Author: jenhildreth
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Limbo Springs Transition
Limbo was brought up in our last meeting. We all have experienced this at some point in our lives, and cancer can exacerbate the intensity of limbo. The feelings of limbo between appointments can seem vast and overwhelming. We can linger in limbo as we wait for lab results or to hear back from our…
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Healing and Self-Care
Cancer has this way of forcing us to face what we need, becoming our own health care advocates at times, while allowing ourselves to be taken care of by others. Individually, we have learned about various forms of self-care to cope with different sources of stress in our lives. Today, we will explore these various…
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When Words Heal
“…expressive writing has downstream effects not only for those who have endured very negative experiences, such as trauma but for almost anyone.” DiMenichi et al., 2019. The farther away in time I get from my diagnosis and surgeries, the less I identify as a cancer patient, and increasingly I can see myself as a cancer survivor.…
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Full-circle On D-Day
Vulnerability as a coping tool I made it through yesterday, and here I am ready to face today. Key learnings: I will take care of myself; I will not neglect myself. I can make healthy choices. I will find struggle and I have the mindset to move through a spectrum of emotions; feeling, reckoning, rumbling…
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Expressing Gratitude Amidst Grief
Transformation, Resurrection, and Gratitude There is much healing to be found in belonging to oneself, in belonging everywhere and nowhere at once. To find peace in a moment and find that peace reflected in the hearts around you is to pass that peace amidst a universe of chaos. Well, I showed up for my appointment,…
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The Story…
Writer’s Feedback: The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness or Loss by Sandra Marinella, MA, MEd “There is nothing so wise as a circle.” – Rainer Maria Rilke Thank you all for your understanding of my absence last month; I needed a mental health break. I am grateful for the…
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Entering the Inner Cave
August 6, 2021 Approaching our Inner Self Holistic care has provided me with a new understanding of “self”. I’ve accepted I will experience different forms of healing as I continue my life as a cancer survivor. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely…
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Finding Meaning in Change
July 9, 2021 Cultivating post-traumatic growth as we heal Last month we wrote about crossing the threshold in our healing journey, accepting change in our lives, and finding traction along our path. This month we will write about living with changed conditions and how our beliefs shape our path. Some days I feel sprung with…
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Honoring Our Mentors
My heart is heavy with the news that our dear friend is in hospice. This news triggers multiple overwhelming emotions: sadness and fear, empathy and sympathy, and a loss for words. I want to honor these feelings and reach out to tell her how much she means to me. Tell her how much I’ve learned…
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Coping with Stress and Change
Hello Writers, spring is in the air… And for better or for worse, change is all around. Like the cycling of the seasons, change has become an expected part of life. Along our journey, we learn to lean into change and accept uncertainty. Our experience informs us that not all things go as we plan.…
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Impacts to Intimacy
Fortifying confidence and intimacy through self-expression Several factors may impact our sexual wellness throughout our experience with cancer. These factors often are biological, psychological, interpersonal, and sociocultural in nature (M., J. et al. 2012, UCSF SWG 2020). The body changes from treatments, surgeries, and fluctuations in hormone regulation. Psychological impacts related to desire and “readiness”…
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Authentic Self
January 8, 2021 By my very nature, I influence those around me. Not by attitude or action alone, but through authenticity of self I may empower others to be better versions of their own humanity. -Jen Hildreth I am striving to regain momentum in my career post-cancer diagnosis and treatment. In 2019, I graduated from…
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Cancer and Sexuality
In my healing journey, I faced childhood trauma triggered by my experience with ovarian cancer. Through therapy and support groups, I found the courage to face this trauma and developed the emotional tools and resiliency to openly speak about my experience.
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How we see ourselves – A Body of Work
Cancer taught me that I need to be in my body and listen to it; I need to work on myself. After my diagnosis I started to turn the wrenches and grease the gears and give myself routine maintenance, so to speak.
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Write Your Own Myth
Today, we come together with a fresh slate and a wide-open road before us. We write as a tool to heal and for the gift of sharing our experience.
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The Stories We Tell Oursevles
StorytellingNow is the time of the year when we honor our dead, the ghosts of the past, and we harvest the crops.Now is the time of the year when the dried, fallen leaves whirl about in the wind. Soon the rains will come, followed by winter.Soon the days will grow darker, with the faint promise…
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Relating and Reaching Out
August 2018 Sometimes we feel invisible. Facing daily challenges when others expect us to be “healed”, “cancer-free” , or “all better”. Check in with yourself – this is the time of harvesting the first fruits and veggies of the summer. The time of barbeques, friendly get-togethers, and family reunions. We’ll expose ourselves to the sun…
write/heal/live 