Has cancer hijacked your relationship?
Are you feeling anxious and depressed?
Are you feeling you are no longer attractive and desired?
Do you beg your partner to attend appointments with you to no avail?
Are you able to discuss your fears with your partner?
Are you feeling alone in your journey as a cancer patient or as a caregiver to a patient?

Together Against Cancer is a workshop for cancer patients, spouses and partners. It occurs several times a year at UCSD Moores Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute. The workshop is based on Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Therapy and her book, Hold Me Tight®. Presentations, videos and couples’ exercises help you navigate your relationship with confidence. Your and your partner’s reactions will begin to make sense. Learn to slow down reactions, drop into the situation, and share with your partner. By slowing down and communicating, you will strengthen your relationship.

A cancer diagnosis and the accompanying fears shift relationships creating confusion and difficulties. You will hear more about the impact of a cancer diagnosis on a couple’s relationship.

Join me and learn how to prevent cancer from hijacking your relationship. Build closeness, find comfort, support and the connection for which you long.

The quality of your relationship does matter when you face cancer.

Two Workshops for Cancer Patients
There are two different Together Against Cancer workshops. One Together Against Cancer Workshop meets once for four hours. In this workshop, you explore the impact of cancer on your relationship. You begin to address the issues that have been difficult to discuss. You will learn the benefits of a secure and connected relationship.

The second Together Against Cancer – Hold Me Tight® Workshop is a 16 hour program that meets 4 hours over 4 days. This workshop goes deeper into couples relationships than the 4 hour Together Against Cancer workshop. You discover triggers causing your and your partner’s reactions. You will learn to make repairs even to big hurts that bring forgiveness. Touch and sexual intimacy are vital to a healthy marriage and and will be covered. You and your partner will learn how to keep your love alive for a lifetime.

Wanda has written an article for Coping with Cancer magazine.

Listen to Wanda discuss what helps couples cope when cancer enters their relationship.

Kind Words from Participants . . .
The experience of this workshop has been beyond expectations.

Wanda crates a safe space for helping couples cope and communicate.

Wanda spoke the truth about connecting and how to navigate challenges in our relationship.

Hearing what other participants said and being with others facing cancer was helpful.

I learned tools and language to use during moments of disconnection to maintain emotional closeness that is so important, especially when facing cancer.

I learned the caregiver has “cancer”, too, and that it is important to allow time for self-care and self-love in order to be stronger and better love my husband.

It was powerful being with other couples going through a similar situation and hearing how they are navigating.

Wanda has the ability to share important information in a simple, easy to understand format. My spouse was impacted in a positive way today.

We are struck by how ‘present’ you are – listening so carefully to everyone, drawing out the salient points, making everyone’s comments important to the group.

Wanda is compassionate and empathetic.

The program has been a wonderful opportunity to enhance, expand and understand the dynamics of my relationship with my wife.
Thank you for making my life better, for the rest of my life.

I appreciate the safe space you created.
Our time with you was so beneficial, productive and quick!
I think of you often with sincere gratitude.

I learned more about my wife’s experiences as a patient and feel even more connected to her.

This workshop helped me identify feelings that were running my interactions and responses.
Once I understood what the “director” really was, I had a choice as to whether or not to use the “Hold Me Tight” exercises.
Every time I made that choice, the outcome was a deeper appreciation of who I was and a more satisfying and nurturing connection with my husband.

My husband and I talked at lunch today.
We were not talking about treatment, medicine or appointments.
We were really talking for the first time.

The more we engage in deeper sharing the bonds get stronger.

I learned the origin of the fears I have with my sweetheart come from my previous experiences
and have nothing to do with him.

The exercises were powerful.

We have come a long way in our communication because of what you’ve have taught us and know the other couples will be enormously blessed as we.

Wanda is dedicated to helping couples overcome conflict and create a strong connection. She uses the Gold Standard of couples therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, to help couples decrease conflict, increase connection, and safety communicate better, resolve problems, increase emotional and sexual intimacy and know their partner is available. Wanda offers free workshops (Mission Strong Connection) to military members, veterans and their spouses in the community, and workshops (Strong Connections When Cancer Threatens) for cancer patients and their partners at Moores Cancer Center in La Jolla, CA.

(858) 381-0468
San Diego and Palm Springs and La Jolla areas
[email protected]
holdmetightevents.com
holdmetightcouplesretreat.info  Info on Hold Me Tight Retreats
holdmetightcouplesretreat.info/retreats  Register for Couples Retreat
holdmetightcouplesretreat.info/tac Together Against Cancer Info