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Mariusz Wirga

Mariusz Wirga, M.D., has dedicated his life to helping patients and their families handle the challenges of cancer diagnosis and treatment and their complex consequences. For over 30 years, he’s been refining ways of addressing the emotional, psychological, interpersonal, as well as the spiritual or philosophical needs of participants of his classes, workshops, groups, and individual sessions. After graduating from Medical University in Poznan, Poland in 1987, Mariusz began leading groups for cancer patients, first as a resident in pathology and later as a resident in radiation oncology. He eventually switched to psychiatry and completed his residency in Psychiatry at the State University of New York Downstate in Brooklyn, NY, and then Washington, DC, under the supervision of Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr, M.D., (one of the pioneers in cognitive-behavior therapy). Mariusz got certified by the Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2000.

Mariusz trained extensively with the leaders and pioneers in their fields. Mariusz trained personally with Dr. O. Carl Simonton (radiation oncologist and pioneer of mind-body oncology), Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby Jr, Dr. Albert Ellis (father of cognitive therapies), Dr. Marsha Linehan (a pioneer in personality disorder therapy), Dr. Barbara Andersen (biobehavioral interventions to improve cancer survival), David Burns (TEAM-CBT), Susan Michie and Robert West (lifestyle modification and behavioral change at University College London), and Dr. Peter Fenner (mindfulness and Nondual therapy). The work and friendship with Dr. Simonton spanned two decades, involved international lecturing and workshops and the introduction of standards of mind-body oncology, formulation, and testing of new ideas as well as refinement of new therapeutic tools. After Dr. Simonton’s death, Mariusz served as the Medical Director of the Simonton Cancer Center in Malibu, California. Eventually, he became a sought after expert in the fields of cognitive-behavior therapy, psycho-oncology, mindfulness, lifestyle modification, behavior change, stress management, and cultivating wellbeing. He lectures and conducts workshops on these subjects internationally. Currently, he serves as the medical director for the Psychosocial Oncology program at the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Memorial.

He founded the Beat the Odds®: A Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Program workshops in Long Beach. Additionally, together with his wife Aleksandra Wirga, M.D., also a psychiatrist and psycho-oncologist, they conduct six-day retreats for cancer patients and their families based on the Beat the Odds Program. Mariusz also developed Boost the Odds Program – From Cancer Survivor to Life Thriver to effectively decrease modifiable lifestyle cancer risk factors and learn skills to improve quality of life (such as stress management, social support, and communication, nutrition, physical exercise, sleep and rest, play and laughter, creative expression and connection with nature) in cancer survivors. More information about his program can be accessed at www.beat-the-odds.org or www.facebook.com/ibeattheodds.

Dr. Mariusz Wirga is a co-author (together with Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby Jr. and Michael DeBernardi) of the upcoming book “ABC of Your Emotions” with over 200 cartoon-like illustrations and 250 pages. The book explains how emotions work, how to manage them, how to handle interpersonal conflict, achieve goals, protect your life and health, and feel the way you want to feel. Mariusz uses old and newly available means to reach people in need from the direct human connection, to print, art, illustrations, phone calls, recordings, videoconferencing, etc. He is particularly interested in using the newest technologies in a user-friendly way. Currently, He is involved in the development of a multiplatform program for helping cancer patients and their families that involves interactive engagement in the therapeutic process using smartphones, videos, and Virtual Reality and he will be talking about this project today.

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Papers by Mariusz Wirga

Journal of Rational-emotive & Cognitive-behavior Therapy, Apr 23, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for ... more The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for a patient with psychosis. RBT is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by an American psychiatrist, Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr. RBT teaches rational self-counseling to achieve emotive and behavioral goals, reduce distress and the symptoms of the disease, improve functioning, improve treatment adherence, and prevent relapse. The challenges in applying cognitive behavior therapy in psychosis are described. We report the case of a 17-year-old patient who had been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria, presenting with recurrent psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation. Over 1.5 years, the patient was treated in an outpatient setting with antipsychotic medications and, intermittently, with RBT-based psychotherapy (by the first author). The therapy process was interrupted periodically due to temporary improvements in the patient's status, non-adherence, or relapses, including one episode requiring hospitalization. Nevertheless, the treatment eventually resulted in a long-lasting remission. We present examples of the RBT techniques used in this therapeutic process and highlight this treatment modality's unique features which support patients utilizing rational selfcounseling skills to become more independent in coping with their problems. We emphasize that patients with a mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder also suffer from learned emotional disturbances that are amenable to treatment with cognitive-behavior therapies like RBT. In conclusion, we submit that with its self-counseling properties, RBT offers non-intrusive ways of helping people experiencing psychotic symptoms as part of their diagnosis and in prodromal or nondiagnostic states.

Oncology in Clinical Practice, Jun 29, 2021

Introduction. To assess the quality of life (QoL) of long term cancer survivors and its determina... more Introduction. To assess the quality of life (QoL) of long term cancer survivors and its determinants. Material and methods. The research covered a group of 272 disease-free cancer survivors (mean OS = 8 years). Methods: 1) Evaluation of somatic and psychological complaints (with the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology-Survivorship Assessment, NCCN Guidelines ® , V.1.2015); 2) Evaluation with numeric rating scales (NRS, 0-10 points): health status life satisfaction; social support and acceptance; 3) Assessment of the quality of life as dependent variable (NRS). Results. Analysis revealed high prevalence of numerous somatic complaints, assessment of emotional disturbances, cognitive dysfunctions and surprisingly high global QoL (66%), high overall (77%) and present (74%) life satisfaction, good health (55%), strong impact of illness on life (42%), high social acceptance (80%) and satisfying support (62%). QoL correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with most of NRS measured subjective variables especially health status (-0.74), life satisfaction (0.66) and joy of life (0.63). Conclusions. High Qol despite somatic ailments might reflect high levels of received support, as well as attitudes towards life and illness. Positive correlations between the QoL and other subjective variables imply that those parameters might be equally important determinants of QoL as somatic indices. Specialized care should provide cognitive evaluation and therapy for cancer survivors to a larger extent than before.

Psychoonkologia, 2017

Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie znaczenia nadziei oraz nieprzywiązywania do rezultatu u rodzic... more Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie znaczenia nadziei oraz nieprzywiązywania do rezultatu u rodzica dziecka chorego onkologicznie w perspektywie koncepcji dr. Carla Simontona. Terapia simontonowska jest adresowana do pacjentów z chorobą nowotworową, ale obejmuje również osoby wspierające, co daje możliwość wykorzystania jej elementów do pracy z rodzicami jako osobami towarzyszącymi dziecku również w czasie choroby. Komponentami programu Simontona, na których skoncentrowano się w tekście, są nadzieja i nieprzywiązywanie do rezultatu. Te dwa pojęcia zostały przeanalizowane w odniesieniu do tzw. fałszywej beznadziei oraz zmowy pozytywnego myślenia. Odwołano się również do badań empirycznych, których wyniki wskazują na ważność nadziei w postawie rodzica wobec chorego dziecka.

Cancer Research

Background: Genetic resources are underutilized when it comes to being incorporated into a breast... more Background: Genetic resources are underutilized when it comes to being incorporated into a breast cancer patient’s treatment, but that isn’t the only piece being overlooked. The Ki-67 proliferation index expressed (Ki-67%) is an established marker of tumor proliferation and aggressive behavior. We hypothesized that Ki-67% could have increased clinical utility when correlated with genomic testing results. Methods: Data was obtained from the Informed Genetics Annotated Patient Registry (iGAP), an IRB-approved, multi-center longitudinal registry designed to capture biomarker test results and their impact on treatment practices and outcomes. Tumor grades and Ki-67% were taken from patient pathology reports. The average Ki-67% was then calculated and compared for each tumor grade, MammaPrint genomic recurrence risk category (ultra low risk, low risk, and high risk), and Blueprint molecular subtype (Luminal type A, Luminal type B, Basal, and HER 2 type). ANOVA statistical analysis was per...

Cancer Research

Background: With the rise of genomic testing, more clinicians are using panels to understand the ... more Background: With the rise of genomic testing, more clinicians are using panels to understand the genetic profile of breast cancer to help aid in clinical management. However, little is known about the relationship between the results of genomic tests and the likelihood of identifying an underlying germline variant, and how this should integrate into clinical decision making. Methods: Data was obtained from the Informed Genetics Annotated Patient Registry (iGAP), an IRB-approved, multi-centered longitudinal registry designed to capture biomarker test results and their impact on treatment practices and outcomes. Two genomic tumor profiling tests were studied - MammaPrint recurrence risk and Blueprint molecular subtypes, including Luminal type A, Luminal type B, Basal, and HER 2 type. Of the 3400 patients currently enrolled in the registry, 528 have been diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent tumor profiling by both MammaPrint and BluePrint as well as germline genetic testing, incl...

Cancer Research

Background: Racial/ethnic disparities have been well-documented in access to cancer screening and... more Background: Racial/ethnic disparities have been well-documented in access to cancer screening and treatment, as well as treatment outcomes. Less is known regarding the yield of genetic pathogenic variants (PVs) in non-white populations. Methods: Patient data was obtained from the Informed Genetics Annotated Patient Registry (iGAP), an IRB-approved multi-center longitudinal, observational study, in which 2148 patients self-declared race/ethnicity and underwent germline genetic testing at any lab. Analyses were limited to 24 cancer susceptibility genes (ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, NBN, PALB2, PTEN, STK11, TP53, APC, BMPR1A, CDK4, EPCAM, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, PMS2, RAD51C, RAD51D, SMAD4), 21 of which have clinical management guidelines from the NCCN (excluding NBN, BARD1, CDK4).1 Descriptive statistics were used to assess and compare data from these populations and germline genetic testing results. Results: The Registry included 2148 patients, 1662 (77.37%) with a ...

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2021

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2020

In this article we present Maultsby’s Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) as a unique and distinct, b... more In this article we present Maultsby’s Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) as a unique and distinct, but underutilized form of cognitive-behavior therapy, including its origins, theory (with psychosomatic learning theory), basic concepts, and practical applications, as well as never before published recent developments. As readers will see, many of Maultsby’s concepts, while pioneering and beckoning the third wave, still remain fresh, validated by current cognitive neuroscience, and are very relevant to modern psychotherapeutic practice. We describe RBT’s valuable concepts and effective techniques in such a way that readers may readily start using them to complement and enhance any other form of cognitive behavior therapy. An article comparing RBT with REBT and CBT will follow.

Oncology in Clinical Practice

In this article I briefly describe the cognitive neuroscience and learning theory of suffering as... more In this article I briefly describe the cognitive neuroscience and learning theory of suffering as the basis for an effective Cognitive-Behavioral intervention. The reader is introduced to concepts of Nondual Medicine. This article also touches on the evolution of the work of Dr. O. Carl Simonton, a radiation oncologist and the pioneer of mind-body oncology, in addressing physical, emotional, spiritual and existential suffering in cancer patients and their loved ones. Some of the presented material is hard science, some is hypothesis and theory. Some material is a new (but timeless) paradigm going beyond words and conceptual knowledge, something that needs to be experienced but points beyond both that experience and the experiencer, to what I've named here nonduality and unconditioned awareness. The Case Jason was a 38-year-old neurosurgeon with a relapse of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and was in the third week of a bone marrow transplant. He was exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually. The diagnosis of malignancy was for him (like for most) an existential shock. Chemotherapy was a challenge anddespite an initial relatively good prognosishe recently learned that the disease had come back. Bone marrow transplant was his chance for a cure but it also had significant risks. Still, he was considered "lucky" that, despite his complex ethnic background, relatively quickly a matching donor was found. Now he was isolated in his room to avoid the risk of infection because his own immunity was practically non-existent until the new marrow engrafted and started production. He missed his children, didn't have energy to read, was tired of TV and just a few moments ago he exploded with anger at a young oncology fellow who was checking on him and "dared" to put her stethoscope on his night stand. The ABCD of Suffering After he calmed down, Jason no longer blamed the young doctor for his outburst.. He was a veteran of Beat the Odds ®a comprehensive survivorship program for cancer patients and their families that was inspired by the work of Dr. O. Carl Simonton and utilizes the cognitive-behavior approach, Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT), developed by Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby. Jason found it very helpful to not only take responsibility for his own emotions but to realize that it was his own thoughts and beliefs that fueled his feelings. He also knew that his knee-jerk response a few moments ago was an emotional habit the training had called "an attitude". Maultsby had taught throughout his psychiatric practice that "with our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes we create, maintain, and eliminate all our emotional feelings." It was not a new insight. Twenty-six hundred years earlier Buddha said: "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world." Similar statements appear in the Bible, such as: "As I think in my heart so am I." (Proverbs 23:7.) In the Talmud we read, "We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are." Shakespeare's Hamlet possibly puts it most beautifully when in the second act he says: "There's nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Albert Ellis, the father of cognitive therapies, credited Epictetus for inspiration and frequently quoted: "We are not disturbed by things, but by the views which we take of them." People commonly call an emotion what they feel. But what we feel is just a part of the whole neurophysiologic phenomenon of emotion and consists of: perceptions (A), cognitions (B), emotional feelings (C) and physical behaviors (D). Ellis formulated the ABC model of human emotions, in which emotional feelings (C) are the consequence of (B)-our cognitions (thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, opinions, ideas, and preferences) about an activating event (A). In this model events (A), do not upset (C) us. We upset (C) ourselves with our cognitions (B) about the events (A). These emotional feelings in turn motivate us to act in a certain way (D). (Maultsby 2008, Maultsby 2012). In this model, to be specific, the feeling part (C) of emotion we call an "emotional feeling" (as opposed to a physical feeling like touch, pressure, hot, cold etc). While the others derived these insights from observation, spiritual revelation, introspection, and/or philosophical insight, Maultsby derived his quite radical insight from the anatomy and physiology of the brain. (Maultsby 1984, Wirga 2002) Modifying Ellis' ABC to an ABCD model of emotions (Maultsby 2008, Maultsby 2012) would look like this: A. Activating event (what we perceived happen, what we saw, heard, etc.) B. Our sincere thoughts, Beliefs and attitudes about that activating event C. The emotional feelings that we experience as the Consequence of our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes D. The action that we take as a result of the event. (What we Do.

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

In this article, the authors present the life and work of Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr, the most dis... more In this article, the authors present the life and work of Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr, the most distinguished and influential black psychiatrist, as well as the founder of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT), a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral therapeutic model. We document the pioneering ideas and concepts formulated by Dr. Maultsby and present RBT as a distinct form of theory-driven cognitive-behavior therapy, grounded in neurophysiology, its singular learning theory, unique concepts, and specific therapeutic techniques. His exceptional idealism of making mass mental health prevention and therapeutic interventions accessible to the underserved populations produced the unparalleled self-help features of RBT, allowing for its effectiveness and lasting results to be attainable to the average person. Dr. Maultsby was innovative in identifying clear criteria for healthy thinking that were empowering, patient-centered, and applicable to all forms of beliefs including spiritual, religious, existential, and deeply philosophical. His thorough knowledge of cognitive neurosci-ence and its underlying mechanisms of learning and re-learning of emotional habits gave rise to a radical reformulation of existing concepts like the traditional ABC model of emotions. This article is the first in a series about RBT and its founder.

Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

It has been over 35 years since Albert Ellis first formulated his ABC model of human disturbance,... more It has been over 35 years since Albert Ellis first formulated his ABC model of human disturbance, and 70 years since Woodworth described the SOR (Stimulus - Organismic response - emotional and behavioral Response) mechanism of human behavior, an early ancestor of Ellis' theory. While the ABC model has made a great impact on the development and current popularity of cognitive-behavior therapy, it has also been at the center of significant controversy in cognitive neuroscience over the past three decades. In this article, we address the main controversies from our somewhat radical perspective, and provide a simple example that we utilize clinically with our patients to help them gain quick and meaningful insight into this ABC model of their own emotions. We support our position with a brief overview of the neuropsychological mechanisms involved in emotional reactions and the psychoneuroimmunological implications of this perspective. Finally, we will present the basic rules for hea...

J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for ... more The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for a patient with psychosis. RBT is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by an American psychiatrist, Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr. RBT teaches rational self-counseling to achieve emotive and behavioral goals, reduce distress and the symptoms of the disease, improve functioning, improve treatment adherence , and prevent relapse. The challenges in applying cognitive behavior therapy in psychosis are described. We report the case of a 17-year-old patient who had been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria, presenting with recurrent psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation. Over 1.5 years, the patient was treated in an outpatient setting with antipsychotic medications and, intermittently , with RBT-based psychotherapy (by the first author). The therapy process was interrupted periodically due to temporary improvements in the patient's status, non-adherence, or relapses, including one episode requiring hospitalization. Nevertheless , the treatment eventually resulted in a long-lasting remission. We present examples of the RBT techniques used in this therapeutic process and highlight this treatment modality's unique features which support patients utilizing rational self-counseling skills to become more independent in coping with their problems. We emphasize that patients with a mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder also suffer from learned emotional disturbances that are amenable to treatment with cognitive-behavior therapies like RBT. In conclusion, we submit that with its self-counseling properties, RBT offers non-intrusive ways of helping people experiencing psychotic symptoms as part of their diagnosis and in prodromal or non-diagnostic states.

J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther, 2020

In this article, we present Maultsby’s Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) as a unique and distinct, ... more In this article, we present Maultsby’s Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) as a unique and distinct, but underutilized form of cognitive-behavior therapy, including its origins, theory (with psychosomatic learning theory), basic concepts, and practical applications, as well as never before published recent developments. As readers will see, many of Maultsby’s concepts, while pioneering and beckoning the third wave, still remain fresh, validated by current cognitive neuroscience, and are very relevant to modern psychotherapeutic practice. We describe RBT’s valuable concepts and effective techniques in such a way that readers may readily start using them to complement and enhance any other form of cognitive behavior therapy. An article comparing RBT with REBT and CBT will follow.

Psychoonkologia, 2002

Streszczenie W tym artykule przedstawiamy skuteczny model interwencji poznawczo- behawioralnej w ... more Streszczenie W tym artykule przedstawiamy skuteczny model interwencji poznawczo-
behawioralnej w kryzysie emocjonalnym, duchowym lub egzystencjalnym.
Nasze podejście terapeutyczne ilustrujemy przykładem pracy z „oporną” pacjentką
w kryzysie w przebiegu choroby zagrażającej życiu (zaawansowany nowotwór
złośliwy). Omawiamy teoretyczne rozważania o psychofizjologii emocji,
a także zastosowania tych pojęć oraz współczesnych odkryć w wyborze i doskonaleniu interwencji psychoterapeutycznych. Zamieściliśmy też rzeczywiste dialogi z pacjentką i jej pracę z przekonaniami, by przedstawić, jak te spójne wewnętrznie rozważania teoretyczne mogą nadawać kierunek kompleksowemu procesowi terapeutycznemu. Przedstawione wnioski mają przełomowe znaczenie w rozumieniu i formułowaniu standardów leczenia osób z zagrażającymi życiu chorobami, a także w sposobie w jaki my wszyscy uprawiamy medycynę.

Abstract: In this paper, we present an effective model of cognitive-behavioral intervention in an emotional, spiritual or existential crisis. Our therapeutic approach is illustrated by an example of work with a “resistant“ patient in crisis while battling a life-threatening illness (advanced cancer). We discuss theoretical conceptualizations about the psychophysiology of emotions, applications of these concepts and recent discoveries in the choice and development of psychotherapeutic interventions. Finally, actual therapy transcripts and patient’s belief work are presented to illustrate how these internally consistent theoretical formulations may guide a comprehensive therapy process. The presented findings have groundbreaking implications for the conceptualization and formulation of treatment standards of persons with life-threatening illnesses, and the way we all practice medicine.

Wirga, M., Nawara, I., Malec, A., Wirga, A. H., & Działa, A. (2002). Poznawcze i emocjonalne aspekty choroby nowotworowej–model terapeutycznej interwencji w kryzysie emocjonalnym, duchowym i egzystencjalnym. Psychoonkologia, 6(3), 53–63.

Journal of Rational-emotive & Cognitive-behavior Therapy, Apr 23, 2021

Oncology in Clinical Practice, Jun 29, 2021

Psychoonkologia, 2017

Cancer Research

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2021

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2020

Oncology in Clinical Practice

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther, 2021

The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for ... more The purpose of this paper is to present the applicability of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT) for a patient with psychosis. RBT is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by an American psychiatrist, Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr. RBT teaches rational self-counseling to achieve emotive and behavioral goals, reduce distress and the symptoms of the disease, improve functioning, improve treatment adherence , and prevent relapse. The challenges in applying cognitive behavior therapy in psychosis are described. We report the case of a 17-year-old patient who had been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria, presenting with recurrent psychotic symptoms and suicidal ideation. Over 1.5 years, the patient was treated in an outpatient setting with antipsychotic medications and, intermittently , with RBT-based psychotherapy (by the first author). The therapy process was interrupted periodically due to temporary improvements in the patient's status, non-adherence, or relapses, including one episode requiring hospitalization. Nevertheless , the treatment eventually resulted in a long-lasting remission. We present examples of the RBT techniques used in this therapeutic process and highlight this treatment modality's unique features which support patients utilizing rational self-counseling skills to become more independent in coping with their problems. We emphasize that patients with a mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder also suffer from learned emotional disturbances that are amenable to treatment with cognitive-behavior therapies like RBT. In conclusion, we submit that with its self-counseling properties, RBT offers non-intrusive ways of helping people experiencing psychotic symptoms as part of their diagnosis and in prodromal or non-diagnostic states.

J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther, 2020

Psychoonkologia, 2002