Cancer Counseling in Culver City, CA

Cancer counseling is therapy built specifically around what a cancer diagnosis does to a person emotionally, relationally, and psychologically. General therapy is valuable, but cancer brings a specific constellation of experiences: medical trauma, mortality awareness, body changes, scanxiety, caregiver dynamics, and survivorship disorientation. The difference is the ability to hold the full weight of what a cancer diagnosis means without rushing past it toward "positive thinking," and not treating the fear as a problem to be eliminated rather than a response to be understood and worked through.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer feel as distressing. During sessions, I guide you through recalling difficult memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, which helps your brain process and integrate these experiences in a new way. For cancer patients and survivors, EMDR is particularly effective at addressing scanxiety, diagnosis shock, and the trauma responses that medical procedures and treatment can leave behind.

Scanxiety is the intense anxiety that comes before, during, and after follow-up scans and imaging appointments. It can include intrusive thoughts, trouble sleeping, physical tension, and difficulty being present. For many survivors, this anxiety does not fade over time. It can actually get worse with each scan cycle. EMDR therapy is particularly effective here because it targets the fear response at its root, rather than just teaching you to manage the symptoms.

I work with women at every stage. You do not need to wait until treatment is over to begin therapy. Many women find that counseling during active treatment provides a stable emotional anchor while everything else feels uncertain. We work on managing anxiety, communicating with loved ones, and making decisions from a grounded place rather than a reactive one. Survivors and those in remission are equally welcome.

Absolutely. A cancer diagnosis does not happen to one person. It happens to a family. I offer therapy specifically for caregivers: spouses, partners, parents, and adult children who are navigating their own grief, fear, and exhaustion alongside their loved one's illness. Caregiver counseling is its own distinct therapeutic priority, not an afterthought.

Yes. All sessions are available online via secure video throughout California. Many clients find that being in their own comfortable, private space helps them feel safer and more open during difficult work. I also work with clients in Florida.

The right time is when you recognize that you could use support. You do not need to be in crisis, and you do not need to have a current diagnosis. If the emotional weight of what you have been through, or what you are going through right now, is getting in the way of how you want to live, that is enough reason to reach out.

The length of therapy varies depending on your unique history, goals, and how your mind and body respond to treatment. Some clients experience significant relief within a few months, while others with more complex histories benefit from longer-term work. I collaborate with you to regularly assess your progress and adjust our approach as needed.

You are always in control of what you share. While some exploration of your experiences is part of the healing process, approaches like EMDR do not require you to describe every detail of what happened. I work at a pace that feels safe for you, and we build skills together so you feel supported throughout the process.

We begin with a free 20-minute consultation so I can learn about what brings you to therapy and you can ask any questions. After that, you will complete intake forms, and we will meet weekly. Early sessions focus on building trust, understanding your history, and developing coping skills to help you feel stable and resourced before we begin processing traumatic memories.