Dr. Megan Riehl is a GI psychologist who specializes in the treatment of GI problems and anxiety-related disorders. She is the Clinical Director of the GI Behavioral Health Program at the University of Michigan, offering comprehensive treatment options for people being cared for by the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Working from a collaborative perspective, treatment can focus on improving quality of life, decreasing the frequency and intensity of medical symptoms, establishing healthy stress management tools, and improving coping skills. Dr. Riehl’s approach relies on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy to design unique and flexible treatment plans tailored to the individual. Her clinical research focuses on the delivery of GI behavioral health treatment toindividuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and disorders of the brain–gut axis. Dr. Riehl is co-chair of the ROME Foundation’s Psychogastroenterology Section – Education and Training Committee and she serves with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation on two national committees pertaining to the psychosocial aspects of IBD.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications:
Taft T, Riehl M, Dowjotas K, Keefer L. Moving beyond perceptions: Internalized stigma in the irritable bowel syndrome. Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 2014;26(7):1026–1035. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12357
Riehl M,Kinsinger S, Kahrilas P, Pandolfino J, Keefer L. The role of a health psychologist in the management of functional esophageal complaints. Diseases of the Esophagus. 2015;28(5):428–436. doi: 10.1111/dote.12219
Riehl M, Pandolfino J, Palsson O, Keefer L. The feasibility and acceptability of esophageal-directed hypnotherapy for functional heartburn. Diseases of the Esophagus. 2015;29(5):490–496. doi: 10.1111/dote.12353
Riehl M, Keefer L. Hypnotherapy for esophageal disorders. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 2015; 58(1):22–33. doi: 10.1080/00029157.2015.1025355
Taft T, Riehl M, Sodikoff J, Kahrilas P, Keefer L, Doerfler B, Pandolfino J. Development and validation of the brief esophageal dysphagia questionnaire. Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 2016;28(12):1854–1860. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12889
Riehl M, Chen J. The proton pump inhibitor nonresponder: A behavioral approach to improvement and wellness. Current Gastroenterology Reports. 2018;20(7):34. doi: 10.1007/s11894-018-0641-x
Riehl M. The emerging role of brain-gut therapies for irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2018;14(7):436–438.
Book Chapters
Taft T, Riehl M. Gastrointestinal Disorders. In Hunter CM, Hunter CL, Kessler R, eds. Handbook of clinical psychology in medical settings: Evidence based assessment and intervention. Springer; 2014:459–494.
Riehl M, Smout A. Diagnostic and treatment approaches associated with functional esophageal disorders. In Knowles S, Stern J, Hebbard G, eds. Functional gastrointestinal disorders: A biopsychosocial treatment approach. Routledge; 2017:95–103.
Riehl M. Hypnosis approaches to GI conditions. In Knowles S, Mikocka-Walus A, Keefer L, eds. Psychogastroenterology with adults: A handbook for mental health professional. Routledge. 2019 In press.
