Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Cancer
with Integrative Wellness
Three decades ago, I was diagnosed with Gorlin Syndrome, a rare disease that affects roughly one in 35,000 people. It continuously produces basal cell carcinoma skin cancers in my body. For over 30 years, I’ve been getting surgery every three months to have them removed before they get too big.
I started following Dr. Andrew Weil — a Harvard Medical School grad and the Father of Integrative Medicine — 30 years ago, enabling me to create a healing regimen for my cancer and childhood PTSD (from a dad who had the disease of alcoholism and could be abusive).
This regimen greatly reduced my stress/anxiety and contained my cancer to a baseline of four to five skin cancers every three months when my stress/anxiety is under control. When it’s not, I get 15-30 skin cancers per quarter. As soon as I leave that stressful situation, my BCC counts go back to single digits like clockwork.
Why I started doing public speaking gigs
My derm surgeon of 25 years and her head nurse said I needed “to get this amazing story out there.” They started me doing public speaking gigs around the country, talking about how chronic stress/anxiety can make us sick and worsen any illness/ailment we have. I also share simple, low-cost things people can do to lessen the impact stress and anxiety have on their lives.
How I became an Integrative Wellness Coach
After the COVID pandemic shut down my speaking gigs, I learned Dr. Weil had an Integrative Wellness Coach certification for non-medical people like me. I was elated to have this opportunity to pay forward what I learned in my three-decade cancer journey!
After three years of studying, I graduated from the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. But a funny thing happened on the way to certification. As I learned more about integrative wellness in my studies, I kept tweaking my healing regimen, resulting in my best year ever with only FOUR BCCs ALL YEAR, including two visits with ZERO BCCs. For a hereditary disease with no cure, zero is not on the radar!
What is the significance of the photo above? Early on in my journey with cancer, a healing practitioner recommended I visit Sedona, Arizona. One of the seven major energy vortex sites in the world, Sedona is home to four vortexes.
The calming energy vortex of Cathedral Rock along Oak Creek (pictured above, on my business card and a framed photo in my office) makes it the most relaxing place I’ve ever been. I’m also a big fan of the healing energy — and the sunrise/sunset views — at the Airport Mesa vortex. I’ve made several pilgrimages to Sedona over the years as it represents an integral part of my stress-reducing, healing path to wellness.
Enough about me, what does all this mean for you?
I’m so excited to be able to pay my experience forward and help other people improve their physical, mental and spiritual health, even if they have a chronic condition like cancer.
There are three ways I can help you: 1) Group Presentations; 2) Group Coaching; 3) 1:1 Coaching. Contact me at TSprague1@comcast.net to sign up or discuss what would best work for you or your group.