Tag: Mental Health

Caregiver Connection Support Group – Monthly

To register for this group, please click the RSVP button above or email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

offered in partnership by Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, GW Cancer Center and Medstar Health

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts logo

Our Caregiver Connection Support Group, led by a licensed clinical social worker, provides a safe and compassionate space for individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. This group offers emotional support and shared experiences around managing the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of caregiving.

Participants can connect with others who understand their unique struggles, find strength in community, and gain resources to help navigate their caregiving journey. Whether you’re new to caregiving or have been supporting someone for a while, this group offers a place to share, learn, and heal together.

How does the Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group differ from the Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group? 
Both groups are led by licensed social workers and are designed to support individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. The main difference is the schedule. The Caregiver Connection Support Group meets once a month on the 4th Wednesday from 7-8pm EST, while the caregiver support group meets bi-monthly on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm EST. The The Caregiver Connection Support Group was created to accommodate the growing number of caregivers and is currently open to new members. In contrast, the caregiver support group is closed to new members at this time. We hope that offering two distinct groups will provide cancer caregivers with more opportunities to find a safe, supportive environment at Smith Center.

Sara’s Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group meets Monthly on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 7:00 – 8:00pm.

About Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

Sara Field

Sara is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in DC and holds an Oncology Social Work certification. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at the Catholic University of America in DC and has worked in oncology for over 6 years. Sara currently serves as the Clinical Social Worker and Patient Experience Supervisor at the Ourisman Breast Center at MedStar Georgetown and previously worked at the Lombardi Cancer Center and GW Cancer Center. Sara has a strong interest in the intersection of emotional and physical health and a particular passion for supporting parents with cancer and their kids.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.

Caregiver Connection Support Group – Monthly

To register for this group, please click the RSVP button above or email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

offered in partnership by Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, GW Cancer Center and Medstar Health

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts logo

Our Caregiver Connection Support Group, led by a licensed clinical social worker, provides a safe and compassionate space for individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. This group offers emotional support and shared experiences around managing the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of caregiving.

Participants can connect with others who understand their unique struggles, find strength in community, and gain resources to help navigate their caregiving journey. Whether you’re new to caregiving or have been supporting someone for a while, this group offers a place to share, learn, and heal together.

How does the Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group differ from the Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group? 
Both groups are led by licensed social workers and are designed to support individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. The main difference is the schedule. The Caregiver Connection Support Group meets once a month on the 4th Wednesday from 7-8pm EST, while the caregiver support group meets bi-monthly on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm EST. The The Caregiver Connection Support Group was created to accommodate the growing number of caregivers and is currently open to new members. In contrast, the caregiver support group is closed to new members at this time. We hope that offering two distinct groups will provide cancer caregivers with more opportunities to find a safe, supportive environment at Smith Center.

Sara’s Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group meets Monthly on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 7:00 – 8:00pm.

About Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

Sara Field

Sara is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in DC and holds an Oncology Social Work certification. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at the Catholic University of America in DC and has worked in oncology for over 6 years. Sara currently serves as the Clinical Social Worker and Patient Experience Supervisor at the Ourisman Breast Center at MedStar Georgetown and previously worked at the Lombardi Cancer Center and GW Cancer Center. Sara has a strong interest in the intersection of emotional and physical health and a particular passion for supporting parents with cancer and their kids.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.

This session has been postponed to 09/17. In order to be notified of the rescheduled session, please email programs@smithcenter.org.

Hosted in partnership with

with Erin Price, LICSW, OSW-C

Young Adult Cancer Survivors (YACS) Hot Topics: You’re Not Crazy – Cancer and Mental Health Workshop

Receiving a cancer diagnosis, undergoing treatment, managing side effects, and living with the fear and uncertainty that cancer brings can all feel incredibly overwhelming. Coping with this emotional rollercoaster is challenging, and you may not always feel equipped to navigate it successfully. In this workshop for young adult cancer survivors (YACS), we will discuss how cancer can affect your mental health and how your body responds to stress. Then we’ll explore healthy ways to cope with intense emotions and take some time to begin developing individual mental wellness plans that you can use in your daily life.

Please Note: This program is open to young adult cancer survivors in their 20s, 30s and early 40s. 

About Erin Price, LICSW, OSW-C

Erin Price

Erin serves as Smith Center’s Director of Young Adult and Psychosocial Support Programs. She is trained in Integrative Patient Navigation, a Project LEAD graduate, and holds a Masters in Social Work. A ten-year+ breast cancer survivor, Erin is passionate about providing support and community to other cancer survivors, especially young adults. She works with Smith Center’s DC Young Adult Cancer Community and is also actively involved in the cancer community through the Association of Oncology Social Workers, the Young Survival Coalition, the Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, and the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.

Caregiver Connection Support Group – Monthly

To register for this group, please click the RSVP button above or email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

offered in partnership by Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, GW Cancer Center and Medstar Health

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts logo

Our Caregiver Connection Support Group, led by a licensed clinical social worker, provides a safe and compassionate space for individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. This group offers emotional support and shared experiences around managing the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of caregiving.

Participants can connect with others who understand their unique struggles, find strength in community, and gain resources to help navigate their caregiving journey. Whether you’re new to caregiving or have been supporting someone for a while, this group offers a place to share, learn, and heal together.

How does the Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group differ from the Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group? 
Both groups are led by licensed social workers and are designed to support individuals caring for loved ones with cancer. The main difference is the schedule. The Caregiver Connection Support Group meets once a month on the 4th Wednesday from 7-8pm EST, while the caregiver support group meets bi-monthly on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm EST. The The Caregiver Connection Support Group was created to accommodate the growing number of caregivers and is currently open to new members. In contrast, the caregiver support group is closed to new members at this time. We hope that offering two distinct groups will provide cancer caregivers with more opportunities to find a safe, supportive environment at Smith Center.

Sara’s Monthly Caregiver Connection Support Group meets Monthly on the 4th Wednesday of the month from 7:00 – 8:00pm.

About Sara Field, LICSW, OSW-C

Sara Field

Sara is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in DC and holds an Oncology Social Work certification. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at the Catholic University of America in DC and has worked in oncology for over 6 years. Sara currently serves as the Clinical Social Worker and Patient Experience Supervisor at the Ourisman Breast Center at MedStar Georgetown and previously worked at the Lombardi Cancer Center and GW Cancer Center. Sara has a strong interest in the intersection of emotional and physical health and a particular passion for supporting parents with cancer and their kids.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.

Our Caregiver Support Group is currently closed to new members at this time. To be added to the waitlist and to learn about other caregiver support group offerings, please email Olivia at olivia@smithcenter.org.

with Julia Rowland, Ph.D.

Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This cancer caregiver support group, led by a licensed psychologist, is designed to provide cancer caregivers with the opportunity to meet other caregivers, learn about useful tools for self-care, and explore ways to thrive in the caregiving role.

Julia’s Caregiver Support Group meets Bi-Monthly on Mondays from 6:00 – 7:30pm.

About Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland

Julia Rowland, PhD, who joined Smith Center in October 2017, comes to this position as a long-time clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of psychosocial aspects of cancer. She has worked with and conducted competitively funded research among both pediatric and adult cancer survivors and their families, and published broadly in psycho-oncology, including co-editing, along with Dr. Jimmie Holland, the ground-breaking text, Handbook of Psychooncology.  She has also been a frequent speaker on cancer survivorship, or life after cancer, for both professional and lay audiences.

Julia received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in psychosocial oncology. While at MSKCC, where she held joint appointments in pediatrics and neurology, Julia helped to develop and was the first Director of the Post-Treatment Resource Program, one of the first non-medical survivorship care programs to be offered by a major cancer center in the U.S. In 1990 she moved with her husband and two young children to Washington, DC to become founding Director of the Psycho-Oncology Program at Georgetown University and the Lombardi Cancer Center. There she helped expand services to meet the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and families, launched some of the first quality of life clinical trials, and also introduced a program to enable first year medical students to learn the art of caring for those living through and beyond cancer from survivors themselves and Lombardi faculty. Nine years later, in September of 1999, she was recruited to the National Cancer Institute to become the first, full-time Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a position in which she served for 18 years, championing the growth of survivorship research and care, before stepping down in September 2017 to assume her new role at Smith Center. Although new to the team, Julia is no stranger to Smith Center. She knew Smith Center’s founder, Barbara Smith Coleman, and has volunteered her expertise across the years as a speaker, group leader and staff member for both the 1-day and weeklong residential retreats. Julia brings to her new role a passion to translate what research has taught us about healing in the context of cancer to the broader community, in essence, taking the science of survivorship from the lab bench to the park bench.