Mind-body and Body-based Therapies

Mind-body therapies use mental, emotional, or energetic engagement to affect health and wellbeing.  They are types of integrative (holistic) therapies that are not usually harmful and can be used along with your cancer treatment. These therapies may help relieve symptoms or side effects, ease pain, and help you enjoy life more.

Body-based therapies use touch or movement to impact health and wellbeing. They are types of integrative therapies that may be used along with your cancer treatment but may have some risks, especially if used without proper training and coordination. These therapies may help relieve symptoms or side effects, ease pain, and help you enjoy life more.

Types of mind-body therapies

Here are examples of integrative mind-body therapies that some people have found helpful and safe when used along with standard medical treatment. Be sure to talk with your cancer care team before trying any of these.

• Aromatherapy: The use of fragrant oils (essential oils) from plants to alter mood or improve symptoms such as stress or nausea. These oils can be inhaled or diluted and rubbed on the skin.
• Art therapy: Using creative activities to help people express emotions.
• Biofeedback: Uses monitoring devices to help people gain conscious control over physical processes, such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, sweating, and muscle tension.
• Energy-healing: Focuses on changing energy fields that surround or enter the body. Pressure might be used on the body through touch like in Reiki (spiritual healing through touch).
• Labyrinth walking: Involves a meditative walk along a circular pathway that goes to the center and comes back out. Labyrinths can also be “walked” online or on a grooved board following the curved path with a finger.
• Meditation: A mind-body process in which a person uses concentration or reflection to relax the body and calm the mind.
• Music therapy: The use of music to promote healing and enhance quality of life.
• Spirituality and prayer: Generally described as an awareness of something greater than self. It’s often expressed through religion and/or prayer. But there are many other paths of spiritual pursuit and expression. The Cancer and Spirituality pocket guide can help you learn more about how spiritual care might serve you. This information is brought to you by the Healing Works Foundation.
•  Tai chi: A mind-body system that uses movement, meditation, and breathing to improve health and wellbeing. It’s been shown to help improve strength and balance in some people.
• Yoga: Forms of exercise that involve a program of precise posture and breathing activities.

Types of body-based therapies

Here are examples of integrative body-based therapies that some people have found helpful and safe when used along with standard medical treatment. Be sure to talk with your cancer care team before trying any of these.

• Acupressure: Putting pressure on or rubbing specific parts of the body to help control symptoms.
• Acupuncture: A technique in which very thin needles are put into the body to help treat many symptoms, such as mild pain and some types of nausea.
• Bodywork: Osteopathic doctors use their hands to move or stretch the body with gentle pressure. They might have you change positions, such as standing or sitting, throughout the therapy.
• Massage therapy: Involves manipulation and kneading of the body’s muscles and other soft tissues. It may help decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and increase alertness.