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.

Living with Cancer Counseling | Cape Clarity Integrative Psychology

How You May Be Feeling

A cancer diagnosis can affect every part of your life: body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, in active treatment, or adjusting afterward, the emotional toll can be heavy. You may feel:

Overwhelmed by Uncertainty

Life might feel like it’s spinning out of control. Between test results, treatment decisions, and doctor visits, on top of trying to balance work, family, and daily tasks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. You might find yourself constantly on edge, exhausted, and wondering, “What’s going to happen next?”.

Consumed by Worry or Sadness

More than one in three people with cancer experience anxiety, depression, or another mood concern. You might feel stuck in grief for the life you had before cancer or worry that every new sensation means the worst. It can be hard to sleep, focus, or feel present with the people and things you care about.

Not Like Yourself

You might feel disconnected from your body, routines, relationships, or sense of self. Treatment side effects or physical changes can leave you feeling like a stranger to yourself. And the pressure to “stay positive” or “strong” can make you feel angry or alone, especially if you feel like no one understands the toll it’s all taking.

How Therapy Can Help

Therapy can ease the emotional distress, working alongside your medical team. We use science-backed methods to reduce stress, improve quality of life, and restore meaning and purpose.

Woman tending a garden, symbolizing regaining control and cultivating calm during cancer treatment

Regain Control

Cancer can make life feel chaotic. Therapy helps to restore some calm. By setting achievable goals and learning active skills to challenge the thoughts and behaviors that can increase distress, you’ll start to be able to focus on what is within your control. Cancer may be a part of your life, but it doesn’t get to control your whole story.

Meaning Beyond Cancer

Living with cancer can feel as though it consumes every part of you, your identity, your thoughts, your body. Therapy will help you step back to remind yourself who you are…beyond the diagnosis. You’ll learn to respond to those worst-case scenario thoughts with less fear and anxiety, leaving more time to explore and reconnect with what gives you purpose, joy, or hope.

Woman reading while listening to music, illustrating therapy’s support in uplifting mood during cancer care

Improve Your Mood

The emotional highs and lows of cancer can feel like a rollercoaster. Therapy offers tools to help smooth the ride. Together, we’ll use strategies to manage stress or anxiety and express anger or sadness in healthier ways. Our focus is on building emotional resilience. You can’t avoid the hard days, but with support, you can feel more prepared for them and more present for the good moments in between.

Our Approach

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

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you identify the thoughts and patterns and teaches you practical tools to shift them. You’ll also learn how to take small, meaningful steps back into the parts of life that matter to you. CBT has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and insomnia in people with cancer, while helping improve focus, energy, and day-to-day coping.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT supports you in making space for all the emotions that come with cancer without letting them take over. You’ll learn to stay grounded in the present, relate differently to painful thoughts, and take action guided by what you care about most. ACT has been shown to improve mood, overall well-being, and quality of life during and after cancer treatment.

Meaning Centered Psychotherapy (MCP): MCP helps you reconnect with what gives your life meaning, whether that’s relationships, legacy, creativity, or personal values. Through guided reflection and conversation, you’ll explore how to find hope and direction, even amid uncertainty. MCP has been shown to reduce depression, hopelessness, and existential distress while enhancing spiritual well-being, emotional connection, and overall quality of life.

Book Your Free Consultation

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 cancer 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, feeling less anxious, or finding ways to still do the things you love. 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 Meaning Centered Psychotherapy (MCP). Your plan might include processing emotions and existential fears, practicing active coping skills, and exploring sources of meaning. 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 practicing mindfulness to help calm your mind before a scan; other times, we may also explore bigger questions, like how cancer has challenged your sense of identity or purpose. No matter the focus, your therapist will listen with care, validate your experience, and help you learn new ways to cope as you move forward.

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

“In my work with people facing cancer, I’ve seen how heavy the emotional side can be; the fear, feeling disconnected from who you’ve always been, even the pressure to stay strong. Therapy gives you permission to lay it all down for a moment, and begin finding your way through with honesty and support.”

– 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 both a professional and personal understanding of the impact of cancer on one’s life, she remains committed to implementing the latest research in cancer treatment 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 cancer’s grip and reconnect with a life you enjoy.