Smith Center offers a unique, innovative patient navigation training program that equips navigators with the knowledge, skills, and resources to successfully establish an integrative cancer navigation practice.
This intensive program, taught by experts in such specialties as oncology care, the healing arts, cancer survivorship, palliative care, nutrition, and stress reduction, offers information and tools that navigators can use to provide integrative navigation to patients throughout the entire treatment continuum.
The training prepares navigators to offer individuals facing cancer the type of education, advocacy, guidance, support, and companionship that improves quality of life and contributes to more patients successfully completing treatment.
Following the training, participants are able to:
- Offer psychosocial support to individuals and their caregivers
- Facilitate access to health care and integrative therapies
- Reduce the stress of living with cancer
- Engage patients in taking ownership of their health and wellbeing
- Empower patients with knowledge and skills to enhance their treatment experience and improve their quality of life
- Facilitate the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing of each individual
- Use basic, proven integrative mind-body therapies with clients
Smith Center now offers its integrative navigation training program to navigators across the country.
Our training is a unique blend of didactic and
experiential sessions that provide a comprehensive yet deep learning experience
in the practice of integrative cancer care navigation. The goal of our
training is to provide each participant with the knowledge, resources, and
tools to establish an integrative navigation practice that offers each client
individualized, holistic support throughout the entire cancer experience, from
screening and diagnosis through treatment, recovery, survivorship, and
end-of-life.
The program, based on our Integrative Navigation Model, is modeled after our signature Cancer Help Program Retreats. Our faculty is comprised of internationally recognized integrative practitioners, cancer coaches, cancer survivors, distinguished physicians, clinical health professionals, and national leaders in cancer care.
Smith Center offers over 42 hours of continuing education credits for the training. Both new and experienced navigators are encouraged to attend.
Past Trainees
Patient Navigation trainees have represented both new and experienced navigators from a variety of backgrounds and serving diverse populations. A sampling of our graduates include:
- Integrative practitioners, including massage therapists and yoga instructors
- A lay navigator serving low-income sexual minority women
- Clinic navigators serving Asian, Native American and Latina populations
- Oncology social workers in private practice
- Navigators working in community organizations and hospital-based psychosocial support centers
- Hospice-employed Palliative Care nurses
- Nurses working in both urban and rural settings
- Lay survivors working with urban underserved African Americans
- Nutritional coaches
Feedback from Trained Navigators
"The most important lesson that I learned is that it is not so much what challenges we face in life but how we deal with it that matters. The time spent exploring the various integrative modalities allowed me to discover and reconnect with my inner spirit of comfort and peace. These tools are invaluable to patients going through a diagnosis of cancer."
"It helped me as well as our team at the hospital I work in. I was able to pass on the information I’d learned."
"I felt prepared to implement my work as a navigator; the integrative piece. I felt very confident."
"This week was not only full of education and practical tools- but an absolutely transformational experience as the entire week was an integrative experience in and of itself….it far exceeded my expectations and will continue to "marinate" for weeks and years to come. I now have a wealth of tools to draw upon. Thank you."
"Answered prayers is the summary of my days here. Very powerful for me in many ways. Thank you!"
"This training definitely complements and fulfills my needs to fill the complete role of a navigator."
"Great education, exposure, discussion and experiential learning."