Psycho-gastroenterology Social Worker - General GI

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world-class care to the people of the Mid-South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization:

GI Medicine Admin

Job Summary:

Provides specialized behavioral health assessment, counseling, and evidence-based psychogastroenterology interventions for patients with Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI), functional gastrointestinal disorders, chronic GI symptom burden, and symptom hypervigilance. Delivers gut-directed cognitive behavioral therapy (GI-CBT), gut-directed hypnotherapy, psychoeducation, and counseling designed to reduce GI symptom severity, improve quality of life, and promote self-management.

Collaborates closely with gastroenterologists, motility specialists, advanced practice providers, dietitians, and nursing staff to develop integrated care plans addressing behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and physiologic factors contributing to GI symptoms. Serves as a clinical resource for behavioral management of disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dysphagia, rumination syndrome, functional heartburn, esophageal hypersensitivity, functional chest pain, chronic nausea, gastroparesis-related symptom amplification, pelvic floor dysfunction, and other DGBI conditions.

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Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Master's degree in Social Work and eligibility for independent clinical practice/licensure.
• Experience providing psychotherapy or counseling services in a healthcare or outpatient setting.
• Knowledge of psycho-gastroenterology principles and the relationship between behavioral health and gastrointestinal disorders.
• Experience providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
• Strong patient counseling, assessment, and therapeutic intervention skills.
• Experience working with patients experiencing anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, or chronic illness.
• Ability to build rapport and establish therapeutic relationships with patients.
  
  KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct comprehensive behavioral and psychosocial assessments of patients with Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and related GI conditions.
• Deliver evidence-based gut-directed cognitive behavioral therapy (GI-CBT) for GI symptom management.
• Provide gut-directed clinical hypnotherapy for patients with IBS, functional dyspepsia, functional esophageal disorders, and other DGBIs.
• Assess and address symptom hypervigilance, visceral anxiety, illness-related catastrophizing, avoidance behaviors, and maladaptive coping patterns that contribute to symptom burden.
• Provide individual counseling focused on coping skills, stress management, resilience building, and adaptation to chronic gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Develop individualized behavioral treatment plans integrated with patients' medical management plans.
• Facilitate patient education regarding the brain-gut axis and the role of behavioral interventions in gastrointestinal symptom modulation.
• Collaborate with gastroenterologists and multidisciplinary team members to identify appropriate candidates for behavioral GI interventions.
• Monitor patient-reported outcomes and treatment response, adjusting interventions as needed to optimize clinical outcomes.
• Maintain documentation consistent with VUMC, regulatory, and professional standards.
• Participate in program development, quality improvement initiatives, and research activities supporting the advancement of psych gastroenterology services.
• Serve as an educational resource for providers, trainees, and staff regarding behavioral treatments for DGBI.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

• Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited program.

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or eligibility for licensure in Tennessee.

• Formal training and experience in:
  • Gut-directed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GI-CBT)
  • Gut-directed Hypnotherapy
  • Health psychology principles
  • Behavioral treatment of chronic illness
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Psychogastroenterology
  • Experience treating:
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
    • Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI)
    • Functional esophageal disorders
    • Functional dyspepsia
    • Functional constipation and diarrhea
    • Rumination syndrome
    • Gastrointestinal symptom-related anxiety

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

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Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues:- Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.- Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services:- Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.- Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.- Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.- Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.- Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation:- Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.- Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.- Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

LIC-Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Tennessee

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level :

Less than 1 year

Education:

Master's

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.