Jessica Coburn

When cancer suddenly strips away the life you planned, you are left standing in the wreckage with one agonizing, unanswerable question: Why me?

Surviving a life-altering diagnosis is a profound emotional reckoning. You aren't just fighting an illness—you are grieving the healthy version of yourself, your independence, and the future you thought was guaranteed. As a therapist navigating my own reality with Stage 3c Ovarian Cancer, Stage 3 Kidney Disease and unresectable Growing Teratoma Syndrome, I know firsthand how exhausting it is to carry this weight in a world that just wants you to "stay positive."

In my practice, there is no room for empty platitudes. Instead, I offer a fiercely genuine, compassionate space where you do not have to pretend to be strong.

Together, we will confront the raw realities of chronic illness and survival:

Honoring the "Why Me?": We will hold space for the suffocating unfairness of your diagnosis, giving you a safe place to process your grief and fear without judgment.

The Weight of Caregiving: We will navigate the agonizing guilt of watching your partner and young children step into caregiving roles, when all you want is to simply be their parent and spouse.

Adjusting Your "Spoons": Chronic pain forces a brutal daily math on our energy. We will figure out how to realistically manage your physical limits, set unapologetic boundaries, and let go of what you no longer have the capacity to do.

Fierce Prioritization: When energy is finite, every choice matters. We will strip away the non-essentials and put your life into sharp perspective, fiercely protecting your time for what truly matters to you.

You are exhausted from trying to hold it all together. I am here to sit in the dark with you—and when you are ready, we will work together to breathe life, meaning, and connection back into your days.

Through my own battle, my focus shifted to the raw truths of chronic illness. Going through chemo in a rural community, there were no local support groups. I turned to telehealth because I desperately needed a safe place to fall apart. I needed to be in my own home—bald, physically ill, exhausted—processing my terror without burdening others. I was an absolute wreck, suffocating under the fear of my children growing up without a mom, and exhausted by the frantic stress of trying to make every single moment the perfect last memory "just in case."

That agonizing experience shapes my therapeutic approach. I offer a fierce, genuine space to take off your armor, acknowledge how incredibly hard this is, and use practical tools to navigate your daily reality:

Relieving the Pressure (REBT & ACT): We will tackle the exhausting guilt of relying on your family and the pressure to make every moment perfect. We will shift from frantic memory-making to finding a sustainable way to be genuinely present in the life you have right now.

Reclaiming Your Identity (Narrative & Existential): I know the terror of thinking about your children growing up without you. We will hold space for your darkest fears without judgment, helping you separate your identity from your diagnosis so you remain a parent and partner—not just "the patient."

Life & Energy Inventory: Chronic illness forces a brutal daily math on our bodies. We will take an honest inventory of your capacity, set firm boundaries, and help you gracefully let go of what you can no longer carry, fiercely protecting your time for what genuinely matters.

You are exhausted from trying to hold it all together. I am here to sit in the dark with you—and when you are ready, we will breathe life, meaning, and connection back into your days.

Showing up for your first therapy session takes a tremendous amount of energy—energy I know you might barely have right now. I want to take the pressure off immediately: you do not need to have it all figured out, and you certainly do not need to put on a brave face for me.

Our first meeting is simply about laying the groundwork. It is a dedicated, safe space for me to genuinely get to know you as a whole person, completely separate from your diagnosis. Here is what we will focus on during our initial time together:

Understanding Your Story: We will talk about who you are, the life you had before your diagnosis, and the deepest fears, anger, or exhaustion you are carrying right now.

Mapping Your Relationships: Chronic illness does not happen in a vacuum; it changes every dynamic in your home. We will discuss your family, your support systems, and the heavy, often unspoken guilt that comes with relying on your partner and children for care.

Unpacking Your Real Struggles: I want to hear about the raw challenges you are facing daily. Whether it is the physical toll of chronic pain, the frantic stress of trying to make perfect memories, or the agonizing "why me?" moments, this is the place to lay it all out safely.

Setting a Realistic Focus: We will collaboratively figure out what you actually need from our time together. We aren't aiming for toxic positivity or perfection; we are aiming to figure out how to adjust your "spoons," set firm boundaries, and reclaim your identity.

There is no need to perform, I know this can be a lot. So this may take several sessions to work through these items. With my experience, there is no need minimize your pain, or protect my feelings because I understand. Just show up exactly as you are, and we will start untangling it together.