ABOUT THE BOOK
Jodi Taub, LCSW
Psychotherapist | Author | Speaker
Living with a chronic illness affects far more than your physical health. It can change the way you see yourself, your relationships, your sense of safety, and your hopes for the future. You may feel misunderstood, isolated, exhausted, or unsure how to explain what you are going through to the people around you.
More Than A Patient was written to help you feel less alone. Drawing on nearly three decades as a psychotherapist specializing in chronic illness and rare disease — as well as my own lived experience — this book offers practical guidance, emotional support, and evidence-based tools for navigating the many relationship and emotional challenges that can come with chronic illness.
In my book, you’ll learn how to:
Care for your mental health
Navigate relationships with caregivers
Cultivate friendships, old and new
Nurture secure attachments with long-term partners
Work collaboratively with doctors and medical teams
You didn’t choose to be sick, but you can choose what to do with it.
More Than A Patient is not simply a book about coping with illness.
Inside, you will find guidance for navigating:
The emotional impact of chronic illness, and medical uncertainty
Friendships, dating, marriage, and caregiving
Feeling misunderstood, isolated, or left behind
Medical trauma and difficult healthcare experiences
Parenting, family relationships, and changing roles
Grief, loss, identity shifts, and creating a meaningful life
Anxiety, depression, and the psychological impact of living with illness
Practical, evidence-based strategies for coping, communication, and resilience
Jodi Taub, LCSW, is a New York-based psychotherapist with over 27 years of experience providing individual, couples, family, and group therapy. She specializes in chronic illness and rare diseases, supporting patients and caregivers in managing health anxiety, medical trauma, and the psychological impact of complex health conditions. In addition to her clinical work, Jodi is a published writer, speaker, and researcher.
She lectures nationally, facilitates support groups, and contributes to professional education and advocacy within the chronic illness and rare disease communities. Drawing on both her expertise and her own lived experience with chronic illness, Jodi is recognized for her evidence-based, relationship-centered approach that fosters resilience and meaningful connections.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Building relationships and creating a meaningful life is still possible when you are living with a chronic illness.
Topics covered in
More Than A Patient
CHAPTER ONE:
WORDS THAT STINGA practical guide for navigating the unintended sting of unhelpful comments and learning how to respond in a way that protects your well-being.
CHAPTER TWO:
FRIENDSExploring why friendships shift after a diagnosis, how to grieve lost connections, and strategies for building a supportive peer community.
CHAPTER THREE:
DATINGNavigating the "weeding-out" process of dating, including a three-point plan for when and how to disclose your condition to potential partners.
CHAPTER FOUR:
LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPSTools for sustaining marriage or partnerships by "turning toward" each other during health struggles and preventing caregiver burnout.
CHAPTER FIVE: WHEN YOUR PARTNER
OR SPOUSE IS YOUR CAREGIVERA practical guide for navigating the unintended sting of unhelpful comments and learning how to respond in a way that protects your well-being.
CHAPTER SIX: WHEN YOUR CAREGIVER IS YOUR PARENTNavigating the delicate transition from parental dependence to adolescent or adult independence within the healthcare journey.
CHAPTER SEVEN: BEING A CAREGIVER WHEN YOU'RE CHRONICALLY ILLStrategies for the "sandwich generation" who must care for children or aging parents while simultaneously managing their own health.
CHAPTER EIGHT: WORKING WITH DOCTORS & HEALTHCARE PROVIDERSHow to move from being "gaslit" or misunderstood to establishing a collaborative, shared decision-making partnership with your medical team.
CHAPTER NINE: INTRODUCTION
TO MENTAL HEALTHAn exploration of the psychological impact of chronic illness, including medical trauma, health anxiety, and the shifting sense of self.
CHAPTER TEN: STRATEGIES FOR
MANAGING MENTAL HEALTHAn organized guide to practical coping strategies and emotional regulation exercises designed to build resilience and decrease emotional exhaustion.
What People Are Saying About
More Than A Patient
The quality of your relationships will shape how you experience life.
Whether you are newly diagnosed, have been living with illness for years, or are supporting someone you love, you do not have to navigate this alone.
Research has shown the best outcomes for patients depend on the quality of their social connections and relationships.
Learn how to build
and strengthen your
relationships with:
Caregivers
Family and friends
Romantic partners
Doctors and
healthcare providers
Invite Jodi to Speak
