CBT for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

This treatment manual provides cognitive behavioral therapists with the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specific knowledge and content they need to work with this patient population.

Understanding the very real challenges of living with an IBD, and what sorts of catastrophic thoughts and maladaptive avoidance behaviors patients might have, can make therapy more focused, efficient, and effective. This manual encourages flexible, modular deployment of numerous empirically supported principles, techniques, and interventions, and includes five treatment protocols with hypothetical patients.

This book is essential for therapists with training in cognitive behavioral therapy who are interested in expanding their practice competence to work with patients with GI disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease.

"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