New Data from GRITT™ (Gaining Resilience Through Transitions) Program for IBD Patients
Returning guest, Dr. Laurie Keefer, PhD, GI Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC discusses new data from GRITT™ (Gaining Resilience Through Transitions) Program that was published in “Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology” (Nov 15, 2021) which showed that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with high resilience saw dramatic reductions in unplanned healthcare, opioid, and steroid use. The GRITT™ method simultaneously addresses mind AND body targets in patients with IBD and continues to show improvements in disease management in IBD patients. The implications for patient care are that psychological resilience could be an earlier, more inclusive target for intervention as part of true mind-body care in IBD.
Dr Laurie Keefer, PhD is a GI Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She has a more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of behavioral therapies for chronic digestive disorders, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). She currently directs the GRITT Program, an integrated care model for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis patients within the IBD Center at Mount Sinai Hospital. She maintains a clinical practice focused on psychosocial concerns among medically complex IBD. Her research focuses on the application of positive psychology principles, particularly resilience and acceptance to the management of chronic digestive conditions. She has sustained NIH funding since 2008, including holding the first ever T32 Training grant for young investigators at the intersection of physiology and psychology. She continues to focus on the development of precision-based, scalable GI self-management interventions and recently co-founded Trellus Health, Inc, a digital care solution for the chronic conditions based on her GRITT Methodology. Dr Keefer is Founder and Chair of the Rome Foundation’s GastroPsych group and serves on the Board of Directors of the Rome Foundation. She has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and recently co-edited the Handbook of Psychogastroenterology for Mental Health Professionals. Dr Keefer is a sought-after speaker, mentor and collaborator. Dr Keefer received her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Albany in New York and completed a residency and fellowship in health psychology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She has been a champion for integrated behavioral care in gastroenterology and has trained many in this model around the world. She lives in Northern NJ with her husband, two teens and dog.
