Yesterday I had the opportunity to work with a women recently diagnosed with a slow growing brain tumor. Doctors believe it has likely been there for decades. The tumor itself is encapsulated, meaning it does not have tentacles going off into other tissues. This makes the surgical prognosis it very good.
My client came for CST to help reduce her anxiety and fear around this situation. She also hoped CST would reduce the pain and pressure she was experiencing in her head and around her eye. The remarkable thing is, she did not want to wage war on this tumor. She believes the tumor is friendly.
As we got into the session, we were both able to dialogue with the tumor. The tumor was there to help her with self-care, to stop pushing through, to take a pause. My client also realized this tumor is a part of her, a part that had separated during a traumatic experience earlier in her life. As she was able to release and set free this aspect of herself, the sense both of us perceived was that the tumor was changing. In my hands, the essence/energy of the tumor left and it felt like merely tissue ready to have the surgeon remove.
My client knows a part of this tumor will remain due to its placement. Energetically she knows it will remain to continue to remind her to care for herself. I could perceive this small part of tumor feeling alive and present, but very small.
What drew my attention next was the brain itself, a part displaced due to the tumor. As we held space for this aspect, it felt like it began to move to where the tumor had been taking up space. This was pretty exciting to perceive for both of us!!
As the session ended, my client reported reduced pressure in her head. She had some pain yet around the eye but it was also less. She also experienced a reduction in her level of anxiety and fear. We had dialogued around this as well. She had moved from attempting to convince herself that everything would be OK, to a sense that everything IS OK!!
In following up with her today, she reports the changes have “stayed” and she doesn’t have a headache!! She had gotten use to the constant headache, so was actually surprised by how it felt to not have a headache today.
I continue to be amazed by what comes through in this work. What a gift to share, to witness, and support her in her process! Surgery will still be appropriate and necessary for this client. However, her experience in preparing for surgery and ultimately, her bodies reaction to the surgery has been altered. She intends to return for more sessions before and after her surgery.