In this two-part episode, we speak first with Shelley Johns and Kathy Beck-Coon, and then co-author Ann Cottingham, about their work on how mindfulness can help those with cancer and their family caregivers.

Mindfulness practice has been shown in research to potentially influence the quality of people’s lives. Of course one’s actual experience may vary, and taking on a meditation practice should be appropriately timed and with the guidance of a qualified teacher. And with those conditions in place, mindfulness can help people through some of the most challenging stages of their lives, including advanced cancer. That shift isn’t limited to patients, either, as their families, those who love and care for them, can also grow their capacity to work with these difficult, and often otherwise overwhelming, times.

Shelley A. Johns

Dr. Shelley Johns is a board-certified clinical health psychologist and Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist. Her patient-oriented research primarily focuses on testing integrative mind-body interventions to reduce cancer-related fatigue and associated symptoms for post-treatment cancer survivors and improving adaptive coping and quality of life for adults with advanced-stage cancer and their family caregivers.

Kathy Beck-Coon

Dr. Kathleen Beck-Coon is a board certified physician long interested in integrative health and well-being. Her journey into teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has grown from the practice of meditation as a source of healing in her life: meditation practice since 1979; insight/mindfulness practice since 1992; regular silent teacher-lead retreats of 5-28 days since 2004; and through continuing learning as a certified MBSR teacher and MBSR teacher trainer.

Ann Cottingham

Ann Cottingham is Director of Research in Health Professions Education and Practice with the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine where she co-directs the ASPIRE (Advanced Scholars Program for Internists in Research and Education) program. She is a health services researcher with a focus on spiritual, religious and psychological dimensions of illness and care, the role of community organizations in enhancing health, and health care team communication.

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Web Links

• Effects of mindfulness meditation on quality of life in adults with advanced cancer and family caregivers: A randomized pilot.
• Kathleen Beck-Coon, M.D.
• Shelley A. Johns, PsyD
• Ann H Cottingham
• Addressing personal barriers to advance care planning: Qualitative investigation of a mindfulness-based intervention for adults with cancer and their family caregivers.

Music for This Episode Courtesy of Rodrigo Rodriguez

The music heard in this podcast is from Rodrigo Rodriguez. You can visit his website to hear more of his music, get the full discography, and view his upcoming tour dates.