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imagery
techniques: image-cancer
psychospiritual approaches
definition
IMAGE-CANCER TECHNIQUE:
A psychological instrument to analyze the content of imagery, developed by Achterberg Lawlis in response to the Simontons' work. It seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the patient's imagery and predict the future course of the disease.
Assesses imagery by the following process:
(1) Patient achieves relaxed state by listening to a tape.
(2) Patient receives brief education on the immune system, disease process, and how treatment might work.
(3) Patient draws pictures of how these three factors pertain. Both drawings and verbal explanations are evaluated in 14 dimensions assessing the vividness, activity, strength, and proportion of cancer cells, WBC's, and effects of treatment. (See below)
The results reflect attitudes about the disease and treatment as well as any belief about their innate ability to overcome the illness. From the results, a treatment plan is devised which includes helping patient strengthen or alter the images that are most likely to help fight the cancer. (Zahourek, p. 143)
Desirable qualities of imagery symbols:
The cancer cells are weak and confused.
The treatment is strong and powerful.
The healthy cells have no difficulty repairing any slight damage the treatment might do.
The army of white blood cells is vast and overwhelms the cancer cells.
The white blood cells are aggressive, eager, and quick.
The dead cancer cells are flushed from the body naturally.
By the end of the imagery, you are healthy and free of cancer.
You see yourself reaching your goals in life, fulfilling life's purpose.
(Simonton, p. 143-149).
see:
converting a symptom to a signal
exploratory or mechanistic?
hypnotherapy: overview
process paradigm
reframing
relaxation techniques
subjective inquiry approach
the shadow and physical symptoms
transference and countertransference
imagery: principles: receptive or programmed?
imagery: precautions: beyond individual visualizations
imagery: precautions: contraindications
imagery: precautions: roles, cautions and tactics
imagery: precautions: Simontons' approach
imagery: precautions: spindrift research
imagery techniques: basic steps
imagery techniques: guided imagery
imagery techniques: inner guides
imagery techniques: programmed
imagery techniques: smoking
imagery techniques: symptom access
footnotes