Resources

At Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, we advocate for an integrative approach to cancer care that treats the whole person – mind, body, and spirit — by combining the best medical interventions with complementary and supportive therapies. We offer educational, therapeutic, supportive programs here at Smith Center that can help you be an active participant in your own healing.

In addition, the following resources may be useful to you as you chart your course and make decisions about your care and the way you want to live through your experience with cancer. There are hundreds of good resources available to help you, but cancer is overwhelming enough. We recommend you start by exploring one category at a time. You’ll see that small changes can change your experience and your wellbeing significantly.

Please note that the following links and resources are listed for your information and convenience only. We have attempted to include the highest quality information and tools available, but do not specifically endorse any organization or their approach. Please discuss all treatment decisions with your physician.

What to do if you are diagnosed with cancer:

The following resources may be useful to you as you chart your course and make decisions about your care and the way you want to live through your experience with cancer.


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Getting started & setting a course

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Explore stress reduction practices

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Nourish yourself with healthy foods

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Soak up wisdom, find inspiration

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Prioritize emotional support

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Consider complementary & supportive therapies

Resources

Free Video Learning

Wellness

Vagus nerve reset

Wellness

Yoga Nidra with Catherine Nelson

full library of resources

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Special Place Guided Imagery

Special Place Guided Imagery helps reduce treatment-related anxiety, nausea, fatigue, and depression while increasing comfort, …

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Mindful Breathing Meditation

Mindful Breathing Meditation helps ease pain, reduce chemo-related symptoms, boost immunity, and increase calm, self-awareness,…

Ina®, The Intelligent Nutrition Assistant

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts and Savor Health are excited to introduce Ina®, The Intelligent Nutrition Assistant. Ina®…

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Gentle Yoga Classes

Science tells us that psychological stress can affect the immune system – the body’s defense against infection and disease, inc…

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DC Young Adult Cancer Community Programs

The DC Young Adult Cancer Community (DCYACC) is all about addressing the unique challenges and concerns of young adults in…

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Cooking & Nutrition Classes

Eating well is one of the most fundamental and accessible ways of promoting good health and living well through cancer treatmen…

Reiki Training Logo

Reiki & Energy Healing

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians logo

Naturopathy

acupuncture via UnSplash: Katherine Hanlon tinymountain

Acupuncture

Cancer Choices logo

CancerChoices

Wendt Center for Loss and Healing logo

William Wendt Center for Loss and Healing

Wendt Center for Loss and Healing helps people in the DC area rebuild a sense of safety and hope after experiencing a loss, lif…

Cancer Support Community Washignton DC logo

Cancer Support Community DC

Ulman Foundation Logo

Ulman Foundation

Hope Connections Logo

Hope Connections for Cancer Support in Bethesda, MD

Inova Life With Cancer Logo

Life With Cancer Support Groups in Fairfax, VA

MedStar Health Logo

Washington Cancer Institute, Washington Hospital Center

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Logo

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Johns Hopkins Medicine Logo

Sibley Memorial Hospital Cancer Center

George Washington Cancer Center logo

George Washington Cancer Center

Georgetown University Logo

Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center

Howard University Cancer Center logo

Howard University Cancer Center

Imerman Angles logo

Imerman Angels

Psychology Today Logo

Psychology Today’s – Find a Therapist DC website

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Cure Cancer Resource Guide

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Pain Control: Support for People With Cancer

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Spirituality and Health

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Journal of the Society of Integrative Oncology

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Integrative Cancer Therapies

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CURE

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Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine

Book: Integrative and Complementary Therapies

Alternative and Complementary Therapies

Book: Close to the Bone

Close to the Bone: Life-Threatening Illness as a Soul Journey

Book: Being with Dying

Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death

Book: Healing into Life and Death

Healing into Life & Death

Book: Hard Choices for Loving People

Hard Choices for Loving People

CPR, Artificial Feeding, Comfort Care, and the Patient with a Life-Threatening Illness

Book: Final Gifts

Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying

Book: On Death & Dying

On Death & Dying

Book: No Death, No Fear

No Death/No Fear

Book: I will not die an unlived life

I Will Not Die an Unlived Life

Book: Talking About Death

Talking About Death

Book: Writing as a Way of Healing

Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives

Book: Staying Well with Guided Imagery

Staying Well With Guided Imagery: How to Harness the Power of Your Imagination for Health and Healing

Book: Healing Words - The Power of Prayer and The Practice of Medicine

Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine

Book: Essentials of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Essentials of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Book: Manifesto for a New Medicine

Manifesto for a New Medicine: Your Guide to Healing Partnerships And the Wise Use of Alternative Therapies

Book: Comprehensive Cancer Care, Integrating Alternative, Complementary, and Conventional Therapies

Comprehensive Cancer Care: Integrating Alternative, Complementary and Conventional Therapies

Book: The Greater Washington D.C. Area's Cancer Community Healing Network

Greater Washington D.C. Area’s Cancer Community Healing Network

Book: The Best Alternative Medicine

The Best Alternative Medicine

Book: Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide

Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide

Book: Alternative Medicine What Works

Alternative Medicine: What Works: A Comprehensive, Easy-to-read Review of the Scientific Evidence, Pro and Con

Book: The Alternative Medicine Handbook

Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies

Book: ACS Guide to Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies

American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Therapies: The Essential Guide for You and Your Doctor

Book: The Anatomy of Hope

The Anatomy of Hope

Book: Life Over Cancer

Life Over Cancer

Book: Cancer As a Turning Point

Cancer as a Turning Point: A Handbook for People with Cancer, Their Families, and Health Professionals

Book: The Definitive Guide to Cancer

The Definitive Guide to Cancer, Third Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing

Book: Kitchen Table Wisdom

Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal

Book: Anti Cancer, a New Way of Life

Anticancer: A New Way of Life

Healing Outside the Margins: The Survivors Guide to Integrative Cancer Care

Book: Choices in Healing

Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer

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Anticancer Living by Lorenzo Cohen and Alison Jeffries

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Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Please note that Smith Center does not promote any one diet for cancer, but we list this resource for anyone interested in lear…

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Oldways PT

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Soul Savory Cookbook

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Commonweal’s Cancer Fighting Kitchen Online Course

Free access when your sign up for updates from CancerChoices

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Cancer Fighting Kitchen

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Environmental Working Group

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AICR Healthy 10 Challenge

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AICR Nutrition Hotline

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Anti-Cancer Lifestyle Program

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CancerChoices Eating Well Handbook

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Guided Imagery Exercises: Imagery for Health & Wellbeing

Breathing in Wellness – A 4-part Mindfulness & Meditation Series

Breathing in Wellness – A 4-part Mindfulness & Meditation Series

developed by Matthew Grossman Developing mindfulness skills can help combat stress, anxiety, and uncertainty in everyday life. …

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Shanti’s Progressive Relaxation

Shanti’s Yoga CD

Shanti’s 70-minute Recorded Yoga Class

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Young Survival Coalition

Provides support and education to young adults with breast cancer Facebook Online forums

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Vivibot from HopeLab

Facebook-based chatbot for young adult cancer survivors in the first few years post treatment

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Stupid Cancer

The largest charity that propels the young adult cancer movement forward

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Sisters Network

The only national African-American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States

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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

A forum for young adult patients (ages 18-39) to address the stresses and triumphs shared by those living with survivorship iss…

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Lacuna Loft

Lacuna Loft provides online wellness support programs and resources, lifestyle encouragement, and peer support community that y…

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Cancer Support Helpline

Anyone affected by the cancer journey can find support over the helpline by calling 888.793.9355

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Teen Support Community (Group Loop)

Teen Support Community (Group Loop) An online resource for teens to connect with each other to find support, education, and hop…

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Cancer Care – Counseling. Support groups. Education. Financial assistance.

Online Young Adult support groups Online support groups take place using a password-protected message board format (not live ch…

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NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Adolescents & Young Adults with Cancer

NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Adolescents & Young Adults with Cancer From the medical leaders of 27 of the world’s most ren…

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Wildfire Magazine

Wildfire Magazine This is a reader-generated, bimonthly magazine for young women fighters & survivors of breast cancer. All…

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The Courage Club: A Radical Guide for Audaciously Living Beyond Cancer

The Courage Club: A Radical Guide for Audaciously Living Beyond Cancer By Katie A. Campbell No one is prepared for a cancer dia…

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DC Young Adult Cancer Community Private Facebook Group

To request to be added to this private/secret Facebook page, please contact erin@smithcenter.org

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Find a Navigator or Mentor

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts INOVA/ Life With Cancer The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults Nueva Vida LIVESTRONG Foun…

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Advocacy Organizations

The best way for you to impact issues related to Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer is to be vocal with your representatives and…

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Why is She Acting So Weird?: A Guide to Cultivating Closeness When A Friend is in Crisis

Why is She Acting So Weird?: A Guide to Cultivating Closeness When A Friend is in Crisis by Jenn McRobbie This book sets out to…

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National Resources for the Young Adult Cancer Community

15-40 Connection  Cancer and Careers Critical Mass Lacuna Loft Mission Control Cancer Dudes National Cancer Institute AYA Porta…