Can therapy actually help with physical symptoms?

Therapy won’t make symptoms disappear, but it can reduce stress, improve your emotional response to pain or illness, and help you feel more in control.

What kinds of chronic conditions do you specialize in?

We work with people managing chronic pain (like back, neck, or joint pain), autoimmune conditions (like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis), metabolic conditions (like diabetes), GI issues (like IBS), cancer, and sleep-related concerns. We also support caregivers of those living with these conditions.

Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy with you?

No. Whether you have a formal diagnosis or are just struggling with ongoing symptoms, you're welcome here. Our focus is on your lived experience, not labels.

Chronic Illness Therapy in Cape Coral | Cape Clarity Psychology

How You May Be Feeling

Chronic illness weighs on your spirit and mind, too. On top of the physical symptoms, you might find yourself carrying a quiet emotional load that others don’t always see. You may feel:

Stressed and Frustrated

Chronic illness can add pressure to nearly every part of your day, making your daily tasks feel overwhelming when your body isn’t cooperating. It can feel like you’re juggling too much with too little energy, constantly trying to hold it all together.

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Struggling to Manage Worry

People living with chronic disease have an increased risk of anxiety and depression. It is a common and understandable response. You might feel a quiet grief for the life you had or stuck in a body that no longer feels like yours. Worry can also take over. Whether it’s worry about your health, future, or how your image of yourself has changed, the weight of it all can leave you feeling drained.

Overwhelmed by Lifestyle Changes

Illness can turn your routines upside down: what you eat, how you sleep, how much you move or socialize. Even the changes that are meant to help can feel overwhelming when they pile up. It might feel hard to keep up, and you may find yourself pulling away from the things you used to enjoy.

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How Therapy Can Help

Chronic illness can impact your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. We use science-backed methods to help you feel more in control, improve daily functioning, and reconnect with what matters most.

Woman creating an action list to process thoughts and regain a sense of control while managing chronic illness

Regain Control

Chronic illness can make life feel unpredictable, like your body is calling all the shots. Therapy helps you take some of that control back. Together, we’ll set small, realistic goals and use tools like pacing (balancing activity and rest) and shifting unhelpful thoughts. Over time, you may find it easier to do the things that matter to you and to follow your treatment plan without feeling so overwhelmed.

Man meditating calmly as a shadow fades behind him, representing shifting how you relate to illness

Shift How You Relate to Your Illness

When symptoms flare or new ones show up, it’s easy for your mind to spiral into fear. Therapy can help you notice those thoughts and respond to them with more calm and clarity. You’ll learn to make space for your illness without letting it take over your identity.

Man lying back listening to music with eyes closed, showing therapy’s role in improving mood with chronic illness

Improve Your Mood

Living with illness can bring heavy emotions, like sadness, anxiety or anger. Therapy offers support and skills to help you cope. We’ll also focus on reducing stress, since it can often make symptoms worse. You’ll learn ways to calm your nervous system and respond to daily challenges with more ease. With time, those emotions may start to feel lighter, allowing you to feel more like yourself again.

Our Approach

We use science-backed methods, that work alongside your medical care to address all parts of your illness.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you manage the emotional toll of chronic illness by teaching practical tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts, reduce stress, and problem-solve more effectively. You’ll learn how to pace your activities, set realistic goals, and regain a sense of structure. CBT is especially helpful for improving mood, reducing worry, and coping with the unpredictable ups and downs of illness.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT helps you make room for the difficult thoughts and feelings that come with illness, without letting them control your life. Instead of fighting discomfort, you’ll learn to focus on what truly matters to you. ACT builds skills in mindfulness, values-based action, and emotional flexibility. Research shows it can boost quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression, and help you stay connected to meaning.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): MBSR teaches you how to slow down and become more aware of how your body and mind react to stress and illness. Through guided meditation, gentle movement, and breathing techniques, you’ll build skills to calm your nervous system and respond to symptoms with more clarity and less panic. MBSR has been shown to reduce stress, improve sleep, and support better emotional regulation in people managing chronic health conditions.

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What to Expect In Therapy

Starting therapy might feel intimidating, especially when you’re already dealing with so much. At Cape Clarity, we aim to make sessions feel supportive, action-oriented, and focused on you.

The Initial Session

We’ll start with a longer first appointment (75 minutes) to get to know you better. We’ll discuss what you’re experiencing, your medical history, and, most importantly, how illness affects your daily life. You can share as much or as little as you like—the pace is yours. This time is also an opportunity to discuss your goals for therapy, such as coping with changes, improving mood, or reclaiming autonomy. We’ll use your goals to create a plan together.

Collaborative Planning

Once we understand your needs and goals, we’ll work together to create a plan tailored just for you. We draw from science-backed methods (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Your plan might include coping skills for stress or discomfort, learning ways to face fears and avoid avoidance, or building motivation to make healthy changes. We check in regularly to see what’s working and adjust as needed, so you always have an active role.

Ongoing Therapy Sessions

Therapy sessions are typically 50 minutes and occur weekly, though we tailor the schedule and frequency to your needs. Some weeks might be about active strategies like problem-solving a work or relationship difficulty related to your illness; other times, we may also explore bigger questions, like how illness has challenged how you view yourself. No matter the focus, your therapist will listen with care and help you learn new ways to cope, allowing space for the small shifts that can help you find stability.

Portrait of Liana Preudhomme, PhD, Lead Psychologist at Cape Clarity Integrative Psychology in Cape Coral, Florida.

“When your condition is unpredictable, it can feel like you're constantly bracing for what's next. In therapy, we focus on helping you build emotional steadiness, so you can transition from reacting to your illness to living on your own terms.”

– Dr. Liana Preudhomme, Founder of Cape Clarity Integrative Psychology

Why Cape Clarity?

Specialized Expertise

Dr. Liana Preudhomme, our founder, is a clinical psychologist specializing in health psychology. With a deep understanding of the impact of chronic illness on one’s life, she remains committed to implementing the latest research in interdisciplinary treatment for various chronic illnesses to improve care.

Holistic and Integrative Outlook

We treat the whole person, recognizing that physical and emotional well-being are deeply connected. We also consider the roles of other factors like sleep, nutrition, and social support in your healing process and work to support you in adapting to lifestyle changes or treatment recommendations made by your medical team. In short, we strive to support every part of your well-being.

Ready to take the next step?

Book a your free consultation call to get started. This no-cost call is a chance to ask questions, share what you’re looking for, and see if we’re a good fit. It’s not a therapy session, just a brief, pressure-free way to explore next steps. Let’s work together to loosen the grip of illness and reconnect with a life you enjoy.