How Nature and Faith Helped Kate Middleton in Her Cancer Journey
- Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, shared how nature has helped her navigate the intense emotions in the months since her cancer went into remission.
- The British royal says she finds “a sense of peace” in the tranquility of nature and that being outdoors gives her “balance” in a busy world. She reportedly became “more interested” in her Christian faith after her cancer diagnosis.
- For some people, turning to faith can be a great way to keep spirits high when cancer starts taking an emotional and/or physical toll.
- There are many different ways that a person can incorporate faith into their journey with a chronic disease like cancer or Alzheimer’s. For some, it may mean regularly attending services at a place of worship, or participating in prayer and meditation. For others, it may mean finding support and inspiration in religious texts or teachings.
The princess of Wales, 43, shared how strengthening her relationship with nature has given her a sense of “belonging” following an intense battle with cancer.
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Resources about Mental Health and Faith
- Celebrating Easter & Passover: Reminding Cancer Survivors How Faith Can Be Key to Pulling Through
- Faith Perspective: Opening Yourself Up to Others After a Cancer Diagnosis
- How to Be Realistically Optimistic: Coping With Mental Health Long-Term
- The Power Of Prayer: The Remarkable Link Between Religion And Resilience
- ‘Between Two Harbors’: Nature’s Hand in Healing
In another video shared on Tuesday, the British royal is seen walking through a forest in the UK with a young group of scouts as she shares the benefits of spending time outdoors.
“Spending time in the natural world provides a sense of balance and beloning,” the caption reads.
“For young people, access to nature is so important for helping to bu9ild confidence, self-belief, life skills and a sense of perspective.”
It was a rare appearance for Kate, who completed cancer treatment in September and announced in January that the disease is in remission.
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Using Faith and Belief As Support In Your Cancer Journey
Nature, support from her husband Prince William, and faith have been pillars of strength for Kate as she bravely battled cancer and dealt with the “real challenges” that followed. In an excerpt from royal biographer Robert Hardman’s updated book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, family friends noted how Kate became “more interested” in her Christian faith since her diagnosis.
For some people, turning to faith can be a great way to keep spirits high when cancer starts taking an emotional and/or physical toll. New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans previously spoke with SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a cancer diagnosis.
“It is important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you have never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, “God, help me, be with me,” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God, and you can reach out to people, your friends and family and say, I can’t do this on my own. I need you.”
WATCH: Opening Yourself Up To Others After A Cancer Diagnosis
There are many different ways that a person can incorporate faith into their journey with a chronic disease like cancer or Alzheimer’s. For some, it may mean regularly attending services at a place of worship, or participating in prayer and meditation. For others, it may mean finding support and inspiration in religious texts or teachings. And for still others, it may simply mean having a strong belief in a higher power or in the goodness of the universe.
But no matter how a person practices their faith, it can be an invaluable source of strength. It can provide emotional support, a sense of community, and practical health benefits. And most importantly, it can give a person the hope and determination they need to face their illness with courage and resilience.
Positive Psychology: How It Can Help Cancer Survivors
Positive psychology is an approach to mental wellbeing that focuses more on a person’s strengths and how they can help themselves rather than just trying to curb individual symptoms and/or diagnose a disorder.
“It is a fundamentally sort of different way of thinking about patients, thinking about their experience,” Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet. “It’s not just focusing on what’s the matter. It’s also asking them, what matters to you?”
This approach can be massively beneficial to people who are dealing with an illness like cancer, because it focuses on finding those great parts of life. Dr. Boardman noted that positive psychology is a reimagined approach to dealing with mental struggles.
“Making people feel less bad is not the same as making them feel good,” she said, referring to how this new approach encourages people to try to find happiness rather than just try to stop sadness.
“Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions,” Dr. Boardman said.
“Sometimes you can treat a patient and get rid of some of their symptoms, and it’s not necessarily then that you find a flourishing patient you might even get an empty patient. So, really tapping into those resources where do they find positive emotions? What provides a sense of engagement for them? How can you promote positive relationships?”
WATCH: Between Two Harbors: Nature’s Hand in Healing
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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