Psychologist Tells Us Why Kate Middleton Needs To Prioritize Self-Care While Cancer-Free
In March 2024, Catherine, Princess of Wales announced to the world that she was undergoing cancer treatment. By September 2024, she confirmed that she'd finished chemotherapy and was cancer-free; Kate had been undergoing preventative chemotherapy. After she was declared cancer-free, she's slowly been getting back to work, making public appearances, and even hosting her annual Christmas concert. But not only is Kate a cancer survivor with a job to do, she's also one of the most famous people on the planet as the wife to the next king of England, plus she's a mother to three young children. This seems like it would leave her little time to herself, and we were curious as to how (and why) Kate might be prioritizing self-care at this time. We reached out to Dr. Sula Windgassen, PhD, aka The Health Psychologist, to get her take on Kate's unique situation.
Dr. Windgassen told us that there's a reason why Kate would prioritize self-care beyond how it would help her personally. "When we see women we admire prioritizing self-care, that can be very powerful inspiration to do the same ourselves."
In her announcement that she was cancer-free, Kate noted how, " ... my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes" (per Instagram). If Kate is able to allow herself the time and grace to take things slow as she returns to her normal life, then that is something that other women should feel empowered to do for themselves.
Kate Middleton is facing multiple issues that make self-care incredibly important
On the flip side, Catherine, Princess of Wales is also in particular need of being able to take time for herself. "For women in the public eye, the scrutiny and pressure is constant," Dr. Sula Windgassen said. "It is hard to counterbalance the weight of expectation and speculation. It is therefore even more so important to intentionally create a counter-balance through self care."
As much as Kate needed self-care as a woman who's in the spotlight, the need is even greater as someone who's dealt with cancer. Undergoing cancer treatment inevitably places a toll on the body. "When recovering from cancer, it is really important to help your body find a balance again," Dr. Windgassen outlined. "Your immune system has been taxed and disrupted, so has your neuroendocrine system. ... In order to help come back to an equilibrium during the healing process, you have to gently reintegrate into life as usual."
The neuroendocrine system helps manage things like mood, metabolism, stress, and more. Both the immune and neuroendocrine systems are benefited by exercise, and Kate is one of the most athletic royals. As she got back to work after her cancer treatment, Kate was reportedly also able to get back to exercising, clearly a vital form of self-care.
Kate Middleton should consider a focus on emotional and mental wellbeing as well as physical
But physical exercise is not the only form of wellness that Catherine, Princess of Wales should be embracing. As a cancer survivor and as someone in the public eye, Dr. Sula Windgassen explained to us why Kate taking things slow and leaving time for other types of self-care, like meditation, is so important. "Physical activity is important as it releases all kinds of healing chemicals like serotonin and endorphins, however, it is important to strike the right balance. It is also important to have access to stillness and reflection, so that you may put down the many mental obligations you have." Dr. Windgassen also discussed the importance of being social, but she highlighted solo time once more and added, "For those in the spotlight, having access to privacy and stillness is important to offset the constant influx of messaging that comes with being a public figure."
It seems like Kate would be open to specific mental and emotional self-care practices as she has said she used hypnobirthing when she gave birth to all three of her kids. This technique helps manage pain during childbirth through things like affirmations, visualization, and deep breathing.
More insight into how Kate is incorporating self-care into her life comes from her Kate's cancer-free announcement video. Much of the footage was from a forest where Kate was spending time with her family. Things like that, taking walks in the woods, even if it's not by yourself, are great for mental health. And it's likely that Kate is doing much more behind the scenes to keep herself mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. We love to see her taking care of herself.