Bridging Worlds: How One PhD Combined Ancient Wisdom with Modern Cancer Care
In the evolving landscape of cancer care, where patients increasingly seek holistic approaches alongside conventional treatment, Dr. Chandrika Gibson stands as a unique bridge between worlds. With a PhD in psychosocial support for cancer patients and deep expertise in naturopathy and yoga therapy, she has dedicated her career to creating compassionate, evidence-based pathways for healing that honor both scientific rigor and ancient wisdom.
As the founder of Surya Health, Dr. Gibson offers cancer wellness coaching and preventive wellness services that help people navigate one of life's most challenging journeys. Her approach is neither purely biomedical nor exclusively alternative—instead, she describes herself as "bilingual" in both languages, translating complex health information for patients during their most vulnerable moments.
Through two decades of research and clinical practice, Dr. Gibson has discovered that healing happens not in isolation, but in connection with compassionate others. Her work centers on providing what she calls "a gentle scaffolding of evidence-informed practices" that empowers people to safely chart their own holistic path through cancer and beyond.
In this conversation, Dr. Gibson shares insights from her unique journey spanning academic research, clinical practice, and the integration of contemplative traditions with modern oncology care.
1. You hold a PhD in psychosocial support for cancer patients and combine that with naturopathy and yoga therapy. What led you to bridge academic research with hands-on healing modalities?
I feel that there's no limit to the wisdom available through contemplative traditions and nature. For me, yoga and plants contain portals into understanding the human condition, and offer pathways to healing for individuals, communities and the planet. However intuitive knowledge is only one way of understanding, and I have worked to balance that with intellectual rigour. The gems of insight I have found through my studies and practices form the foundation of my work as a therapist, and the letters after my name open doors that allow me to reach more people when they might benefit most.
2. Surya Health offers cancer wellness coaching alongside preventive wellness services. How do you help people navigate the overwhelming amount of health information available online, especially when facing a cancer diagnosis?
Compassion is the driver - I sincerely want to help people live as well as possible with and beyond cancer. Part of what I can offer is a balanced view - I am neither married to a biomedical nor alternative worldview. I consider myself bilingual in that I understand natural therapies modalities with their cultural traditions and energetic frameworks, and I also speak the language of oncology. I do my best to keep up to date with the latest research, and work closely with oncology health professionals, so that I can help translate health information for people during a time when they are understandably overwhelmed. While oncology treatment centres are increasingly embracing integrative therapies, it can still be hard for people to choose what will actually help them get through conventional treatment, manage side effects, and improve their long term wellbeing. As a cancer wellness coach, I walk alongside offering warm, non-judgemental support, and a gentle scaffolding of evidence-informed practices and information that empowers people to safely self-select their holistic path through cancer.
3. You've spent years researching yoga interventions in cancer survivorship while maintaining a clinical practice. What's the most important thing you've learned about what people actually need during their healing journey?
Healing happens in connection to compassionate others. Cancer is a traumatic and isolating experience for many people - from the shock of diagnosis, the micro-traumas and humiliations of treatment, the communication challenges with health professionals and loved ones, changes in appearance, energy, roles and lifestyle. It is a long and often tumultuous experience that alters life forever. So it is not surprising that recovery requires support. To me, the ideal is to have trusted health professionals, alongside peer support, and tailored wellness activities such as yoga, mindfulness and exercise that provide a container for integration. I hope that the programs and services I have developed over twenty years provide people living with and beyond cancer with opportunities for mindful reflection, meaningful connection, and the potential of post-traumatic growth.
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