Connie has been an oncology nurse for more than 30 years. During that time she has cared for patients all along the disease spectrum. She has extensive experience in chemotherapy side effect management, pain and symptom management, and educational and emotional counseling with the cancer patient, and has been involved in many studies focusing not only on new and innovational cancer treatments, but also on new ways of providing emotional support to the patient and family members receiving research treatment.

She has long had an interest in the mind-body-spirit connection, and an understanding of the powerful force this can be for the cancer patient. Recognizing that there is generally a profound lack of support or enrichment of this connection in traditional western oncology care, she determined to bring this valuable asset to cancer patients and their families. Her practice of healing the human spirit focuses on the person with cancer, as well as their family and loved ones. Connie provides a loving environment in which Living Essence spiritual counseling sessions and body work with Reiki and Oncology Massage are used to awaken and deepen her clients’ experience of their truest self. Loss and grief sessions, as well as counseling in nutrition, fatigue management, and treatment symptom control are integral parts of the practice. Close communication with the client’s oncologist is maintained throughout the course of care.

Connie began her formal studies six years ago with Arjuna Ardagh, who developed and teaches the Living Essence Spiritual Counseling techniques. Connie was interviewed in Chapter 13, ‘Integrative Medicine’ of Arjuna’s latest book The Translucent Revolution – How People Just Like You Are Waking Up and Changing the World. She is also trained as a Reiki Master and Oncology Massage Therapist. Her Oncology Massage teacher, Isabel Adkins, is one of only three practitioners in the United States teaching this unique method of bodywork for the cancer patient.