Alumni Messenger

Saybrook Homecoming, June 11-13, 2010, Westin SFO

Friday Evening Special Event
Beginning at 7:30-7:45 Immediately Following the Presidential Welcome

Alumna Lyn Freeman Presents:

The Phoenix Experience: Life Transformation at Saybrook and Beyond

Dr. Lyn Freeman is a Saybrook graduate and the former director of Saybrook’s Integrative Health concentration. She will share how Saybrook served as a launching pad for her career transformation, and how you as students can utilize your Saybrook time to transform your life and the lives of others.

Dr. Freeman is creator and Principle Investigator of National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded clinical trials (Phases I and II) to help Alaska and Washington state breast cancer survivors overcome the symptoms and side effects of their cancer treatments. Side effects included cognitive deficits and memory loss (called chemobrain), sleep deprivation, unremitting fatigue, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Cancer survivors often experience their cancer treatments as being ‘burned alive’ by chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical nerve pain.

Dr. Freeman’s “Envision the Rhythms of Life” (ERL) brain plasticity program incorporates imagery techniques to reduce survivor side effects while transforming treatment imagery into life stories filled with meaning, power and purpose. Study participants have called their experience of the program the ‘ Phoenix Transformation.” The symbol of the ERL program, the Phoenix Transformation, was painted by Alison Bonds Shapiro, current Chair of the Saybrook board.

This year, in collaboration with Alaska Regional Hospital (ARH), the ERL program will be opened to Alaskan cancer survivors suffering the long-term effects of their cancer treatments. In 2011, at the request of ARH, the program concepts will be modified to serve cardiovascular and diabetic patients.

Dr. Freeman will describe her clinical trial and program and share stories from study participants. Attendees will practice some of the clinical trial techniques as a way to reframe challenges in their own lives. Some program materials will be demonstrated, including an animation on neuropeptides and brain plasticity developed in collaboration with Candace Pert, former National Institutes of Health section chief, and the discoverer of neuropeptide receptors.