Cancer Support Psycho-Oncology

Cancer is a life changing experience for patients and their loved ones, affecting many areas of one’s life.

Coping with the diagnosis, experiencing side effects of treatment, or adjusting to changes in functioning after treatment are all hurdles that can be difficult to overcome alone. We help people overcome emotional or functional issues and focus on optimizing quality of life in all phases of treatment or recovery.

Counseling and Psychiatric Services

Counseling services are available to help you and your family with such concerns as:

  • Coping and adjustment strategies
  • Emotional support
  • Anxiety and depression management
  • Self- and body-image concerns
  • Marital or child concerns
  • Loss and grief counseling

Various therapeutic techniques are utilized in counseling to provide support, including but not limited to:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Problem solving therapy
  • Active use of stress reduction and relaxation skills

Joseph Greenberg, LCSW and Caroline Sarafin, MSW, are skilled at psychotherapy tailored to cancer patient issues and needs, and available to provide these services. Learn more about their services. To schedule an appointment, please call Joseph at 310-829-8524 or Caroline at 310-829-8544. No referral is necessary.

Specialized Psychiatric Services

Specialized psychiatric services tailored to cancer patients are available for those experiencing issues such as:

  • Coping with the diagnosis
  • Experiencing side effects of treatment
  • Adjusting to changes in functioning during and after treatment
  • Cognitive issues such as “Chemo Brain”
  • Psychiatric illness such as depression or anxiety, in the context of cancer treatment
  • Physical difficulties such as pain or insomnia
  • Difficulties returning to work or life after cancer

Learn About our Additional Psycho-Oncology Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute: Learn More

Psycho-Oncologist Shanthi Gowrinathan, M.D.

Psycho-oncologist Shanthi Gowrinathan, M.D., is available for medical & psychiatric evaluation tailored to support patients experiencing the emotional distress often associated with a cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Ask your doctor for a referral.
Shanthi Gowrinathan, M.D.

Shanthi Gowrinathan, M.D.

Director of Psycho-Oncology and Cancer Support Services