for me have been guided imagery, humor, music, and connecting with others. Even though these are high on the list of what nurtures my spirit, I seem to need frequent reminders to use them consciously.

For many people, our Cancer as a Turning Point conference was their first exposure to, and experience of, the importance of nurturing the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) as part of their healing journeys. It feels vital to continue offering this experience to as many people as we can.

In 2012 we would like to offer three Cancer-Fighting Kitchen workshops and two Cancer as a Turning Point™ conferences, one in Spartanburg, SC and one in Sacramento, CA.

To make these programs available to everyone, our commitment is to offer the conferences at no charge and the workshops at a low fee with scholarships available. Our cost for two conferences is about $180,000. We need $10,000 in addition to fees collected for each of the three Cancer-Fighting Kitchen workshops. That adds up to a total of $210,000 to offer what feels like a minimum in 2012. We would love to do even more if the funding is available.

About 50% of our funding comes from individual donations, and we depend on it. I am so grateful for your generous support in the past and am counting on your continued support. Please help us make an impact in the lives of those touched by cancer or any life-altering illness in 2012 by contributing generously to Healing Journeys. Thank you!

Click here to make a Safe & Secure, Tax-Deductible contribution online, or for the Mail/Fax form, or to donate by phone.

In the spirit of healing,

Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Program Director

Our free Cancer as a Turning Point, From Surviving to Thriving™ conference in Napa Valley last month reinforced for me why we do what we do. It was such a valuable experience for the 500 people who attended. I want to share a couple of comments with you to give you a flavor of the responses.

Incredibly well balanced & integrated. It hit all the important places: body, soul, emotion, spirit, the arts. Amazing.

Felt very welcomed and safe! Lot’s of compassion. An emotional & cleansing day! Thanks.

This month we are offering two reviews. One of them is of a new DVD created by Gary Malkin and introduced at the conference. The other is a book by Karen Drucker whose music has been a part of our conferences for years. If you aren’t familiar with her music, you can listen to a sample here.

We have changed the format of our monthly eNewsletter to include only one feature. Last month we sent a Healing Story. Next month I will be bringing you a Director’s Reflections. We hope you enjoy this month’s reviews of “recommendations for inspiration.” We appreciate any comments you may have about the new format. Please leave a reply below.

In the spirit of healing,

Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Executive Director

Return to Turning Points eNewsletter – October 2011

Date

Speaker: Jeremy Geffen, MD, FACP

The Seven Levels of Healing

PURCHASE CD
Speaker Bio: Jeremy Geffen, MD, FACP is a board-certified medical oncologist, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a pioneer in integrative medicine and oncology. He is president of Geffen Visions International and director of integrative oncology for P4 Healthcare and Caring4Cancer.com. He is author of the highly-acclaimed book The Journey Through Cancer: Healing and Transforming the Whole Person (Three Rivers Press, 2006) and integrative medicine program The Seven Levels of Healing®. Described as an “oncologist of the future,” Dr. Geffen founded the Geffen Cancer Center and Research Institute (GCCRI) in Vero Beach, Florida, in 1994, which he directed until 2003. GCCRI was one of the first cancer centers in the United States explicitly designed to provide a working model of truly holistic, comprehensive cancer care for the 21st century. The Center was well-known for its ground-breaking Seven Levels of Healing Program, which integrates state-of-the-art conventional cancer treatments with a wide array of complementary therapies designed to help patients and family members heal and transform at the deepest levels of the body, mind, heart, and spirit. Dr. Geffen’s work is now focused on writing, speaking, offering seminars and retreats, and consulting with individuals and organizations in developing integrative and multidimensional programs for medicine and life.

Donations Appreciated

Silent Auction and Meet & Greet starts at 6:00 PM.
Evening includes wine-tasting.
Order Tickets
Karen Drucker’s Website
Gary Malkin’s Website

I’ve heard a rumor that I am retiring. I will someday, but it’s not in the immediate future. I think the rumor got started when we hired Beth as the Executive-Director-in-Training. Seemed reasonable that she would take over when I retired.

In the months that Beth has been working with me, we have verified something I always suspected. What I had been doing under the title of Executive Director can’t reasonably be done by one person. Beth and I are dividing up the tasks and taking job titles to reflect what we will be doing, allowing me to focus on the job that I love most.

Instead of the Executive Director, I am now the Program Director, responsible for designing and implementing our programs and offerings (conferences, workshops, DVDs, etc). Beth is now officially the Development Director and is responsible for guiding the organization towards financial sustainability.

One of our offerings is our eNewsletter, Turning Points. Since May of 2009 we have been creating and sending a monthly ezine containing five sections: Director’s Reflections, Healing Story, Healing Poem, Book Review, and What’s New. Producing a newsletter of this depth is stretching our resources and we need to make a change.

We will continue to send a monthly eNewsletter, and are rethinking what it will contain. In an effort to use our resources to serve you in the best possible way, the monthly Turning Points will include one feature section and a listing of events. This month you are receiving a message from me. We need your feedback for the upcoming months to determine what the feature section will be.

What articles do you enjoy? Do you read the healing stories? Are the book reviews useful? Is there something else you would enjoy, like recipes? We want your ideas and feedback to help us decide what to include in our emails as Healing Journeys continues to move forward. We welcome your thoughts!

Please leave a reply, or read comments left by others. Thank you!

In the spirit of healing,


Jan Adrian, MSW
Program Director
www.healingjourneys.org

Return to Turning Points eNewsletter – August 2011