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“VICTORY produces positivity & providence through practicing in the precious present!”

(MJ Bishop, MD, Victory Founder)

Celebrate a Victory- a- Day! It is a victory when you choose to: • Go for a walk in the park • Have lunch with a friend • Smile at someone in a waiting room • Go to the beach • “Let go” and trust • Read a novel to lower stress • Plan a special meal • Send a card to cheer a friend • Take a step you fear • Live with an “attitude of gratitude” • Watch a comedy • Give and receive a hug • Take relaxing deep breaths • Look for small joys in the present • Share your worries • Hold hands • Pray “help me live this day fully” • Soak in a bubble bath or take a nap • Smell the flowers, the coffee… • Enjoy the sound of birds, the ocean… • Savor a chocolate, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”

• Put a rose in a vase by your bed because you are beautiful • Anticipate a special trip • Go to a concert, listen to favorite music • Dance for fun • Sing in the shower • Tell a joke to a friend • Tape positive quotes on your mirror • Dry your tears and put on a smile • Blow bubbles in the sunshine • Find the strength to talk about worries

Victory 1. Defeat of an enemy or opponent. 2. Success in a struggle against difficulties or an obstacle. 3. The state of having triumphed. "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be" (Winston S. Churchill). VICTORY Support Group Goal: To give participants a mini-vacation from the stress of illness and develop: Vitality! Imagination! Creativity! Tenacity! Optimism! Resilience! YOU! How do we do this: The focus is on using the imagination to bring relaxation and joy! We harness the power of the creative arts and humor. These are proven interventions for traumatic stress issues. Metaphor allows us to explore difficult emotions and develop coping skills in a surprising, fun way! “Victory cancer support focuses on positivity producing providence and practicing in the precious present.” (MJ Bishop MD, Founder.) Ground rules: Have fun in the present moment! Enjoy the process! No right or wrong way-only your way! Put self-critic in time out! Respect confidentiality and help one another feel better!

Thank You !

VICTORY Support Group’s Mission is to enhance quality of life through the development of innovative creative approaches that build resilience skills, lower stress and provide a joyful respite experience for those associated with cancer. Victory Group Support is based on the Trauma Drama Model (© 2000 Curtis, Anne MS, RDT, CTSS.) Trauma Drama harnesses the arts, metaphor and imagination to promote healing. Metaphor + Creative Arts+ Humor=Antidote to Traumatic Stress Anne Curtis is a Registered Drama Therapist and Certified Trauma Services Specialist. Anne wrote “Circles of Life: a Creative Curriculum for Healing Traumatic Loss in Childhood”. Anne is a Healing Arts Specialist who presents interactive lectures on healing arts, therapeutic humor and drama therapy for universities, community agencies, and conferences. Anne’s session plans for VSG are unique, lively, empowering, educational and encouraging. How is VICTORY different? Many support groups provide information about the disease and encourage sharing of difficult concerns. VICTORY takes a different approach! Victory gives you a mini-vacation from illness! We focus on JOY! Each month explores a different healing theme or metaphor that weaves the creative activities together. The theme, laughter and arts distract you from worries. Shared humor, songs and artwork give you a break from stress and empower you to make a positive shift in attitude. Positive psychology has proven that the mind, body and spirit are connected in amazing ways. Creative activities help you to say “YES” to challenges “AND” explore new ways to face them. You learn to make positive practical choices that help you to feel and act “AS-IF” you are doing better! Surprise! We use an interdisciplinary approach so there is something for everyone! We practice techniques to harness the healing power of “faux laughter” imagery, singing and art in order to lower stress chemicals in the brain and body. We empower you to face challenges by teaching stress-reduction techniques. Helpful handouts reinforce featured coping strategies. Our Group Facilitators have worked as Healing Arts Specialists in Healthcare Settings for 10-25 years. They have Professional Arts backgrounds (Theatre, Art and/or Music) with extensive experience in Healing Arts. These dedicated individuals share a passion for helping you to feel joy and hope in the “precious present.”