Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care

Stress Reduction

POPC Overview | Our Team

Stress can make the process of coping and recovery more difficult. We can help identify the causes of stress and teach you skills to cope more effectively. Call us or stop by our office to ask about programs also offered within the community.

Some of our programs include:

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program - The MBSR program was started to help patients in coping with cancer stress. Through the practice of paying particular attention to the breath and to their psychological states, patients' capacity to tolerate and withstand stress increases. Patients develop an increased awareness of their own, potentially maladaptive responses to stress and are then in a better position to make positive changes.

• Occupational Therapy Relaxation Group - Occupational therapists (OT) teach relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery that can help lessen anxiety and tension. OT also help to find ways of managing stress by focusing on patient-centred care that assesses a patient's physical status, occupational performance (self-care, productivity and leisure) and psychosocial adjustment to illness. We provide a range of service from functional assessments, treatment, relaxation training, palliative care support to discharge planning. We strive to increase the patient's quality of life, optimize functional independence in daily activities, improve coping strategies in handling stress, and enhance safety for discharge home with appropriate equipment recommendations.