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 to individuals 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 TH, Riehl ME, Dowjotas KL, Keefer L. Moving beyond perceptions: Internalized stigma in the irritable bowel syndrome. Neurogastroenterology & Motility. 2014;26(7):1026–1035. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12357
Riehl ME, Kinsinger S, Kahrilas PJ, Pandolfino JE, 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 ME, Pandolfino JE, Palsson OS, 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 ME, Keefer L. Hypnotherapy for esophageal disorders. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 2015;58(1):22–33. doi: 10.1080/00029157.2015.1025355
Taft TH, Riehl M, Sodikoff JB, Kahrilas PJ, Keefer L, Doerfler B, Pandolfino JE. Development and validation of the brief esophageal dysphagia questionnaire. Neurogastroenterology & Motility. 2016;28(12):1854–1860. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12889
Riehl ME, Chen JW. 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 ME. The emerging role of brain-gut therapies for irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology & 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 professionals. Routledge; 2019.
Twitter
@DrRiehl