Maggie Stoeckel, PhD, is a pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) psychologist and works with youth who are experiencing a variety of chronic GI conditions.
Stoeckel is part of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Neurogastroenterology and Motility Program and specializes in disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs).
“These are conditions in which symptoms are thought to be due to a combination of nerve hypersensitivity and motility dysfunction in different parts of the GI tract,” she explains. “Most people with these disorders are born with a pre-existing vulnerability to it and something, possibly a stressor or a viral illness, triggers it. The nervous system goes into high alert and the nerves in the brain can interpret every stimulation of the GI tract as an emergency.”
In addition to seeing the program’s pediatric gastroenterologist and dietitian, such patients meet with Stoeckel for treatment that includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)-based interventions including exposure response prevention, mindfulness, and cognitive restructuring.
Stoeckel also sees patients with inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and other chronic GI problems. In these cases, treatment is geared toward helping children cope with their condition, managing symptoms, and getting them back to doing the things they enjoy most, she says.
“I love coming to work every day to connect with families and support them in improving their quality of life. I enjoy being part of an integrated team where we can work with families holistically. Within GI, I am fascinated by the gut-brain connection, which is a rapidly growing and expanding field,” Stoeckel says.
In the past, GI problems were often treated one of two ways—you see your medical specialist or you see your mental-health provider, Stoeckel says. “I am grateful that at Yale we offer both the medical therapy and the mental health component together; my focus is to provide kids and families with skills they can use for the rest of their lives,” she says.
