The FORCE Cancer Support and Information Centre is OPEN, 9:30am to 4:30pm weekdays, no appointment needed.

Mindfulness and relaxation

FORCE provides free classes in relaxation, anxiety management and mindfulness techniques to help you cope with cancer.

We offer a variety of options to suit your needs. Sessions are held at our Support and Information Centre in Exeter or online.

For more information on our relaxation and anxiety management courses, contact Emma Ellis on 01392 406168.

For further details about our mindfulness programmes, contact Paul Grace on 01392 406169.

Listening for relaxation

We have a range of relaxation CDs available for you to use at home. Copies are available from our Exeter Centre or you can listen online.

Self-help videos

We have produced a series of short films aimed at helping people deal with some of the common side effects of diagnosis and treatment.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is about being fully present in the moment. It helps to develop our awareness moment by moment and to face our experiences as they actually are, rather than coloured by anxiety about the future and preoccupation with the past.

Practices using the everyday functions of sitting, walking, body awareness and stretching are used to focus our awareness with an attitude of curiosity, acceptance and a friendliness towards ourselves and our experience. This way it is possible to reduce anxiety and the stress of challenging situations as well as being a practice for everyday living.

This approach was initially pioneered working with patients with long-term illness and chronic pain and has now been adopted in many other situations within the NHS as well as in the wider community.

If you are interested, please come with a sense of curiosity, an open mind and an open heart.

FORCE offers drop-in mindfulness groups or longer courses in mindfulness practices at our Exeter Support and Information Centre or online.

Contact Paul Grace on 01392 4016168 to find out more.

We have a helpful Mindfulness leaflet.

You can also listen to our Introduction to Mindfulness Practices.

Relaxation

Learning how to relax can be a valuable aid to coping with a cancer diagnosis. Classes and courses in relaxation and anxiety management techniques are held at our Exeter Support and Information Centre or online. Call Emma Ellis on 01392 406168 or email emma.ellis@forcecancercharity.co.uk to register your interest. These sessions are popular so don’t hesitate to call. We keep a waiting list of interested people for the next group.

We also have a helpful Relaxation and Anxiety Management leaflet.

Relaxation can:

Relieve tiredness and stress
Help manage anxiety
Enhance coping ability
Contribute to a sense of wellbeing and peace

Who is it for?

Anyone affected by cancer who would like to:

Learn relaxation techniques
Meet other patients and carers
Have time out for yourself

Do I need special clothes or equipment?

No but it is a good idea to wear loose, comfortable clothes.

Four-week Online Relaxation and Anxiety Management Course

We offer a four-week Relaxation and Anxiety Management programme.
Relaxation is a skill that anyone can learn. This course provides a supportive environment to:

Learn relaxation
Practise simple skills
Explore anxiety management skills and resources
Encourage bringing your learning to everyday life

Call Emma Ellis on 01392 406168 or email emma.ellis@forcecancercharity.co.uk to register your interest. These sessions are popular so don’t hesitate to call. We keep a waiting list of interested people for the next group.