Wellness

Join Ruth Wolever for a meditation session. This is a recording from the 2023 LACNETS Wellness Retreat: The Power of Play held on Feb 17, 2024.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE What are the common mental health issues associated with NET? How can they be managed? How does NET impact young adults, NET patients and children of NET patients? Health psychologist Dr. Kersting of the Medical College of Wisconsin elaborates on mental health challenges facing NET patients and their loved ones. Hear coping strategies for anxiety, eating and sleeping difficulties, fatigue and depression. Dr. Kersting discusses what you can expect when meeting a mental health professional and why supporting your mental health is an integral part of your overall care. MEET THE SPEAKER Dr. Karen Kersting, Psychologist, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin Karen Kersting, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who provides counseling and psychotherapy to patients treated by surgeons in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She completed an undergraduate degree in Journalism at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, a PhD in Counseling Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, and a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology at the Dayton Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dayton, OH. She joined the faculty of MCW in 2016. Dr. Kersting’s research interests include the development and assessment of integrated psychosocial services for people coping with cancer diagnosis and treatment, with an emphasis on patients diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. Additionally, her work aims to highlight issues related to social determinants of health and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy interventions. TOP 10 QUESTIONS 1. How common are mental health issues in NET patients? What are the most common mental health issues you see in NET and what can be done about it? 2. How does anxiety impact NET patients? Why is it so prevalent in these patients? When do I know I need to reach out for support with my anxiety? What does treatment for anxiety look like? 3. How does depression impact NET patients? 4. What kind of sleep problems do you see in NET patients? 5. How do you work with patients who have long periods of fatigue? 6. How can a psychologist help people who are struggling to eat after treatment? 7. How can a patient, loved one, or physician tell the difference between a symptom such as fatigue or anxiety caused by NET tumors vs. a psychological trigger? Does it matter? How does one’s mental health impact one’s NET disease or the effectiveness of treatments? 8. Discuss how NET may impact young adult NET patients? How does NET impact young adult children, teenagers, and young children of NET patients? 9. Who should see a psychologist? When should someone see a psychologist? How does one find a psychologist? What should a patient expect when they come for a first visit with a mental health professional such as a psychologist, therapist, social worker or other? 10. What coping strategies or advice do you have for NET patients? What coping strategies or advice for family members or loved ones? For more resources and a transcript of this episode, visit https://www.lacnets.org/podcast18.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE What is psycho-oncology and how can it benefit those living with NET? Psychiatrist Dr. Mona Mojtahedzadeh of Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology discusses whole-person care for cancer patients and caregivers. From “scanxiety” to sleep hygiene, she acknowledges the range of challenges of living with cancer and shares solutions to improve mental well-being and overall health. MEET DR. MONA MOJTAHEDZADEH Mona Mojtahedzadeh, MD, is a psychiatrist at Simms-Mann/UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, which allows her to continue to perform a work of meaning within a valued population who embrace her into some of their most pivotal moments along their cancer illness trajectory. Dr. Mojtahedzadeh is board certified in Psychiatry as well as in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. She obtained her MD from Tehran, Iran’s Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. She was a general and family practitioner at an underserved health and urgent care clinic in Iran. She completed her psychiatry training through residencies at Texas Tech University Health and Science Center coupled with Loma Linda University Health, where she was granted the department’s research award of the year. She completed a consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry fellowship at the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County (LAC+USC) and later served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supportive Care Medicine at City of Hope National Medical Center and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at USC. Her scholarly work includes over 32 publications, posters, and book chapters in areas of medicine, mental health, and their overlap. TOP 10 PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY QUESTIONS 1. Who might seek a psychiatrist? How does one go about finding a psychiatrist that is right for him or her? 2. What is psycho-oncology? If someone living with NET is looking for a psychiatrist, should they seek someone who has trained in psycho-oncology? How does one find such a person? 3. How do you determine if symptoms such as depression, anxiety, mood swing, or fatigue are symptoms caused by their NET cancer or not? 4. Is it safe for NET patients, particularly those with high levels of serotonin, to take antidepressants such as SSRIs that may increase levels of serotonin? 5. If someone living with NET struggles with depression, what is your approach? How do you determine the best treatment option? 6. If someone living with NET struggles with anxiety, how would you approach this patient and how might you manage it? 7. If someone living with NET struggles with sleep issues, what might your thoughts be? 8. What suggestions might you have for loved ones of someone living with cancer who is trying to support someone struggling with depression, anxiety, or mood swings? 9. What suggestions do you have for coping with one’s cancer diagnosis? How might one find some stability and peace during what often feels like a rollercoaster ride? 10. What last words of hope would you leave with the audience? For more resources and a transcript of this episode, visit https://www.lacnets.org/podcast15.

Watch this guided meditation with Ruth. This session is part of the August 2023 LACNETS Virtual Wellness Retreat on Resilience.

Watch this guided meditation with Ruth. This session is part of the LACNETS Virtual Wellness Retreat on Centeredness that took place on February 11, 2023.

Health Coach Julie takes us through a gentle yoga session. For more information, visit LACNETS.org

Julie leads a yoga session as part of the 2022 LACNETS Virtual Wellness Retreat.

Ruth leads a meditation session as part of the 2022 LACNETS Virtual Wellness Retreat.

This is a 32-minute gentle yoga class geared specifically for those new to yoga or those who are interested in a gentle practice. Have a chair, mat and pillow handy. To learn more about LACNETS, visit www.LACNETS.org.

This 20-minute guided meditation offers powerful techniques to reduce stress, cultivate intentions and find your inner calm. Meditation teacher: Ruth Q. Wolever, PhD, NBC-HWC Chief Science Officer, eMindful To learn more about LACNETS, visit www.LACNETS.org.

This is a 30-minute gentle yoga class geared specifically for those new to yoga or those who are interested in a gentle practice. Have a chair, mat, wall space, and pillow handy. To learn more about LACNETS, visit www.LACNETS.org.

This 19-minute meditation offers a powerful reset for your own self-healing. Meditation teacher: Ruth Q. Wolever, PhD, NBC-HWC Chief Science Officer, eMindful To learn more about LACNETS, visit www.LACNETS.org.