Emotional Wellbeing and Ulcerative Colitis

Dr. Laurie Keefer, PhD, a psychologist with Mount Sinai Hospital’s IBD Center in New York City who specializes in the psychosocial care of patients with chronic digestive diseases, most notably Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis (UC) and Allyson a patient living with UC discuss UC, living with UC and the emotional impact of UC on daily living especially now in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Laurie Keefer is an academic health psychologist and the Director for Psychobehavioral Research within the Division of Gastroenterology.  She specializes in the psychosocial care of patients with chronic digestive diseases, specifically inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.  Dr. Keefer came to Mount Sinai in January 2016 from Chicago, IL to lead a subspecialty medical home for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).The Mount Sinai IBD medical home, known as GRITT-IBD(TM) focuses on gaining resilience through transitions as they occur across the lifespan of patients living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.  Dr Keefer’s clinical and research interests are in the area of IBD disease self-management, gut-directed hypnotherapy, resilience, the psychosocial care needs of emerging adults with chronic disease and cognitive-behavior therapy. She is a sought after speaker and mentor.  She chairs the Division of Psychogastroenterology within the Rome Foundation and is on the Council of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society.