LHC cancer retreat program is a three-day residential retreat for people with cancer and their significant others. Our goal is to help participants live better and, where possible, longer lives. CCHP addresses the unmet needs of people with cancer. These include finding balanced information on choices in healing, mainstream, and complementary therapies; exploring emotional and spiritual dimensions of cancer; discovering that illness can sometimes lead to a richer and fuller life; and experiencing genuine community with others facing a cancer diagnosis.
We offer an integrated program of healing that includes daily group support sessions led by a psychotherapist, massage, yoga, meditation, deep relaxation, imagery work, symbolic learning through Sandtray, poetry, exploration of sacred space, and a gourmet, primarily vegetarian diet. Evening sessions explore choices in healing, mainstream therapies, integrative therapies, pain and suffering, and death and dying.
Retreat is for people at any stage in the cancer journey and their significant others. It provides an exceptionally high-quality opportunity to explore the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of healing with cancer. It works best for people who understand what the retreats are and believe they will benefit from participating. They also work best for people comfortable in a small group sharing the experience of cancer. This includes sharing deep emotional experiences. Emotional balance, maturity, and the ability to share space well with others are a prerequisite for participation.
Retreat is an educational program, not a treatment program. Participants must be under the care of a physician, able to care for themselves, able to participate in the daily program, and sufficiently medically stable to spend three days in a retreat setting.
Commonweal says,
“Most participants find retreat has powerful and lasting positive effects on their lives. After more than 200 retreats in over three decades, we have learned that the program often has beneficial effects on anxiety, fear, loneliness, helplessness and other similar states that often accompany cancer. Many participants come to CCHP with questions about next steps in treatment or in living with a serious cancer diagnosis. Participant evaluations often say that the program far exceeded their expectations.”
