Pathways | Wellness Services For Chronic Illnesses

Wellness Services For Chronic Illnesses

Cancer Care, Condition Specific Support, Food, Healthcare Providers, Mental Health - Adult & Senior, and Social / Recreational

Provided by The Vancouver Friends for Life Society

Free wellness services for residents of Vancouver City Centre facing life challenges associated with HIV, cancer, hepatitis C and other chronic illnesses.

The following services are offered at no cost:

Reiki: A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine which promotes natural self-healing and pain relief by stimulating specific anatomic sites (acupuncture points or acupoints), most commonly by inserting fine sterile needles into the skin.
Massage Therapy: The healing and therapeutic benefits of human touch have been thoroughly documented in a variety of scientific journals, as has its ability to enhance the body’s own immune defenses. Massage and bodywork therapies are provided by local Massage Therapy schools.
Naturopathic Medicine: Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that encourage individuals’ inherent self-healing process. The practice of naturopathic medicine includes modern and traditional, scientific, and empirical methods.
Reflexology: Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, is an alternative medicine involving application of pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion.
Yoga: A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.
Counseling: Certified therapists work one-to-one with members to address issues including grief and loss, self-esteem, disclosure, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relationships and stress management.
Cooking Classes: The goal of the cooking classes is for participants to learn how to use the best principles of good nutrition in their daily lives.
Brunches: Held three Wednesdays a month, the volunteer-led brunches are aimed at providing meals that are well balanced, nourishing and easily tolerated. Brunches also provide an important time for social interaction, countering the isolation that often accompanies living with life-challenging illness.
Art Therapy Classes: Art therapy combines the creative process and psychotherapy, facilitating self-exploration and understanding. Using imagery, colour and shape as part of this creative therapeutic process, thoughts and feelings can be expressed that would otherwise be difficult to articulate.