Kasey Alexander, REHAB Hospital of the Pacific’s (REHAB’s) animal assisted clinical therapist and a licensed mental health counselor, rebuilt her life at REHAB and found her way back to REHAB to help others rebuild their lives.
Alexander earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a specialization in psychology from UCLA. She later received her master’s degree in counseling psychology, specializing in marriage and family therapy at Chaminade University in Honolulu with hopes of becoming an animal assisted mental health therapist. Her inspiration for pursuit of her master’s degree came from working with Dr. Wendi Hirsch Major and her hospital facility dog, Tucker, who helped children with cancer and other medical conditions.
“Through the years, Tucker and Dr. Wendi have always inspired and mentored me. I was heartbroken when sweet Tucker crossed the rainbow bridge in 2016. His legacy lives on so strongly,” said Alexander. After Tucker, Dr. Hirsh Major partnered with another wonderful hospital facility dog named Winnie. It was during this time that Alexander discovered she had cancer and even though Dr. Wendi and Winnie worked in pediatrics, they would visit her during chemotherapy. “They were the brightest part of my difficult treatments,” Alexander recalls.
After chemotherapy, Alexander went through several more surgeries and continued to have pain and limited range of motion. “There is a common misconception that the cancer fighting process is all over or that it’s done and that everything is great after active treatment stops, but that is far from true,” said Alexander. “The effects from cancer and treatments can be long lasting and extremely difficult...and ongoing medications cause persistent and long-term side effects.”
It was because of Alexander’s situation that her oncologist recommended she see Physical Therapist Cheri Teranishi-Hashimoto at REHAB. Teranishi-Hashimoto specializes in women’s health and breast cancer and lymphedema rehabilitation and came highly recommended by many oncological healthcare professionals.
“When I first became a patient, I felt very scared, overwhelmed, and alone in the midst of trying to fight cancer and just survive. I was in constant pain and couldn’t even lift my arms high enough to reach my forehead, or even put a shirt on over my head,” said Alexander. “Even though physical therapy treatments and exercises were challenging and painful, Cheri was very encouraging and supportive. She helped me to see progress in even the smallest successes. Cheri did more than use physical therapy to help me, she offered me invaluable emotional support and even offered to connect me with other cancer warriors who had been through a similar process.”
As a REHAB patient, Alexander still experiences side effects and pain from her chemotherapy and surgeries. But due to the efforts of Teranishi-Hashimoto and REHAB’s iCare program, she made huge strides from finally being able to wash her hair when it grew back to being able to put a shirt over her head. The iCare program studies the impact exercise has on side effects from cancer treatments and is possible through a grant in partnership with the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Alexander was paired with a University of Hawaii kinesiology student who administered an exercise program tailored to her condition.The sessions took place three times a week for 12 weeks and after one month of the program, Alexander said she started to notice improvements in her strength and endurance.
“I was super active before cancer, hiking every weekend, doing yoga and working out. Cancer took a lot of that away from me, but through iCare, I was given the opportunity to start rebuilding and it gave me hope that I could slowly start to regain some of the things cancer had taken away…REHAB has been a very important part of me navigating this new normal.”
“As a patient, I learned firsthand that REHAB’s mission and motto ‘Dedicated to Rebuilding Lives’ is more than just words—it’s the truth. I am beyond grateful to the amazing team of REHAB healthcare heroes who continue to help me in my quest for healing and rebuilding my life after cancer.”
Not only has REHAB helped her through her rehabilitation journey, but they have also inspired her to join the REHAB ohana as their new full-time animal assisted clinical therapist. In partnership with hospital facility dog Toby, provided by Assistance Dogs of Hawaii, she will provide patients with animal assisted therapy, an evidence-based practice that is effective in the treatment of physical and mental health conditions.
“I’ve consistently found that patients are not only seeking to heal their physical bodies, they are also seeking to heal the emotional and psychological impacts of coping with a serious health condition. I believe in a holistic, patient-centered approach to counseling providing a safe, empathetic, non-judgmental therapeutic experience, with unconditional positive regard,” said Alexander, who also experienced the benefits when she was going through chemotherapy.
Toby has successfully completed two years of specialized training from Assistance Dogs of Hawaii. He can respond to over 90 commands and will provide a vitally important role during counseling sessions, bringing smiles, love, comfort, healing, along with lots of cuddles and tail wags.
Alexander has a unique perspective as a patient and clinician. Her experience with rebuilding her own life after cancer and being a cancer survivor allows her to relate to and empathize with her patients at REHAB.
“As a new staff member at REHAB, I take pride in working for a hospital that recognizes the importance of including animal assisted clinical therapy for mental health and wellness as a vital part of the comprehensive care they provide. I hope that Toby and I can shine a light on the important health benefits animal assisted mental health counseling can offer,” Alexander continued. “I also hope that Toby and I can have a positive impact bringing comfort, care, support, and hope to our much beloved REHAB patients.
That support and care can be especially important over the holidays during an ongoing pandemic, which can make it harder to connect with friends and family. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, high expectations, loneliness, and stress can lead to the holiday blues from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. In addition, 24% of people with a diagnosed mental illness report that they feel worse during the holidays. Here are mental health toolkit tips from Alexander to help people during the holidays and beyond:
- One very helpful grounding exercise is 5-4-3-2-1. When you start to feel stress and anxiety take a moment and identify five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. When feeling holiday stress, our brains can get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and emotions. Grounding exercises help by grounding us into the present moment and disrupting those difficult thoughts and feelings.
- Pause and take three to five belly breaths. Imagine you are breathing in one color and breathing out another color.
- Make someone else’s day a little brighter. Write letters or make cards for essential workers and patients in hospitals or long-term care facilities. Make a video to brighten someone’s day. Or leave a card or craft project on the doorstep for a loved one who might be alone or isolated during the holidays.
- Read a book that you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten to yet.
- Reach out to friends and family, even if you may be tired of connecting virtually. Whether you prefer calling, texting, video calls, virtual meeting platforms, writing a letter, or just want to send a photo or a funny meme, staying connected can help everyone feel supported and loved.
- Get out in nature. Use your senses on a walk, hike, go to the park or beach, go outside and put your feet in the grass, watch the sunrise or sunset, or look for constellations in the night’s sky. Follow COVID safety precautions when interacting with others.