Like many of you, I have been impacted by breast cancer. But, also like you, cancer does not define me. I am a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, entrepreneur, world traveler, dreamer, artist, and a bit of a potty-mouth Pollyanna. I love to sing really loud when no one is around. I struggle to make time to practice my guitar even though I really want to learn to play. I lived with anxiety long before cancer came calling and, truthfully I probably always will. I also am braver than I used to be. I know now that I am stronger than I ever thought. And I can honestly say cancer isn’t the worst thing I have been through but it is the one with the most visible reminders. I am glad to share my experience with you and hope that together, we can continue to recover from our wounds, reconnect with our earthly bodies, and reclaim that piece of us that cancer never gets to steal … our souls.
For women impacted by breast cancer, it is often when treatment and surgeries come to a close that a greater challenge begins. The expectation is that a ‘new normal’ is waiting for you but life beyond breast cancer can be anything but normal. Women are often left feeling adrift as they struggle to figure out how to live within their new bodies, how to deal with the aftermath of surgery and treatment, and how to find themselves again among the wreckage. Without the constant medical observation they have grown used to, fear and uncertainty about every ache and pain begin to whisper in their ears. Add to this a lack of education around caring for their scars, risk of lymphedema, and other secondary complications, and survivorship can be a truly lonely and frustrating experience.
As We Are Now was created to bridge this gap. Living at the intersection of personal and professional experience in breast cancer land, I understand what it is like to walk this path. My unique advantage, though, is having years of education and training in oncology massage and lymphatic drainage which I translated into my own tool box of skills for recovery and healing. Having previously watched hundreds of clients benefit from my work, I am able to feel the transformation that comes from connecting with and caring for your body after a breast cancer experience. Fear becomes understanding and resistance becomes compassion.
Now through our 8-week online Body Empowerment Program and private, virtual membership Community, you too can learn to live in empowered survivorship. I teach you to understand the ongoing changes to your body caused by surgery and treatment, to work with your scars and restrictions, and to reduce your risk of lymphedema or manage early symptoms. By connecting with your body as you are now you can strengthen your body image and intimate relationships. With educational lessons, mind/body activities, and live group support, you will learn hands-on techniques that foster confidence and self-reliance so that you can play an active role in your recovery and healing, now and in the future.
Every woman deserves to feel at home and safe in her body. The women of As We Are Now are the change-makers of their own lives, refusing to be defined by their breast cancer experience and building relationships with themselves and each other based on more than a color or ribbon. Our program and community are safe havens for women who choose not to live their experience on social media but are still seeking healing and support. All women impacted by breast cancer are welcome including those living with metastatic concerns and those living at high risk.
You have a choice.
Knowledge Is Power And It Is Time To Know Your Body.
You have the right to live in empowered survivorship,
to build a trusted relationship with your body
so that you can recover in your terms
and claim safety in yourself again.
Our 8-Week Body Empowerment Program is a virtual, guided course that will teach you to understand what your body has been through, what the lasting physical impacts can be, and how to reconnect with yourself despite the changes you have experienced. By learning to work with your body in a safe and effective way using gentle hands-on techniques, you can play an active role in your own recovery and reduce your risk of secondary and future complications. Through exclusive meditations and guided imagery, you can strengthen the mind-body connection to deepen your relationship with yourself and, in turn, with others allowing you to live more fully and confidently beyond breast cancer regardless of your disease status.
I’m Amy. I live at the intersection of personal and professional experience in breast cancer land.
In 2012, I began my career in oncology massage and lymphatic drainage. I knew I wanted to serve women both during and beyond breast cancer surgery and treatment because of my own family history and personal high risk but what I didn’t know was that I would ultimately be creating a path to healing myself.
In 2017, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 IDC and underwent a double mastectomy with implant reconstruction followed by 8 rounds of chemotherapy. I still deal with certain challenges but, thanks to my extensive training in cancer-related bodywork, I had knowledge and skills to help me not only in my physical recovery but in my long term survivorship as well.
I have made it my mission to help you achieve this type of self-reliance and empowerment.
Today I use my personal and professional experience to empower women in their own survivorship journey by teaching you
- how breast cancer impacts your body and proven self-care techniques you can use to heal,
- to understand your risks around lymphedema and steps you can take to manage and mitigate your risks,
- how to improve the look and feel of your scars to regain flexibility and range of motion,
- and, most importantly, to reconnect with your body and find safety and self-acceptance … as you are now.
WILL YOU JOIN ME AT A “TABLE FOR TWO”?
Grab a spot on my calendar for our very own “table for two”!
https://calendly.com/as-we-are-now/virtualmeetup
Amy Hartl
Your Breast Cancer Self-Care Specialist
Making self-care safe, effective, and relevant so you can think less about breast cancer and feel better.
Virtual Breast Cancer Self-Care Education Globally
Hands-On Oncology Massage & Manual Lymphatic Drainage Locally
716-215-2621
As We Are Now LLC
[email protected]
Buffalo, New York
Sign up for my weekly newsletter to receive insights and inspiration from the intersection of personal and professional experience in breast cancer land.
Leave a Reply