Therapy for Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer

Childhood cancer affects the whole child, and the whole family, for their whole lives. Therapy for childhood cancer reduces the impact that mental health challenges have on a child's or family member's quality of life. Working with a childhood cancer therapist creates a space for processing the past and building hope for the future. 

The National Cancer Institute describes an individual as a cancer survivor "from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life." This definition acknowledges that cancer causes lifelong stress for patients, survivors, and loved ones. Cancer does not end when treatment ends. Children who survive cancer grow up to become adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. There is significant overlap between the mental health challenges faced by childhood cancer survivors and by adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who are diagnosed with cancer during the transition to adulthood. Cancer Cushion is proud to serve anyone who is "too young" to be going through cancer.

Unfortunately, bereavement is a common experience among all who are faced with cancer. Grief therapy is essential for coping with life after loss, one day at a time. Anyone who is bereaved due to childhood or AYA cancer is welcomed to explore therapy with Cancer Cushion.

There are several mental health specialty areas within the world of childhood and AYA cancer. My areas of focus include:

• Behavioral challenges during treatment - adapting evidence-based parent training approaches to fit the practical, developmental, and emotional needs of diagnosed children & siblings

• Survivorship changes - identity concerns, processing the treatment journey, survivor guilt, fear of recurrence, and other difficulties

• Grief and bereavement - anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, and additional support for navigating death and loss

Cancer is never the only trauma that patients and survivors have endured. I have experience working with people of all ages to address a wide range of concerns. If you are wondering whether we may be a good fit to work together, I highly recommend booking a consultation call to learn more. You can request a consultation via email at allie@cancercushion.com. Consultation calls are 10-15 minutes and can take place via telephone or video call.

Please note that Cancer Cushion does not provide crisis services. Individuals experiencing a mental health emergency should contact their local crisis line or dial 988.

To request a consultation call or a therapy intake, please email me at allie@cancercushion.com or fill out the contact form below. I currently have telehealth therapy appointment openings on Saturday mornings (Pacific time zone). If you would like to use insurance to pay for services, please include a copy of your insurance card in your email so I can confirm your benefits. I am in network with Regence and Premera, which includes the following individual plans:

Asuris Northwest Health (WA)

BridgeSpan Health Company (UT)

Healthcare Management Administrators, Inc. (WA)

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon (OR)

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah (UT)

Regence BlueShield (WA)

Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Inc. (ID)

Regence Group Administrators of Idaho, Inc. (ID)

Global

HCA Clearwater HMO

HCA Glacier Heritage Heritage and Dental Choice

Heritage Prime Heritage Signature and Dental Choice

Individual Signature

LifeWise Assurance Co.

LifeWise Health Plan of Washington Preferred

LifeWise Primary

Sherwood HMO 

My name is Allie Neenan. I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Michigan University, and I am a Licensed Psychologist in Washington State (License PSYC.PY.61617210). I currently hold Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) granted through PSYPACT® (mobility number 24780 issued 4/10/26). Holding APIT means that I am allowed to practice telepsychology with clients located in several states - it is not a separate license or training credential.

My primary therapeutic orientation is rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, known as ACT. I am also trained in several other evidence-based treatments that leverage behavior change to improve well-being, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and parent management training. I use techniques from these approaches to promote positive adjustment and healing.

I was introduced to childhood cancer advocacy during my college years. Through hosting bake sales, lemonade stands, and talent shows, I learned about the untenable burdens of childhood cancer. I developed a two-pronged passion: addressing the immediate psychosocial needs of today's children while pursuing better survival outcomes for tomorrow's children. The ethos of pairing individual support with systemic change is something I carry with me throughout my work. 

I am a proudly queer affirming, neurodivergent affirming therapist. The trauma of cancer is intersectional and often inseparable from additional stressors such as ableism, racism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression. My priority in therapy is to create a safe space to process all of these things together.

What services do you offer?

I provide telehealth therapy using audio and visual technology through the platform SimplePractice. I do not utilize any Artificial Intelligence tools for documentation or any other aspect of my clinical work.

I provide individual therapy for clients who are old enough to consent for their own mental health services. Age limits for consent to mental health care vary by state, typically ranging from 12-18. In Washington state, clients can consent to their own care starting at age 13. 

I also provide child and family therapy for youth who are too young to consent for their own services. All clients who require parental consent for care must be accompanied by a caregiver for the first appointment. This can include a parent, a legal guardian, or another designated adult. Caregiver involvement in ongoing treatment is tailored to the needs of each child and family.

What is PSYPACT®? What states do you work in? 

PSYPACT® is an interstate compact designed to allow psychologists to provide telehealth therapy services in multiple states. In order to provide services via PSYPACT®, the psychologist must be located in the "home state" (my home state is Washington) and the client must be located in a "distant state" that has joined the compact. 40+ US states have joined the compact - please visit the PSYPACT® website to review the current list. If your state of residence has joined the compact, then you are able to receive services from a psychologist who holds PSYPACT® authorization.

How much do appointments cost?

I am in network with Regence and Premera. Individual plans vary with regard to co-payments and co-insurance costs for care. If you would like to use Regence insurance benefits to pay for services, please indicate this in your initial email to allie@cancercushion.com and include a copy of your insurance card. This will allow me to verify that I am in network with your individual insurance plan and that psychotherapy services are covered.

For clients paying out of pocket, the full fee for intake appointments is $240 and the full fee for follow up appointments is $180. Whenever possible, I maintain reduced-fee openings to reduce financial barriers to care. Financial questions can be discussed further during a consultation call.

Appointments may be paid for with a credit card, debit card, and/or HSA/FSA funds, and I am able to create a Superbill if your insurance provider accepts these for out of network benefits. You can learn more about Superbills here. This website is updated regularly, and information about new insurance billing options will be listed here on this page.

How do I know if I need therapy?

Meeting with a new person and sharing details about the challenges you have faced is an intimidating process. A lot of time and energy goes into building the therapeutic relationship, and it is worth pausing to reflect whether now is the right time to start that journey. If you feel that you will benefit from a dynamic, supportive, and professional relationship, then therapy is likely to be a good fit for you. There is no set criteria for whether your symptoms are "bad enough" to need treatment - therapy is here to help you thrive, not just survive.  

What are crisis services? Why doesn't Cancer Cushion provide crisis services?

The term "crisis services" refers to care that is needed immediately to protect someone's health and safety. Individuals at risk of danger require specialized care within a team-based setting. At this time, Cancer Cushion does not have the staffing necessary to provide this 24/7 access to care. Individuals seeking therapy to address symptoms that present a risk to safety (including, but not limited to, recent suicide attempt or current suicidal ideation with a plan) are advised to seek care with an alternative provider.

Because Cancer Cushion does not provide crisis services, individuals experiencing a mental health emergency should contact their local crisis line or dial 988.

Where else can I go for therapy?

If my offerings do not align with your needs, you can pursue therapy through a number of other pathways. Please note that I do not endorse any specific providers you may find using these search methods:

1) If you are using health insurance to pay for therapy, your payer will have a list of covered providers to choose from. You will likely need to consult with each therapist individually regarding their areas of specialty (e.g., expertise in cancer). Some questions you can ask to determine fit include:

• Do you have experience treating individuals with cancer, critical illness, or complex medical needs?

• If you do not have previous training or experience in the realm of cancer, are you able to seek consultation and education on this topic?

• How do you approach caring for people who have experienced trauma?

• Are you comfortable discussing heavy topics such as mortality or child loss?

2) Inclusive Therapists offers a search directory that is highly customizable. You can filter using the Specialties tab to select therapists who list "Cancer" as an area of expertise. There are also filters for location, provider identity, cost, and more.

3) The Psychology Today therapist search directory also has a Specialties filter with "Cancer" as an area of expertise. Other filters include insurance/cost, type of therapy, and client age range.

4) Psychology training programs usually operate training clinics where student therapists provide therapy at a significantly reduced fee. Student therapists are closely supervised by licensed psychologists to ensure the quality and safety of their services. These students are also required to review the latest literature on the issues their clients are experiencing, such as cancer. The Association of Psychology Training Clinics maintains a list of training clinics in the United States.

Because Cancer Cushion does not provide crisis services, individuals experiencing a mental health emergency should contact their local crisis line or dial 988.