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.

Therapy for Chronic Illness Caregivers

How You May Be Feeling

Caregiving takes more than time and energy; it can weigh on your spirit, mind, and body. The emotional toll of watching someone you love struggle with chronic illness can be overwhelming. You may feel:

Overwhelmed and Exhausted

Juggling appointments, household duties, and maybe a job or your own health concerns can leave you running on fumes. No matter how much you do, it never feels like enough. It’s hard to remember the last time you truly rested or had a moment just for yourself.

Anxious and Down

When your loved one has a bad day or a new symptom, your worry skyrockets. You might lie awake imagining worst-case scenarios, feeling powerless to stop what’s happening. That helplessness can leave you on edge, dreading what tomorrow might bring.

Guilty and Burnt Out

You crave a break or feel frustrated, and then guilt rushes in. You might tell yourself you shouldn’t complain because you’re not the one who’s sick. Feeling overwhelmed, resentful, or even angry (then ashamed) is more common than you think.

How Therapy Can Help

Therapy offers space to explore feelings, set healthy boundaries, and care for your well-being. We help ease your emotional load, so you can keep showing up without burning out or losing yourself.

Woman taking a quiet moment on a bench, practicing mindfulness to manage caregiver stress

Manage Stress and Prevent Burnout

We’ll work on calming techniques, like breathing exercises or mindfulness, and build habits that protect your energy long-term. This might include learning to delegate, say “no,” and set boundaries so caring for your loved one doesn’t mean neglecting yourself. Over time, these skills can help you feel more stable and less on the edge of burnout.

Man seeing a vibrant reflection of himself in a mirror, reconnecting with personal values beyond caregiving

Reconnect with Your Needs and Values

Therapy helps you reconnect with who you are outside the caregiver role. Together, we’ll explore what fulfills you and find doable ways to bring them back. By clarifying your values and giving yourself permission to matter, you can start to feel more like you again.

Woman meditating peacefully, grounded and centered despite caregiver responsibilities

Stay Grounded

Therapy helps you navigate that uncertainty with more steadiness. We’ll teach you to ride the emotional waves by practicing acceptance, calming anxious thoughts, and building emotional resilience. The unknown may still be there, but it doesn’t have to pull you into constant panic. Many caregivers describe therapy as the anchor that helps them stay grounded.

Our Approach

We use science-backed methods to address the interconnected pieces of your well-being and tailor therapy to you.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT teaches active and practical skills to manage stress and feel more in control. You’ll learn to notice and shift unhelpful thought patterns (worst-case scenario or guilt) and solve everyday challenges more effectively. CBT is especially helpful for reducing anxiety, depression, and caregiver burnout. It focuses on what you can change.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT helps you carry the emotional weight of caregiving with more ease. Instead of getting stuck in painful thoughts (“I can’t do this anymore” or “This isn’t fair”), you’ll learn to make room for hard emotions, rather than fighting or avoiding them, and stay grounded in the present. ACT has been shown to boost emotional flexibility, resilience, and a sense of meaning in caregiving.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): MBSR gives you the space to breathe. Through guided mindfulness practices and gentle movement, you’ll learn to slow down and become more aware of how stress shows up in your body and mind then respond to stress more calmly, rather than react on autopilot. MBSR has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being in caregivers, without needing to “fix” anything externally.

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 and the impact of it all on 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 sleeping better, improving mood, or having a safe outlet for your emotions. We’ll use your goals to create a plan together.

Collaborative Planning

Once we understand your needs and goals, we’ll create a plan tailored just for you. We use science-backed methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Your plan might include boundary-setting tools, responding to difficult thoughts with compassion, or making self-care commitments. We’ll check in regularly to adjust as needed, so you stay actively involved.

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 how to fit in a few hours for yourself; other times, we may also explore other areas like how your caregiving role has impacted your outlook on life. No matter the focus, your therapist will listen with care and help you learn new ways to cope, allowing a better balance between caring for a loved one and caring for yourself.

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

“Caregivers often carry so much without ever being asked how they’re really doing. In therapy, we create space just for you; to process, breathe, and reconnect with your own well-being while you support someone you love.”

– 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 caregiving on one’s life, she remains committed to implementing the latest research in caregiver support and burnout prevention 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. 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 create more balance and reconnect with a life you enjoy.