Telehealth and In-person in Flatiron, Manhattan
Therapy for Chronic Illness & Cancer
Facing a serious medical diagnosis like cancer or managing a chronic illness can be overwhelming — emotionally, mentally, and physically. At City Lights Psychology, we offer specialized psychotherapy (often called psycho-oncology) to support individuals and families navigating the complex realities of illness. Our licensed clinical psychologists provide a safe space to process your experience, build resilience, and find meaning — even in the most difficult circumstances. Whether you're newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, adjusting to survivorship, or supporting a loved one, we’re here to walk alongside you. You don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
Our Therapy for Chronic Illness & Cancer Services:
Adjusting to Diagnoses
Processing the experience shock, denial, fear, or numbness in the weeks, months or years that follow.
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Our therapists provide a supportive space to process the emotional aftermath of diagnosis. We help clients move through the initial adjustment period, develop coping strategies, and begin to reconnect with their sense of self during a time of uncertainty.
Anxiety, Depression and Emotional Stress
Managing persistent worry, sadness, or emotional numbness brought on by illness, treatment, or uncertainty.
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We use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help clients manage distress, regulate mood, and cultivate resilience through their treatment and recovery journey.
Body Image, Identity and Self-Esteem
Confronting changes in how you see yourself—physically, emotionally, and socially—due to illness or treatment.
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We support you in grieving what’s been lost, redefining who you are, and rebuilding confidence. We focus on self-compassion, personal strengths, and helping you feel whole again—no matter the physical or emotional changes you’ve experienced.
Relationships & Family Dynamics
Navigating shifts in relationships, roles, and communication that emerge during illness or treatment.
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We work with individuals, couples, and families to improve communication, set boundaries, and foster emotional closeness. Therapy can help restore connection and build resilience as you move through this journey together.
Caregiver Support
Balancing the emotional and practical demands of supporting a loved one through illness.
Caregivers often suppress their own needs while shouldering enormous responsibilities.
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We provide a space for caregivers to process their experiences, manage stress, and reconnect with themselves. Our work emphasizes burnout prevention, sustainable caregiving, and honoring the caregiver's own emotional wellbeing.
End-of-Life &
Grief Counseling
Facing mortality, anticipatory grief, or the profound emotional impact of losing someone you love.
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We support clients in making meaning, finding peace, and holding space for both sorrow and connection. Whether you’re navigating your own terminal diagnosis or grieving a loss, our therapists walk alongside you with compassion and presence.
Living Beyond Treatment & Survivorship
Adjusting to life after treatment—navigating lingering fears, identity shifts, or a search for meaning.
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We help you explore what survivorship means to you—emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Therapy supports your continued healing by addressing anxiety, redefining goals, and integrating the experience into a new, empowered chapter of life.
Medical Trauma & PTSD
Processing traumatic experiences related to medical procedures, hospitalizations, misdiagnoses, or invasive treatments.
We are trained in trauma-informed approaches to help you safely explore and heal from medical trauma. Whether the trauma is from a single event or an ongoing experience of medical neglect, fear, or pain, we provide a validating space to work through those memories and regain a sense of agency and safety in your body and life.
Our Therapeutic Modalities
We offer an integrative, culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed approach of several therapeutic modalities:
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Heal from medical trauma by identifying and changing unhelpful beliefs related to the traumatic event, reducing emotional distress and PTSD symptoms.
IFS-Informed Parts Work
Explore and integrate different “parts” or aspects of the self—such as conflicting feelings, beliefs, or roles—to promote self-awareness, internal harmony, and a more cohesive sense of identity.
CBT/DBT
Challenge maladaptive thoughts patterns and behaviors.
Learn distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness and emotion regulation skills.
Navigating Chronic Illness & Cancer in a Safe, Healing Space
Living with a chronic illness or cancer often brings a complex mix of emotions — fear, grief, anger, uncertainty — that can feel overwhelming and isolating. In a safe psychotherapeutic space, clients are invited to explore these emotions without judgment, pressure to “stay positive,” or the need to protect others from the weight of their experience. Therapy offers a place where the full reality of illness — the losses, the changes, the hopes — can be acknowledged and held with compassion. This kind of emotional safety allows clients to process their experience at their own pace, finding moments of clarity, strength, and even meaning in the midst of difficulty.
For many, a diagnosis disrupts one’s identity, relationships, and sense of control. A skilled therapist helps clients rebuild a sense of self that includes — but is not defined by — illness. Whether someone is facing a new diagnosis, living with long-term symptoms, or moving through survivorship or end-of-life stages, therapy becomes a space to reconnect with values, navigate medical decisions, and manage emotional fatigue. In this protected space, clients can be vulnerable, real, and human — and from that authenticity, healing often begins.
We Help You and Your Family...
Process complex emotions like fear, anger, guilt, or sadness
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Rebuild a sense of control and autonomy in your life
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Connect with others and reduce isolation
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Explore meaning, values, and purpose during and after illness
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Plan for the future — whether it’s recovery, maintenance, or end-of-life care​
What You Can Expect:
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Emotional support for managing fear, sadness, anger, or uncertainty
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Tools to cope with stress, anxiety, and the mental toll of medical treatment
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Support in navigating identity changes related to illness, disability, or body image
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Help processing grief and loss — including health, roles, or future plans
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Improved communication with loved ones, caregivers, or medical providers
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Mindfulness and grounding techniques for managing pain or fatigue
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Assistance in finding meaning or purpose, even in the midst of difficulty
Why Choose Us:
Our team of doctoral-level psychotherapists have specialized experience in hospital settings working with individuals, couples and family with chronic illness or cancer diagnoses.
A Safe &
Welcoming Space
Whether you’re working through trauma or simply feeling overwhelmed, we offer a judgment-free environment.
Flexible
Care Options
Choose between in-person sessions in our Flatiron location or Telehealth appointments.
Evidence-Based Treatments
We draw on research-supported therapies to deliver effective and meaningful care.
How to Get Started
Step 1:
Book Your Free 30-Minute Consultation Call
The first step in starting your therapy journey is to book a free 30-minute consultation call with one of our psychologists. During this call, we’ll discuss what’s bringing you to therapy and help determine if one of our therapists is the right fit for you. If we don't have a match, we'll provide you with trusted external referrals.
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Please note: We are an out-of-network provider for all insurance companies except UMR-Top Tier, meaning you'll pay for sessions out of pocket and can seek reimbursement from your insurance company if you have out-of-network benefits.
Step 2:
Schedule Your
First Session
After confirming that we’re the right fit for you, we’ll schedule your first therapy session. Our team is dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized care to help you work through your challenges and achieve the healing and growth you’re seeking.
Step 3:
Begin Your
Therapeutic Process
In your first session, we’ll dive deeper into your specific concerns and goals. Our therapists will work with you to understand the emotional and mental challenges you're facing. We'll begin creating a personalized treatment plan that addresses your needs, helps you gain insight into yourself, and supports you in developing practical strategies for navigating life’s transitions. With ongoing support and guidance, we'll work together to build emotional resilience, confidence, and balance in your life.
Ready to get started?
Schedule your free 30-minute consultation call today to discuss your needs and determine if our team is the right fit for you. In this call, we’ll explore your challenges and goals, and create a personalized plan to support you through navigating and processing the complexities of living with chronic illness or cancer.