Trained at the bedside, inside an academic cancer center.
Dr. Soffia Elisabet Palsdottir, Psy.D., spent four years as a psycho-oncology psychologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, working across hematology, breast, gastrointestinal, head and neck, and palliative care, and conducting psychological evaluations for stem cell transplant candidates.
That shapes the work in practical ways. We understand treatment protocols and their psychological costs. We can talk about mortality directly, without deflecting. And we treat distress after treatment ends as what it usually is: a predictable part of the arc, not a failure to cope.
About Dr. Palsdottir →At every point in the illness, and beside it.
Fear, uncertainty, and scan anxiety
Living scan to scan. Learning to tolerate uncertainty that can't be resolved, without letting it take over the time in between.
Identity and role disruption
Illness can take work, independence, trust in the body, and a long-held place in the family. Therapy makes room to grieve those losses and rebuild a self that includes what happened.
Medical trauma
Procedures, hospital stays, and frightening moments in treatment can leave procedural fear, intrusive memories, and avoidance of necessary care.
Mortality and meaning
Serious illness raises questions many people have never had to face directly. Those conversations belong in therapy, without avoidance and without rushing.
How care works.
Treatment begins with understanding: an initial intake or diagnostic evaluation builds a picture of who you are and how your history shapes your response to illness, before any plan is set. Therapy is relational and depth-oriented, integrating mindfulness-based, cognitive-behavioral, and existential methods when they help.
Frequently asked questions.
What is psycho-oncology?
The specialty within psychology that focuses on the emotional, relational, and existential effects of cancer on patients and families. A psycho-oncology psychologist understands cancer treatment itself, so sessions aren't spent explaining what chemotherapy, a transplant, or a scan cycle involves.
Can I start therapy during active cancer treatment?
Yes. Many people begin during treatment, when the strain is highest. Scheduling can flex around infusions and appointments, and telehealth is available throughout Massachusetts and Arizona.
Is it normal to struggle after treatment ends?
Yes. The structure of treatment falls away, support often recedes, and fear of recurrence, identity changes, and delayed grief can surface. Survivorship is one of the most common reasons people seek psycho-oncology care.
Do you see caregivers and family members?
Yes. Partners, adult children, and other caregivers carry their own distress, often while feeling they have no right to it. Caregivers can be seen individually, and couples sessions are available when illness is straining a relationship.
Do you provide pre-transplant psychological evaluations?
Yes. Dr. Palsdottir conducted stem cell transplant psychological evaluations at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Contact the practice to discuss your transplant center's requirements.
Do you take insurance?
Saga is a private-pay, out-of-network practice. Superbills are provided for out-of-network reimbursement, HSA and FSA cards are accepted, and a limited number of reduced-fee spaces are held for patients with serious medical illness facing financial strain.
Begin with a conversation.
A complimentary 15-minute phone consultation, with no paperwork first. We'll talk about what you're facing and whether Saga is the right fit.
Request a Consultation