Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and IBD With Stephanie Brenner, LCSW, MSW
Release Date: 12/19/2023
The Hosts of Bowel Moments
About IBD
Alicia and Robin, co-hosts of the "Bowel Moments" podcast, join Amber for a discussion about podcasting in the IBD community. Robin shares her IBD journey, including her diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, the complications that led to an ileal anal anastomosis, the later diagnosis of Crohn's disease, and evebtyak J-pouch surgery. They also talk about the challenges of producing the podcast, the importance of therapy, and keeping up a social media presence. The conversation highlights the emotional and logistical aspects of creating a podcast about IBD. Select episodes of Bowel Moments: ...
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Finding the Balance - Honoring Veteran's Day With Stephanie Gish
About IBD
Stephanie Gish, host of the Crohn's Fitness Food podcast, gives the details of her journey with Crohn's disease and IGA nephropathy. Stephanie's Crohn's symptoms began in 2003, but she was initially misdiagnosed with an anal fissure. After being discharged from the Army for medical reasons unrelated to IBD, she went through years of fragmented care, and finally received a Crohn's diagnosis in 2009. Stephanie brought her knowledge of health and fitness to bear in managing Crohn's, but the diagnosis of IGA nephropathy had her changing course and rethinking her approach. Buy "Crohn's, Fitness,...
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Parenting With IBD (With Alison McGauley)
About IBD
Amber interviews Alison McGauley, a teacher and author of "Kenzie's Little Tree," a children's book about a girl whose mother lives with chronic illness. Alison shares her journey with ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and ankylosing spondylitis, and how her hospitalization impacted her two daughters. She emphasizes the importance of talking about illness with children to help them process their emotions. Alison’s book, set to release in March 2025, aims to provide a narrative for families dealing with chronic illness. Pre-orders are available, with proceeds donated to...
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Choosing Ostomy Surgery With Hannah Martin-Spencer
About IBD
Is it surprising to learn that some people living with IBD choose to have ostomy surgery? Hannah, a 24-year-old woman, shares her journey through the initial symptoms of IBD at the age of 15, to getting a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. She describes how her symptoms worsened after diagnosis, including bleeding, bowel urgency, and fatigue, which led to multiple hospitalizations. Hannah advocated for surgery to treat her pancolitis, despite an initial difference of opinion with her medical team. After surgery, Hannah's symptoms were significantly improved and she regained a sense of normalcy...
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Starting College After a Crohn’s Diagnosis
About IBD
Christina King shares her journey with being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2021. She was misdiagnosed with gastritis and hemorrhoids, until her severe symptoms of rectal bleeding and weight loss, plus multiple trips to the emergency department led to a hospitalization. An in-patient colonoscopy finally led to a diagnosis of Crohn's, and she was finally able to get treatment and improve. She was unable to go to school with her high school graduating class, and is now ready to start pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. Christina tells Amber where she went for information in the early days...
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IBD and the Patient-Physician Relationship
About IBD
The relationship between patient and physician in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) is so critical to the success of the management of the disease. Both the patient and the physician have roles to play in developing and maintaining a good working relationship. One such example of a truly special and inspirational patient-physician relationship is illustrated here between Dr Julie Spivack, a gastroenterologist with Connecticut GI, and Rosa, her patient. Rosa and Dr Spivack discuss their close bond and how the listening, empathy, honesty, and open-mindedness...
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IBD and Accommodations at Work With Katie Connelly
About IBD
Amber Tresca and Katie Connelly discuss the challenges and importance of workplace accommodations for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Katie has been through the process of asking for accommodations with different employers and shares her personal experience, emphasizing the need for understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She relates her experience and gives advice to both employers and employees on how to manage the accommodation journey. Plus, she gives the resources that she found most helpful to help her learn about her rights as an employee. Find Katie...
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Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis With Stacy Dylan
About IBD
Amber is joined by Stacy Dylan, co-founder and executive director of Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis (CtoC). CtoC is a patient advocacy group focused on addressing unmet needs in the IBD community. Stacy founded CtoC to help other families after her son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. CtoC offers support groups, mentorship programs, and gut-friendly workouts. Stacy offers advice to parents of children with IBD, encouraging them to take things one step at a time and not be overwhelmed by information from the internet. Follow Connecting to Cure: Web: Twitter: Facebook: Follow...
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Men's Health and IBD
About IBD
There tend to be more women than men who share their journey with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis). The reasons are challenging to uncover, but what's clear is that more can be done to raise the visibility of men living with an IBD, ostomy, or other digestive condition. My guest is Jordan William Henry Aggen, also known as Crohn's Trooper. Jordan emphasizes the importance of open communication, pre-planning, and finding support from friends, family, and social media to cope with the disease. Concepts discussed on this episode: Find Jordan William Henry...
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"Boo Can't Poo!" With Iris Wang, MD
About IBD
Dr Iris Wang, assistant professor in the division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the Associate Program Director of the GI fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Amber Tresca discuss the stigma surrounding gut health and poop. Dr Wang shares the experience of writing a children's book focused on preventing and managing constipation titled "Boo Can't Poo!" They also discuss the challenges of publishing a book on gut health and the potential benefits of talking about poop and toileting, emphasizing the importance of open communication and personalized treatment. Listen to...
info_outlineMy guest is Stephanie Brenner of Chronic Illness Psychotherapy. Stephanie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has experience in working with clients with chronic illnesses. She has also taken on a variety of roles in GI space, including previously serving on both the advisory team for the Pediatric Crohn’s Guidebook and the recruitment committee for the Rome Foundation’s GastroPsych organization.
Stephanie lives with Crohn’s disease and a permanent ileostomy and is also a cancer survivor. I asked her to help us better understand PTSD and PTS as they relate to having a chronic illness like IBD. She defines PTSD and why it can happen with IBD, what some of the signs and symptoms might look like, and what patients can do to address their mental health.
Episode transcript and more information at: https://bit.ly/AIBD145
Find Stephanie Brenner, LCSW, MSW at:
Concepts discussed:
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An Overview of Rectovaginal Fistula: https://www.verywellhealth.com/rectovaginal-fistula-overview-4587356
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An Overview of Anal or Rectal Abscess: https://www.verywellhealth.com/perirectal-abscess-2328821
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Proctectomy Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: https://www.verywellhealth.com/proctectomy-surgery-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease-4122490
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Sacha McBain, PhD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachamcbain/
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What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?: https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-ptsd-5084527
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The Psychology of the Sickbed: https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Sickbed-J-H-Berg/dp/B004NMY0RK
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Taft TH, Quinton S, Jedel S, Simons M, Mutlu EA, Hanauer SB. Posttraumatic Stress in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Prevalence and Relationships to Patient-Reported Outcomes. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2022;28(5):710-719. doi:10.1093/ibd/izab152
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What Is EMDR Therapy?: https://www.verywellhealth.com/emdr-therapy-5212839
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Understanding Diaphragmatic Breathing: https://www.verywellhealth.com/diaphragmatic-breathing-how-to-benefits-and-exercises-5219974
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All About Grounding: Techniques to Connect to Nature: https://www.verywellhealth.com/grounding-7494652
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Self-Report PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/documents/PCL5_Standard_form.pdf (other checklists https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-sr/ptsd-checklist.asp#obtain)
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Rome Foundation: https://romegipsych.org/
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Samantha Irby: https://www.samanthairby.com/
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Tig Notoro: https://tignation.com/
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Hannah Gatsby: https://hannahgadsby.com.au/
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Cameron Esposito: https://www.instagram.com/cameronesposito/
Find Amber J Tresca at:
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Verywell: Verywell Health
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Facebook: @aboutIBD
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Twitter: @aboutIBD
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Pinterest: @aboutibd
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Instagram: @about_IBD
Find Mac Cooney (mix, sound design, and theme music) at:
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Facebook: @maccooneycomposer
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Instagram: @maccooneycomposer
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Web: Cooney Studio
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LinkedIn: @macooney
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Theme music, IBD Dance Party, is from ©Cooney Studio.
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