CBT for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Melissa G. Hunt is a licensed clinical psychologist and research scientist who specializes in helping folks with chronic GI disorders reclaim their lives. She serves as the Associate Director of Clinical Training in the Psychology Department at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Rome Psychogastroenterology Group.

"Mental health professionals hold key skills that can assist those living with inflammatory bowel disease from an emotional and physical perspective. This is an essential reading for those who would like to learn more about this disease and how to effectively contribute to integrative treatment planning utilizing evidence-based brain-gut psychological interventions. This manual will aid in increasing access to essential psychological treatment for those living life with IBD!"Megan E. Riehl, PsyD, AGAF, GI, Psychologist at the University of Michigan, USA, and Co-Author of Mind Your Gut: The Science-based, Whole-Body Guide to Living Well with IBS"Cognitive behavioral therapy is the best researched psychological approach to support people living with IBD, but people with Crohn’s and colitis often complain that their psychologists don’t understand the challenges of living with these illnesses. The CBT program in this manual is easy to understand and apply in practice. Importantly, it explains IBD and its intricacies using a language accessible to non-medics. Case studies, in particular, show how to apply the CBT principles to real and complex life scenarios and how versatile and flexible CBT can be, making it easy to personalize for individual patients.Dr. Hunt’s book is a must read for any gastro-psychologist or mental health practitioner who supports people living with IBD, but also for physicians interested in going beyond treating the inflamed gut. The future of IBD care is biopsychosocial, with psychology a key element to helping our patients achieve optimal well-being. Dr. Melissa Hunt’s book makes CBT for IBD easy."Antonina Mikocka-Walus, MA(Psych), PhD, Professor of Health Psychology and Leader of Mind-Body Research in Health Laboratory (MiRth), School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, and Co-Editor of Psychogastroenterology for Adults: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals

• Introduction Part I: Introduction to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: What the Clinician Needs to Know 1. What are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases? 2. How are IBD Diagnosed? 3. How are IBD Treated? Part II: Psychotherapy for Patients with IBD 4. Common Psychiatric Comorbidities 5. Eight Session CBT Protocol for IBD Part III: Therapy in Action 6. Sample Treatment Protocols