Rebuilding Life After Cancer: Viktor Frankl, Resilience, and the “Power of AND” (Harriet Cabelly)
Wed Jan 21 2026
Cancer survivorship isn’t about “going back to normal.” It’s about rebuilding—on purpose.
In this episode of Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani sits down with Harriet Cabelly, LCSW, a grief therapist and cancer thriver, for a grounded, surprisingly funny, deeply useful conversation on what happens during treatment and in the long tail of survivorship—including fear of recurrence (“scanxiety”), meaning-making, resilience, and the emotional support patients don’t get nearly enough of.
Harriet shares the moment she was told she had a mass on multiple organs—and her first response: “Put me in hospice.” From there, we unpack how hope returned, why Viktor Frankl’s work matters in cancer care, and practical mindset tools that help patients and caregivers survive the day-to-day without spiraling into the “20-year forecast.
If you’re newly diagnosed, supporting someone you love, or treating patients clinically, this episode delivers real coping skills—without toxic positivity.
Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 — “If you have to go through hell, don’t come out empty-handed”
01:09 — Harriet’s diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (large B-cell) and the ER moment
02:45 — “Put me in hospice”: the shock + numbness after the scan
04:41 — How hope returned (faith, timing, and a “flipped verdict”)
07:44 — Why faith and religion can matter in the patient experience
09:03 — “Miracles” during treatment: staying ahead of nausea + the “Vomit Miracle”
11:25 — “Miracle of tolerance”: handling meds when you’ve always had a sensitive system
12:55 — Life before diagnosis: ballroom dancing, family, hiking, private practice
14:56 — Viktor Frankl + Man’s Search for Meaning: choosing attitude, choosing response
18:44 — Positive psychology: building strengths, not denying reality
19:50 — Resilience as a muscle (and how to train it)
20:33 — Gratitude, “WWW: What’s Working Well,” and the donut-hole metaphor
23:05 — The “Power of AND”: holding darkness + light at the same time
26:50 — Shrinking time: one hour, one day, one cycle at a time
29:59 — Fear of recurrence + “scanxiety”: what helps, what gets easier with time
33:51 — Rebuilding after cancer: nutrition, fasting windows, exercise, sugar reduction, circadian walks
35:35 — Mind-body connection + journaling (without pretending it’s all “in your head”)
37:13 — Rapid-fire advice: newly diagnosed, survivorship, long-term treatment, clinicians, pharma
43:10 — Favorite quotes + choosing to “make the best of what happens”
44:00 — Medical disclaimer
About the Guest
Harriet Cabelly, LCSW is a grief counselor, therapist, speaker, and author dedicated to helping people navigate loss, life transitions, and rebuilding meaning after trauma. A cancer thriver herself, Harriet blends clinical tools with lived experience to help patients and caregivers reclaim purpose, joy, and resilience.
Book: Light Through Darkness: Miracles Along My Cancer Journey
Referenced: Viktor Frankl — Man’s Search for Meaning
Manta Cares: mantacares.com
Subscribe to Patient From Hell for evidence-based cancer-care insight, survivorship tools, and the conversations patients wish they’d had sooner.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider.
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Cancer survivorship isn’t about “going back to normal.” It’s about rebuilding—on purpose. In this episode of Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani sits down with Harriet Cabelly, LCSW, a grief therapist and cancer thriver, for a grounded, surprisingly funny, deeply useful conversation on what happens during treatment and in the long tail of survivorship—including fear of recurrence (“scanxiety”), meaning-making, resilience, and the emotional support patients don’t get nearly enough of. Harriet shares the moment she was told she had a mass on multiple organs—and her first response: “Put me in hospice.” From there, we unpack how hope returned, why Viktor Frankl’s work matters in cancer care, and practical mindset tools that help patients and caregivers survive the day-to-day without spiraling into the “20-year forecast. If you’re newly diagnosed, supporting someone you love, or treating patients clinically, this episode delivers real coping skills—without toxic positivity. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 — “If you have to go through hell, don’t come out empty-handed” 01:09 — Harriet’s diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (large B-cell) and the ER moment 02:45 — “Put me in hospice”: the shock + numbness after the scan 04:41 — How hope returned (faith, timing, and a “flipped verdict”) 07:44 — Why faith and religion can matter in the patient experience 09:03 — “Miracles” during treatment: staying ahead of nausea + the “Vomit Miracle” 11:25 — “Miracle of tolerance”: handling meds when you’ve always had a sensitive system 12:55 — Life before diagnosis: ballroom dancing, family, hiking, private practice 14:56 — Viktor Frankl + Man’s Search for Meaning: choosing attitude, choosing response 18:44 — Positive psychology: building strengths, not denying reality 19:50 — Resilience as a muscle (and how to train it) 20:33 — Gratitude, “WWW: What’s Working Well,” and the donut-hole metaphor 23:05 — The “Power of AND”: holding darkness + light at the same time 26:50 — Shrinking time: one hour, one day, one cycle at a time 29:59 — Fear of recurrence + “scanxiety”: what helps, what gets easier with time 33:51 — Rebuilding after cancer: nutrition, fasting windows, exercise, sugar reduction, circadian walks 35:35 — Mind-body connection + journaling (without pretending it’s all “in your head”) 37:13 — Rapid-fire advice: newly diagnosed, survivorship, long-term treatment, clinicians, pharma 43:10 — Favorite quotes + choosing to “make the best of what happens” 44:00 — Medical disclaimer About the Guest Harriet Cabelly, LCSW is a grief counselor, therapist, speaker, and author dedicated to helping people navigate loss, life transitions, and rebuilding meaning after trauma. A cancer thriver herself, Harriet blends clinical tools with lived experience to help patients and caregivers reclaim purpose, joy, and resilience. Book: Light Through Darkness: Miracles Along My Cancer Journey Referenced: Viktor Frankl — Man’s Search for Meaning Manta Cares: mantacares.com Subscribe to Patient From Hell for evidence-based cancer-care insight, survivorship tools, and the conversations patients wish they’d had sooner. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider.