Johannah tells her moving story of feeling helpless when every doctor dismissed her symptoms. Eventually, she withdrew from the medical system and assumed her only option was to live with her debilitating symptoms. Luckily, Johannah met Dr. Drossman and learned that her symptoms stemmed from a previous food poisoning incident that led to disordered gut-brain communication. She worked with Dr. Drossman to create a management plan that addressed her body and brain.

Johannah has a master’s degree in education and a career in non-profit management. She is also the executive director of the Rome Foundation and secretary-treasurer for the center for education and practice of biopsychosocial care. In addition to her professional experience, she is a digestive health patient and patient advocate. Dr. Douglas Drossman is trained in both gastroenterology and psychiatry. He is professor emeritus of medicine and psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, professor emeritus and chief of operations of the Rome Foundation and president of the center for education and practice of biopsychosocial care and DrossmanCare.

Dr. Drossman and Johannah are co-authors of two books Gut Feelings - Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction and the Patient-Doctor Relationship and the second book which will be coming out in the near future Gut Feelings - The Patient Story.