Enrollments for July 24, 2025 - July 23, 2026

Yoga for Cancer Care with Tish Caldwell

Mon Date: Apr 28 2025 - Aug 25 2025 From: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
No Meeting May 26 or June 30

Reduce stress, manage treatment side-effects, and aid cancer recovery through a unique evidence-based yoga method specifically for those diagnosed with cancer. Through movement, breathing, and mindfulness, this practice aims to provide benefits such as muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, and improved posture.
 
Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center's Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor. 
 
Open to all Dempsey Center clients. 

Please note that participants must be able to transition from floor to standing.

Morning Guided Meditation with Karen Hayden

Thu Date: May 01 2025 - Aug 28 2025 From: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
No meeting June 12, June 19, July 3, or August 21

Start your day with presence of mind and improved focus through a guided meditation session. These ongoing series will help you incorporate meditation as part of your daily routine and is designed for both beginners and those looking to establish a more consistent practice.

Led by Karen Hayden.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Fitness for Life with Tish Caldwell

Thu Date: May 01 2025 - Aug 28 2025 From: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
No class June 19, July 3, or August 7

Exercise can help fight fatigue, boost your energy level, support your immune system, relieve stress and tension, make your muscles and heart stronger, improve balance and help you sleep better. This 45-minute class will provide you with all the fundamentals of an exercise program, adapting it to meet the needs of varying levels of fitness with a warm-up, aerobic activity, core and strength training exercises, and finishing with a cooldown/stretch.
Please wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes or sneakers and have a sturdy chair available on a non-skid surface and small handheld weights.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center's Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor, and Livestrong Cancer Exercise Trainer.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Morning Guided Meditation with Kerry Irish

Tue Date: May 06 2025 - Aug 26 2025 From: 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
No meeting July 1

Start your day with presence of mind and improved focus through a guided meditation session. These ongoing series will help you incorporate meditation as part of your daily routine and is designed for both beginners and those looking to establish a more consistent practice.

Led by Kerry Irish, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Chair Yoga with Tish Caldwell

Wed Date: May 07 2025 - Aug 20 2025 From: 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
No class June 11 or July 2

Join us for a gentle, accessible form of yoga, open to all levels of experience. Chair Yoga utilizes both seated and standing poses using a chair for support to provide all the benefits of a traditional yoga practice. We will use movement, breathing, and mindfulness to improve muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, energy, sleep, and posture.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center's Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Tai Chi + Qigong for Energy + Health with Jason Ames

Tue Date: May 20 2025 - Aug 26 2025 From: 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
No Meeting July 1

Tai Chi is a movement therapy that promotes the flow of energy in the body to improve health. Suitable for all ages, this class will emphasize the practice and cultivation of different exercises that provide benefits such as improved balance, range of motion, and core strength, as well as pain management and decreased stress and anxiety.

Led by Jason Ames, founder and owner of Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Yoga for Cancer Care - Evening with Heather Edgerly

Thu Date: May 29 2025 - Aug 21 2025 From: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
No class June 19, July 3 or July 17

Reduce stress, manage treatment side-effects, and aid cancer recovery through a unique evidence-based yoga method specifically for those diagnosed with cancer. Through movement, breathing, and mindfulness, this practice aims to provide benefits such as muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, and improved posture.

Led by Heather Edgerly Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all adult Dempsey Center clients.
Please note that participants must be able to transition from floor to standing.

The Next Chapter: Support After Cancer Treatment with Allison Burt

Tue Date: Jul 08 2025 - Jul 29 2025 From: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Do you have questions about navigating life post cancer treatment? Are you looking for ways to care for your physical and emotional well-being after treatment has ended? Do you want to connect with others who 'get it'?

Join us for this 4-week series to learn techniques for coping with the new physical and emotional reality of your post-treatment cancer journey. While connecting with other survivors, learn the importance of eating well coupled with strategies to optimize your diet; identify how movement and fitness can care for your body and mind; and explore how complementary therapies can improve your well-being.
Attendance at all four sessions is highly recommended.
  • Week 1 - CONNECT: Meet with others in a similar place in their cancer journey.
  • Week 2 – FEEL WELL: Discover new ways to move your body and learn about how complementary therapies can care for your body and mind.
  • Week 3 – EAT WELL: Learn how to optimize your diet and eat well through survivorship.
  • Week 4 - FEEL: Discuss the emotional realities post-treatment.
Led by Allison Burt, LCSW, OSW-C; Judy Donnelly, RDN; Tish Caldwell, Certified Oncology Fitness Instructor; Liz Como, LMT; Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C.

Open to Dempsey Center clients who are no longer receiving 'active' treatment (ex. Chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, etc.)
We acknowledge that the 'end' of cancer treatment can look very different from person to person. If you are not sure if this program is right for you, please contact Allison Burt, LCSW at [email protected] to learn more.

Writing from the Heart with Kerry Irish

Tue Date: Jul 17 2025 - Aug 26 2025 From: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Research has shown that expressive writing can help improve quality of life for people living with cancer, and doing so in a supportive community with others further enhances coping and resilience. Using therapeutic writing prompts we will explore journaling with the opportunity to share your writing with others through reading a selected piece. No writing experience is required to join this 8-week series.
 
Led by Kerry Irish, LCSW.
 
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients.

Honoring Choice: About End of Life Doulas with Erin Hayes

Fri Date: Jul 25 2025 From: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Have you ever heard of an End-of-Life Doula? These providers offer non-medical holistic support that encompasses emotional, spiritual, and practical care. End-of-Life Doulas can provide companionship, comfort, and guidance to those facing a terminal illness or death and offer resources to help the dying person, along with their family and loved ones, make informed decisions in a supportive environment and provide opportunities for all to discuss the dying process. Learn more about the role they could play as you make decisions about your preparations.

Led by Erin Hayes, Certified End-of-Life Doula, Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager, and Certified Professional In-Patient Safety.

Nutrition + Exercise for Breast Cancer with Judy Donnelly

Fri Date: Aug 15 2025 From: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
A healthy diet and regular exercise can enhance wellbeing when you have breast cancer and can help reduce risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. This program will review the latest evidence available on how diet and exercise impact risk and provide tips to help manage the side effects of breast cancer treatment.
 
Led by Judy Donnelly, RDN, LD and Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center's Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.
 
Open to all Dempsey Center Clients.
This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Cancer Related Grief: Myths & Misconceptions with Allison Burt

Wed Date: Aug 20 2025 From: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Navigating a cancer diagnosis involves dealing with grief, in one form or another. Whether it be anticipatory, grief related to changes in executive or cognitive functioning, or the death of loved one; grief is a shared experience.

Join us for a 90 minute educational overview of some of the different 'types' of grief, as you learn how to identify them, discuss some common misunderstandings around grief and grieving, and connect with others who get it.

Led by Allison Burt, LCSW, OSW-C.

Open to the public. Public sign up at https://www.dempseycenter.org/services/classes-workshops/public/.

Morning Guided Meditation with Kerry Irish

Tue Date: Sep 02 2025 - Aug 25 2026 From: 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
No meeting November 11, November 27, or December 30

Start your day with presence of mind and improved focus through a guided meditation session. These ongoing series will help you incorporate meditation as part of your daily routine and is designed for both beginners and those looking to establish a more consistent practice.

Led by Kerry Irish, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Chair Yoga with Tish Caldwell

Wed Date: Sep 03 2025 - Dec 17 2025 From: 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM
No class November 26.

Join us for a gentle, accessible form of yoga, open to all levels of experience. Chair Yoga utilizes both seated and standing poses using a chair for support to provide all the benefits of a traditional yoga practice. We will use movement, breathing, and mindfulness to improve muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, energy, sleep, and posture.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center's Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all adult Dempsey Center clients.

This workshop will have both a virtual and in-person audience. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Writing from the Care Partner's Heart with Kristen Breault

Mon Date: Sep 08 2025 - Oct 27 2025 From: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
No class September 22 or October 13

A 6-week expressive arts series for care partners of loved ones with a cancer diagnosis. Through therapeutic writing and drawing prompts, participants will explore their care partner experience in a supportive space. Sharing is encouraged but never required.
No prior writing or drawing experience needed. Please bring writing utensils and paper.

Led by Kristen Breault, LCSW and Erin King, LCSW, APHSW-C, OSW-C.

Open to adult Dempsey Center clients caring for a loved one with cancer.

Honoring Choice: 5 Wishes Advanced Care Planning with Beacon Hospice

Fri Date: Sep 12 2025 From: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Advanced care planning conversations are important though often difficult and confusing. By taking the time to make your decisions known, your directives can help alleviate fear and worry for you and your loved ones.
Five Wishes is the most popular advanced directive in the United States, meeting the legal requirements in several states, including Maine. The document is easy to understand. All you need to do is check the box, circle the direction or write a few sentences to make your needs known. We'll walk through the document and learn what options are available to you and your family in this brief, one-hour workshop.
 
Led by Allison Osgood, Hospice Liaison of Beacon Hospice.

9Yoga for Cancer Care - Evening with Heather Edgerly

Thu Date: Sep 18 2025 - Dec 11 2025 From: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
No class November 27.

Reduce stress, manage treatment side-effects, and aid cancer recovery through a unique evidence-based yoga method specifically for those diagnosed with cancer. Through movement, breathing, and mindfulness, this practice aims to provide benefits such as muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, and improved posture.

Led by Heather Edgerly Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all adult Dempsey Center clients.
Please note that participants must be able to transition from floor to standing.