Services and Fees
Our services are offered on a sliding scale basis. We ask that you pay within the scale if at all possible AND we will not turn anyone away due to an inability to pay. Because we understand that cancer treatment can extend over a long period of time, and our services are more effective when used consistently, we want you to find a payment you can sustain over that period of time (and into your recovery) for best results. If you cannot afford to meet the minimum, we can further supplement your care with our Patient Assistance Fund and can offer you one “below scale” session per week.
WHAT ARE THE SERVICES
Health Navigation –Our Health Navigator will meet with you when you begin the program to provide support and to help you understand how to best utilize complementary therapies. The Navigator can provide education on what therapies are available and work with you to co-develop a complementary care treatment plan to integrate with your western treatment, taking into account your unique circumstances. The navigator will then be available to follow you through your care and assist with any changes in your plan that may be needed during the course of treatment. A Health Navigator can also work with you to help you sort out your health goals, provide resources, facilitate communication with your providers and offer support as you travel through your journey.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine – These methods have been shown to reduce the side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy and interferon such as nausea, fatigue and depression. A consensus panel convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 concluded there is clear evidence that needle acupuncture treatment is effective for postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture and herbs are also known to help reduce stress, boost the immune system and provide a general sense of balance and well-being.
Naturopathy/Nutritional Counseling – Naturopaths are trained at accredited, 4-year postgraduate universities where they are provided with a comprehensive understanding of the basic medical sciences, accurate diagnostic skills and the ability to apply the natural and minimally invasive methods of whole-person health care. Naturopaths are licensed as primary care providers in California. The purpose of a naturopathic consult at Cancer Support Sonoma is to utilize their in-depth knowledge of nutrition, herbal medicine and supplements in order to help to safely utilize these substances and avoid the redundancy and contraindications (with other herbs, supplements and western medications) that happens when individuals self-prescribe. When you come to your visit with the Naturopath, you will bring in all of your medications, herbs and supplements that you are currently taking and she will review them with you and help you come up with an effective, supportive regime to help you through your treatment and recovery process.
Oncology Massage and Bodywork– These therapies are designed not to overwhelm an already compromised system, and as a result of specific adjustments, people with cancer can safely receive this form of bodywork at all stages of treatment. Oncology Massage has the potential to reduce the severity of side effects resulting from radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, and some recipients report it helps them better tolerate their treatments. Studies have shown it to be useful in reducing pain, fatigue, nausea, anxiety and depression. Survivors who may require special considerations due to continuing side effects also find it beneficial.
FELDENKRAIS® is science-based neuro-muscular retraining, which uses the plasticity of the human brain to offer natural healing from stress, injury, surgery, illness or inefficient body use. Through gentle touch and movement, and expanding awareness, it helps you improve functions and comfort for daily living. If you have had cancer or are undergoing treatments for cancer, Feldenkrais brings you out of the high-stress sympathetic nervous system responses like fear/fight/flight, returning you to a calm parasympathetic ease, able to manage tasks of the day. It can increase mobility, reducing the tension of scar tissue, teach you more efficient ways of moving, which gives you more energy for the important things you do like healing, self-care, or work, and refresh your sense of well-being and wholeness. You can read more about how Feldenkraisdevelops the very aspects of the brain that enhance its self-healing in Dr. Norman Doige’s new book “The Brain’s Way of Healing.” ® & cm are registered trade/certification marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America
Jin Shin Jyutsu – Jin Shin Jyutsu, translated as the “Art of the Creator through the person of compassion,” is a gentle form of Japanese acupressure that seeks to restore balance to the body’s natural energy flow patterns. Illness, injury, and stress can cause energy to become disharmonized causing a wide variety of symptoms and ailments. By gently applying hands on different areas of the body in a specialized pattern, energy is stimulated to reawaken and move harmoniously through the energy pathways. Jin Shin Jyutsu also can be helpful in decreasing side effects from treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Integrative Psychotherapy – Integrative Psychotherapy refers to the bringing together of the emotional/mental, physical and spiritual systems within a person. This work, which can be short-term or in-depth includes the use of guided imagery, mindfulness based stress reduction (meditation) cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance therapy and many other forms of psychotherapy.
Guided Imagery – Guided imagery is the use of relaxation and mental visualization to improve mood and/or physical well-being. Through guided imagery techniques, you can learn to control functions normally controlled by the autonomic nervous system, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and body temperature. Guided imagery is a two-part process. The first component involves reaching a state of deep relaxation through breathing and muscle relaxation techniques. During the relaxation phase, you might close your eyes and focuses on the slow, in and out sensation of breathing. Or, you might focus on releasing the feelings of tension from your muscles, starting with the toes and working up to the top of the head. Once complete relaxation is achieved, the second component of the exercise is the imagery, or visualization, itself. There are a number of different types of guided imagery techniques, limited only by the imagination. Some commonly used types include relaxation imagery, healing imagery, pain control imagery, and mental rehearsal.
Brennan Energy Healing – Practitioners of this hands-on healing technique undergo a 4 year training that works with an individual’s energy system. The client is usually supine or sitting and always fully clothed. Energy healing can assist with pain control and recovery from surgery, injury or trauma. It can help with stress, and feelings of being stuck, by creating balance within the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. Energetic medicine can also help clear and align your energy field in order to help you move forward in a healthier direction.
CranialSacral Therapy (CST) – CST was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system – comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
Using a soft touch, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST can support healing and promote relaxation and stress-reduction.