Pictured: Allison J. Applebaum

Allison J. Applebaum, PhD

Psychologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Psycho-oncology
  • Psychological Counseling for Patients with Cancer and their Caregivers
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Founding Director, Caregivers Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Get To Know Me

I am a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping patients with cancer and their caregivers. In my clinical work, I use a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches, with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral and existential therapies. I have expertise in using cognitive-behavioral therapy to mitigate anxiety and depression and to improve overall quality of life in patients with cancer and their caregivers.

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I am the Director of the Caregivers Clinic, housed within the Memorial Sloan Kettering Counseling Center. This Clinic provides psychosocial support to cancer caregivers — family members and friends of patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering. For many, the stress of caregiving can easily become overwhelming and negatively impact one’s ability to perform this critical role. The purpose of the Caregivers Clinic is to help caregivers maximize their ability to provide care to their loved one with cancer while concurrently attending to their own self-care, needs, and other important responsibilities. In my work with individuals, groups, and families, I help caregivers strengthen their capacity to communicate comfortably and openly with the patients for whom they provide care, honor their responsibility to care for themselves, and recognize their potential for growth and resilience, and even benefit from this important role.

My research goals involve the development of psychosocial interventions for patients with cancer and their caregivers. I am particularly interested in understanding how we as humans make meaning of the cancer and caregiving experience, and how current empirically supported treatments may be adapted for effective delivery in the acute cancer setting. I am currently conducting research to understand how to best meet caregivers’ psychosocial needs while they face multiple competing responsibilities, and as a result have developed several brief psychotherapeutic approaches specifically tailored for caregivers. Additionally, I am investigating the unique experience of burden in caregivers of patients with particular cancer diagnoses and treatment regimens, such as patients undergoing bone marrow transplantations and patients with brain tumors. I am also very interested in how our current public policy landscape impacts the experiences of caregivers and how systems-level interventions, such as the establishment of medical records for caregivers, can facilitate improved care for families facing cancer.

I am a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, and the International Psycho-Oncology Society.

My Role at MSK

A psychologist has special training in therapy to help people with mental and behavioral health issues.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Psycho-oncology
  • Psychological Counseling for Patients with Cancer and their Caregivers
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
  • Existential Therapeutic Approaches
Education & Honors

Education

  • PhD, Boston University

Residencies

  • NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Fellowships

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Clinical Psychology

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

Make an Appointment

Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. Applebaum sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
160 East 53rd Street New York NY 10022

Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.

Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

See all Psychiatry Service doctors

Clinical Trials

Smiling doctors in the lab
Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

Search clinical trials

Research and Publications

Cancer Caregivers (2019). A. Applebaum (Ed), New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Applebaum, A.J., Kent, E.E., & Lichtenthal, W.G. (2021). Documentation of Caregivers as a Standard of Care. Journal of Clinical Oncology. May 4;JCO2100402. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.00402. Online ahead of printDocumentation of Caregivers as a Standard of Care | Journal of Clinical Oncology (ascopubs.org)

Applebaum, A.J., & Breitbart, W. (2013). Care for the Cancer Caregiver: A systematic review. Palliative and Supportive Care, 11(3), 231 – 252.

Applebaum, A.J., Kolva, E.A., Radomski, J.R., Jacobs, J.D., DeRosa, A., Lichtenthal, W.G., Olden, M.E., Rosenfeld, B., & Breitbart, W. (2014). Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer: A systematic review. Journal of Health Psychology, 19(9), 1103-1119.

Applebaum, A.J., Kryza-Lacomb, M., Buthorn, J., DeRosa, A., Corner, G.,& Diamond, E.L. (2016) Existential distress among caregivers of patients with brain tumors: A review of the literature. Neuro-Oncology Practice, 3, 232-244.

Applebaum, A.J., Bevans, M., Son, T., Evans, K., Hernandez, M., Giralt, S., & DuHamel, K. (2016). A Scoping Review of Caregiver Burden during Allogeneic HSCT: Lessons Learned and Future Directions. Bone Marrow Transplantation, 51, 1416 – 1422.

Applebaum, A.J., Buda, K.L., Schofield, E., Farberov, M., Teitelbaum, N.D., Evans, K., Cowens-Alvarado, R., & Cannady, R.S. (2018). Exploring the Cancer Caregiver’s Journey through Web-Based Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy. Psycho-Oncology, 27(3), 847-856.

Applebaum, A.J., Buda, K., Kryza-Lacombe, M., Buthorn, J.J., Walker, R., Shaffer, K.M., D’Agostino, T.A. & Diamond, E.L. (2018). Prognostic Awareness and Communication Preferences among Caregivers of Patients with Malignant Glioma.  Psycho-Oncology, 27(3), 817-823.

Applebaum, A.J., Panjwani, A.A., Buda, K, O’Toole, M.S., Hoyt, M.A., Garcia, A., Fresco, D.M & Mennin, D.S. (2020). Emotion Regulation Therapy for Cancer Caregivers – An Open Trial of a Mechanism-Targeted Approach to Addressing Caregiver Distress. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 10(2), 413-422.

 

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Applebaum’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Allison J. Applebaum discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • BeiGene, Ltd.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Blue Note Therapeutics, Inc.
    Intellectual Property Rights; Professional Services and Activities
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
    Professional Services and Activities
  • CareSpace Health Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.


This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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