Overview
Tamara J. Somers, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist and Faculty Member in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Somers conducts research developing, testing, and implementing behavioral interventions for pain and other symptoms in patients with chronic disease (e.g., cancer, arthritis). She is particularly interested in developing behavioral interventions that are personalized to the needs of individual patients and using innovative delivery methods to deliver the interventions. Grant awards from the NIH, American Cancer Society, and other funding agencies support her research. Dr. Somers also co-directs a clinical psychology training program at the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) that trains graduate students, clinical psychology interns, and post-doctoral fellows in psychosocial and behavioral symptom management interventions.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Scholarly Works
Hybrid-delivered cognitive behavioral symptom management and activity coaching intervention for patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy: Protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
Journal article Contemp Clin Trials · July 2026 BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy experience significant disability exacerbated by persistent fatigue, pain, and psychological distress. These symptoms limit physic ... Full text Link to item CitePerceived Feasibility of Nurse-Led Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer Pain.
Journal article Pain Manag Nurs · June 2026 PURPOSE: Experts have called for systematic implementation of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions for cancer pain; however, implementation of CBT for cancer pain has been extremely limited. DESIGN: We explored nurses' perceptions of impl ... Full text Link to item CiteCharacterizing Alcohol Use and Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia Among Breast Cancer Survivors With Arthralgia.
Journal article Psychooncology · June 2026 BACKGROUND: Expectancies for alcohol analgesia (EAA; beliefs that alcohol use can reduce pain) are linked to heavier drinking in chronic non-cancer pain; however, no studies have examined EAA in those with cancer-related pain. AIMS: These secondary analyse ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Geriatric oncology assessment to link with support for older women taking adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2026 - 2031Randomized Controlled Trial of a Hybrid-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Symptom Management and Activity Coaching Intervention for Stem Cell Transplant Patients
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Symptom Management and Transitioning to Engagement with Post-treatment Care for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors (AYA STEPS)
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029View All Grants