Our Therapists

Candace Anderson, Director of ARTS-Art and Research for Transcendence and Survival.  Candace is an award-winning watercolor artist and teacher. She serves as artist-in-residence for the Healing Garden, offering many opportunities for expressive therapy using art and nature. 

Fran Booth, LICSW, BCD is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose work integrates the fields of psychology and Eastern spirituality. She teaches meditation, self-hypnosis and visualization to quiet the mind, develop self-observation, and facilitate the discovery of personal images to promote growth and healing. She offers short-term groups and individual psychotherapy and brings a profound belief in the healing power within us.

Catherine Collins R.N. M.S., C.H.E.S. is a nurse, health educator and Therapeutic Touch practitioner Therapeutic Touch is an intentionally directed process of energy exchange during which the practitioner uses the hands as a focus to faciliatate the healing process. The technique promotes relaxation, alters perceptions of pain, and mobilizes the individual's own healing energies to restore health, balance and order.

Francoise Coyne, RE is a registered esthetician who offers refreshing and revitalizing facial massages, using high quality, natural products. Fran offers her facials free of charge on the first Monday of every month.

Blanche Dietz, LICSW, DCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who guides breast cancer patients to regain a sense of control in their lives. Her goal is to help clients improve their ability to cope with the treatment experience through the teaching of stress reducing relaxation and meditation techniques. She is also a trained couples therapist with many years of experience in working with clients who have relationship problems. Blanche provides individual psychotherapy and leads support groups at the center.

Diane Ouellette, RN,CLMC is a Pilates/dance instructor.  Diane, a breast cancer survivor, is trained in Stott Pilates and is a certified LeBed instructor.  The LeBed Method is an effective therapeutic program of exercise and movement to music specifically designed for women who have eperienced breast cancer. It is developed to increase range of motion and to reduce or deter lymphedema. Diane brings her many years of dance education, her experience as a nurse, and her wisdom as a survivor to her work at The Healing Garden.

Christine Francis, LCMT, is a licensed massage therapist who also has a private practice in her home town of Westminster. Christine believes that massage therapy can be used as a powerful tool in fighting stress that manifests in our bodies and mind.  Christine is also certified in Reflexology, which is a complementary therapy which works on the feet to help heal the whole person.  Specific pressure techniques are used on precise reflex points on the feet which correspond with all body parts.  This gentle therapy encourages the body to work naturally to restore its own healthy balance.          

Helene Gagliano, LICSW
Helene is a NASW Certified Social Worker in Health Care. She has a background in Family Systems counseling as well as in-depth knowledge related to cancer treatment and hospice care. Helene facilitates one of the support groups for those with recurrence/metastatic disease and the support group for their partners.

Marilyn Brine Gilmour, MSW, LICSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over thirty-five years of experience in the field. In addition to her work as a psychotherapist, Marilyn has practiced Reiki since 1998. She is trained in EMDR and several mind/body modalities incorporating Gestalt and energy based work such as Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT). Marilyn has a special interest in the area of emotional trauma and has experience in the areas of hospice and crisis intervention. She is also a support group facilitator at the Healing Garden for women with metastatic breast cancer.

Kathleen Howland, Ph.D.,MT-BC
Kathleen is a board certified music therapist who provides stress reduction and relaxation programs with music and imagery.  These techniques create a meaningful focus and distraction for cancer treatments and surgeries.  During an individual session a woman receives a customized recording that she can play for herself and re-experience this deep state of relaxation independently. Kathleen also provides music for Healing Garden events and is available to make music for the sheer joy of it! 

Cynthia McMahon King, RPh, Lac is a Registered Pharmacist and Licensed Acupuncturist offering acupuncture treatment and herbal consultations. Acupuncture is very effective for nausea, vomiting and other side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It is also helpful in maintaining a good energy level, relieving stress and depression, and promoting emotional and physical healing.

Katherine W. Lee, LMT, RPP is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Registered Polarity Practitioner and Certified Yoga Instructor. She offers healing bodywork sessions using Polarity energy balancing and therapeutic massage to deepen relaxation and expand inner awareness and harmony. She teaches weekly Yoga classes recognizing the need for individualized attention and providing space for each student to open up her body and breath in a loving, safe and mindful way.

Julie Seavy, RN, HN-BC, MTS is Associate Director of the Healing Garden. Julie joined the Garden in 2004. She brings over 25 years of experience as a nurse with a background in critical care, community health, and hospice.  She also has a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. A board certified holistic nurse, Julie has special interests in spirituality, healing, and the arts. She leads retreats for clients and health care providers in addition to providing support to a variety of groups at the Healing Garden. Julie has completed the CancerGuide Training of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine of Georgetown University.  

Jane Shustin, MSW, LICSW, embraces an alternative, progressive approach integrating psychotherapy with clinical hypnosis, biofeedback, stress management, and relaxation training. Practicing privately at a holistic health center in Groton, she has been helping people make wanted changes to their lives for over twenty-five years. Working individually and in groups, her methods help to calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety and worry, and restore balance to the mind and body. Jane is an Approved Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis by the ASCH.

Pam Turci, LMT is a certified Muscular Therapist in practice since 2005. Pam practices Swedish relaxation massage as well as Core Integration Movement Massage (CIMM) and Positional Release Therapy (PRT).  Both are very gentle techniques to relax tight, contracted tissues in the body.  The Movement Massage has been developed from the work of Moshe Feldenkrais.  It enables the client to learn new movement patterns that will alleviate habitual contraction of muscles that are currently being strained in daily activities, and can also improve posture and flexibility. Pam has also been trained in Tracy Walton's method of "Caring for Clients with Cancer."  Pam lives here in Harvard.   

Lisa Whittemore MacDonnell, CMT is a certified Muscular Therapist and has had a private practice in Concord, MA since 1988. she now practices an integrated style of gentle body and energy work that helps to restore wellness and peace of mind. Lisa's style of therapeutic touch has evolved through her years of extnesive training in Muscular Therapy, Reiki, Reflexology, Cranio-Sacral therapy, Trager Bodywork, Spiritual Psychology and other forms of energy work. Lisa is also certified and trained to present Peggy Huddleston's Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster Workshop. Her primary objective is to help her clients relax more deeply into their bodies, to open their hearts, and to feel more present and alive.

JoAnn Simon, Lic. Ac.,MS, RD.  JoAnn is professionally trained in acupuncture and has been in professional practice since 1983.  She also has a private practice in  Littleton and Wayland and there she offers her training in Chinese herbal medicine and nutrition as well. 

Marilyn H. Strong, RN is a Certified Master Reiki Practitioner. This gentle, relaxing technique channels energy to facilitate mental/physical healing. Reiki is a non-invasive, non-manipulative process that may revitalize and restore inner harmony, as well as enhance the creative self. Marilyn also works as a therapeutic clown, visiting children and families confronting illness.  She will make home and hospital visits as necessary. 

Stehpanie D. Vangsness, MS, RD is a senior clinical nutritionist in cancer care at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  Stephanie's area of expertise is in helping people use nutrition as a major tool in their recovery process.  She integrates practical scientific knowledge with strategies of mindfulness based approaches to eating.  Stephanie is available for beginning and advanced level nutrition workshops and for personalized phone consultations.