“Cynthia, I want to thank you for being my guiding light during this truly scary time. … for the first time since diagnosis. I’m finally breathing again, or at least trying to breath. I am blessed to be in such safe arms.”
Meet Our Therapist
Cynthia Hobbs-Hamburg, LMFT, Specializing in Cancer Support
To learn more or schedule an appointment, please contact Magnolia House at: 310-299-8470 or [email protected]
The plethora of thoughts and emotions that race through one’s mind when hearing “you have cancer” is unexplainable. Regardless of how common cancer is, there is no way to be prepared for those words. Treating the physical body often takes priority when going through cancer, with emotions and feelings taking a backseat. Whether just diagnosed, in active treatment, or in the days or years out of treatment, therapy can provide tremendous relief, healing, support, and resiliency. It is not always easy to take the first step into therapy. For many, there is a financial hurdle; for some, therapy might seem scary and unnecessary; and for others, the stigma surrounding therapy may prevent them from seeking help.
To help breakdown these barriers to therapy and to provide a personalized approach, Tower recognizes the significance of individual treatment, offering FREE sessions to Magnolia House participants. Thanks to the generosity and expertise of Cynthia Hobbs Hamburg, LMFT and the Stanley and Joyce Black Foundation, Tower can provide this extraordinary program for FREE.
Method: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapeutic Approach
Cynthia not only has remarkable expertise and experience, but she also cares so much for each person she sees and treats each person with a unique and customized approach based on what comes up that day. Participants work one-on-one with Cynthia in a safe, caring and confidential environment to explore feelings, beliefs, and behaviors.
The goal is to assist those with a cancer diagnosis to:
- reduce feelings of anxiety and distress
- increase feelings of hope and empowerment
- learn new ways of coping
- improve communication with loved ones
This type of individual therapy is present-oriented and directed toward helping participants solve current problems, teaching participants skills to modify distressed thinking and behavior while instilling mindfulness techniques. Anxious, afraid, angry, depressed, isolated, vulnerable. The list of feelings and questions are seemingly endless and in constant flux. The moment when realizing and embracing the only direction is forward, not back to the “old me,” comes with an array of emotions at every stage of a cancer diagnosis. The human body and mind, however, are resilient, and resilience can be built and strengthened in many ways—one of which is individual therapy. Life is a complex journey with or without cancer. Everyone needs a village of support, and therapy is a part of that village that helps one to adapt and heal.