About Dr. Alana Friedlander

Dr. Alana Friedlander is a clinical health psychologist specializing in the intersection of psychology, physical health, emotional wellbeing, and sexual health. She works with individuals navigating gastrointestinal conditions (ie IBS, IBD, gastroparesis, GERD), chronic pain, pelvic and sexual health concerns (ie penetrative pain, erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual drive), and the emotional impact of living with chronic medical symptoms — particularly when those experiences begin to shape daily life, relationships, identity, or one's sense of self. Her clinical work integrates health psychology, behavioral medicine, evidence-based psychotherapy, and mind–body interventions tailored to the full complexity of health and illness, with attention to both what is happening in the body and how those experiences are carried emotionally over time.

Dr. Alana completed advanced postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Chicago in Psychogastroenterology and Sex Therapy, a rare combination of highly specialized training held by only a small number of psychologists nationally. She has worked within interdisciplinary medical teams caring for patients with complex presentations involving the gut–brain axis, chronic pain, sexual health, and overlapping medical and emotional concerns. This background allows her to approach treatment with both clinical depth and a strong understanding of how psychological care can meaningfully complement medical treatment.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Alana teaches psychology at the undergraduate level, with courses including Psychology of Stress and Coping and Psychology of Sex and Gender. She has also published scholarly work examining sexual functioning in patients with gastrointestinal conditions, reflecting her broader interest in the ways physical health, sexuality, and emotional wellbeing intersect in both clinical care and research.

In addition to her professional training, Dr. Alana brings personal insight into the experience of living with chronic health conditions, which deepens her appreciation for the visible and invisible ways symptoms can affect everyday life. Her style is thoughtful, collaborative, and individualized, grounded in the belief that no illness exists in isolation and that care is most effective when the whole person is understood.

Outside of her clinical work, Dr. Alana enjoys musical theater, spending time in nature, and visiting the dog park. She also loves binge-watching her favorite TV shows and spending time with family and friends. Though she now lives in the Midwest, she remains an East Coaster at heart.