Juliet L. Kroll, Ph.D.
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2020 | Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, US, Clinical Psychology, Ph.D |
| 2017 | Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, US, Clinical Psychology, M.S |
| 2010 | The University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US, Biology, BA |
| 2010 | The University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US, Psychology, BA |
Postgraduate Training
| 2020-2022 | Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2019-2020 | Clinical Residency, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2022 | Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Instructor, Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2023 - 2024
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Meritorious Award for High Scoring Abstract, Society of Behavioral Medicine |
| 2021 | Registration Award for High Scoring Abstract, American Society of Preventative Oncology |
| 2020 | First Place Citation Poster Award, American Psychosomatic Society |
| 2019 | Outstanding Graduate Student, Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University |
| 2018 | Paul D. MacLean Travel Award for Neuroscience Trainee, American Psychosomatic Society |
| 2017 - 2018 | Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute Fellow, Southern Methodist University |
| 2016 | Interoception Summit Travel Scholar, Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK |
| 2015 | Outstanding Student Paper Presentation, International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
National Presentations
- 2024. Co-Authors Jones M, Smith G, Chavez-MacGregor M, Milbury K. Dyadic Coping of Financial Stress in Couples Coping with Advanced Breast Cancer. Conference. 45th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Philadelphia, PA, US.
- 2023. Co-Presenters Epner DE, Gonzalez A. Challenging communication encounters with patients with advanced cancer (Workshop). Invited. 26th Supportive and Palliative Care Clinical and Research Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. End-of-life care, symptom burden and quality of life in couples facing stage IV lung cancer: the role of patient and spousal psycho-spirituality and discussions around fear of death and disease progression. Invited. 26th Supportive and Palliative Care Clinical and Research Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Co-Authors Jones M, Smith G, Chavez-MacGregor M, Milbury K. Financial distress in couples coping with metastatic breast cancer: an examination of individual and interpersonal correlates. Conference. 44th Annual Meeting of Society of Behavioral Medicine. Phoenix, AZ, US.
- 2022. Co-Authors , Li J, Weathers S-P, Silva R, Snyder S, Shih T, Cohen L, Bruera E, Milbury K. Could one be greater than two? Preliminary results of a 3-arm pilot randomized control trial of yoga for caregivers of glioma patients. Conference. Annual Meeting of Society of Behavioral Medicine. Baltimore, MD, US.
- 2022. Co-Authors Li J, Weathers S-P, Silva R, Snyder S. Shih T. Cohen L, Bruera E Milbury K. Preliminary results of a 3-arm pilot randomized control trial of yoga for caregivers of high-grade glioma patients. Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Long Beach, CA, US.
- 2021. Co-Authors Higgins H, Snyder S, Chen A, Antonoff M, Li Y, Tsao A, Milbury K. Feasibility of a group-based telehealth psychosocial intervention for women with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Virtual Talk). Conference. Annual Meeting of the Multinational Association of Supportive Cancer Care in Cancer, US.
- 2021. Co-Authors Higgins H, Snyder S, Chen A, Antonoff M, Li Y, Tsao A, Milbury K. Feasibility of a group-based telehealth psychosocial intervention for women with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Virtual). Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Preventative Oncology, US.
- 2020. Co-Authors Ritz T, Werchan C, Meuret A, Dahme B, Rosenfield D. Behavioral, Lifestyle and Dietary Treatments of Asthma: Foundations in Psychophysiology (Virtual). Conference. Annual Meeting of Society for Psychophysiological Research, US.
- 2018. Co-Authors Ritz T, Patel J, Chen J, Khan D, Pinkham A, Brown ES. Central nervous system processing of affective stimuli in asthma: Associations with affect-induced airway responses, asthma control, and airway inflammation. Conference. Annual Meeting of the Psychosomatic Society. Louisville, KY, US.
- 2018. Co-Authors Steele AM, Pinkham AE, Khan DA, Chen J, Patel S, Choi C, Brown ES, Ritz T. Hippocampal metabolites in asthma and health: associations with medication use and sleep behavior. Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Louisville, KY, US.
- 2016. Co-Authors Ritz T, Trueba A, Simon E, Werchan C. Depressive mood and stress reduce peripheral nitric oxide and compromise airway health. Conference. Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. New York, NY, US.
- 2016. Co-Authors Steele AM, Pinkham AE, Choi C, Khan DA, Saifi M, Deol S, Brown ES, Ritz T. Cognitive impairment domains associated with hippocampal metabolites and disease control in asthma patients. Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Denver, CO, US.
International Presentations
- 2025. Co-Authors Jones M, Brumley S, Smith G, Chavez MacGregor M, Milbury K. A longitudinal examination of financial distress in couples coping with advanced breast cancer: associations with psychological and relational wellbeing. Poster. 26th IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology and Psychosocial Academy. Adelaide, AU.
- 2023. Co-Authors Jones M, Smith G, Chavez-MacGregor M, Milbury K. A Mixed-method examination of financial distress in couples coping with metastatic breast cancer. Conference. Annual Meeting of International Psychosocial Oncological Society. Milan, IT.
- 2022. Co-Authors Jones M, Chen A, Yang C, Carmack C, Cohen L, Bruera E, Milbury K. Quality of Life (QOL) and End-of-Life (EOL) Care in Couples Facing Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Role of Psycho-spirituality and EOL discussions. Conference. Annual Meeting of International Psychosocial Oncological Society. Toronto, CA.
- 2022. Co-Authors Snyder S, Kehoe C, Azuike E, Jones M, Milbury K. Development of Positive Language Coding System for Couples facing Cancer. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Psychosocial Oncological Society. Toronto, CA.
- 2019. Co-Authors Ritz T, Aslan S, Khan D, Pinkham A, Brown S. Subcortical gray matter volume in asthma: Association with disease history, fear of asthma, clinical outcomes, and anxiety response to stress-induction. Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Vancouver, CA.
- 2019. Co-Authors Chmielewski M, Ritz T. Initial development and validation of a brief measure of chronic stress (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Vancouver, CA.
- 2019. Co-Authors Pinkham A, Khan D, Choi C, Brown S, Ritz T. Exploring central nervous system processing of emotion in asthma: potential for a blunted neural response. Conference. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Vancouver, CA.
- 2019. Co-Authors Nordberg H, Miller M, Furqan Y, Jones A, Ritz T. Stress reactivity during a period of real-life sustained stress: The role of sleep and asthma (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Vancouver, CA.
- 2018. Co-Authors Patel SV, Chen JR, Yezhuvath U, Aslan S, Khan DA, Pinkham AE, Brown ES, Ritz T. Central nervous system processing of affect in individuals with asthma compared to healthy controls. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Gainesville, US.
- 2018. Co-Authors Ritz T, Patel SV, Chen JR, Aslan S, Khan DA, Pinkham AE, Brown ES. Associations of limbic and basal ganglia gray matter volumes with asthma duration, control, and asthma-related catastrophizing. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Gainesville, US.
- 2017. Co-Authors Steele AM, Pinkham AE, Choi C, Khan DA, Saifi M, Deol S, Brown ES, Ritz T. Hippocampal metabolites in asthma: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Lille, FR.
- 2017. Co-Authors Meuret AE, Adangwa PJ, Ge X, Rao G, Kostov Y, Ritz T. How many deep breaths are needed to hyperventilate? (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Lille, FR.
- 2017. Co-Authors Steele AM, Pinkham AE, Choi C, Khan DA, Saifi M, Deol S, Brown ES, Ritz T. Associations among disease control, cognitive function, and hippocampal neuronal integrity in asthma patients (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the Psychosomatic Society. Seville, ES.
- 2016. Co-Authors Werchan C, Reeves A, Bruenner K, Lippert A, Ritz T. Relationship between exhaled nitric oxide, salivary hydrogen sulfide and stress in health and asthma (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Seattle, US.
- 2016. Co-Authors Werchan C, Qiumbar M, Rosenfield D, Lippert A, Ritz T. Airway oxidative stress during final examinations in healthy and asthmatic students: preliminary findings (Poster). Poster. International Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Seattle, US.
- 2015. Co-Authors Steele AM, Pinkham AE, Choi C, Khan DA, Saifi M, Deol S, Brown ES, Ritz T. Associations among central nervous system neuronal integrity, asthma control, and cognitive function: Preliminary findings. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Seville, ES.
- 2015. Co-Authors Werchan C, Barfield K, Schneider A, Boudreaux M, Ritz T. Dietary nitrate supplementation during final exam stress in health and asthma: preliminary findings. Conference. Annual Meeting of the International Society for Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Seville, ES.
- 2015. Co-Authors Barfield K, Werchan C, Ritz T. Impact of Dietary Nitrate on Exhaled Nitric Oxide (Poster). Poster. Annual Meeting of the International Society for Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology. Seville, ES.
Formal Peers
- 2025. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Oncology and Palliative Settings. Invited. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. My Next Chapter. Invited. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. Building Rapport with Youth via Telehealth. Invited, US.
- 2020. Talking about death and dying with children. Invited. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2019. Countertransference of paralysis. Co-Presenter: Melancon N. Invited. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2019. Exploring central nervous system processing of emotion in asthma. Invited. Dallas, TX, US.
- 2017. Asthma and the brain. Invited. Dallas, TX, US.
- 2017. Motivational interviewing in healthcare setting. Invited. Dallas, TX, US.
- 2017. Neurobiological perspectives of cognitive impairment risks in asthma, Allergy and Immunology Research Conference. Invited. Dallas, TX, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - Present |
| Title: | Psycho-Spiritual Management for Patients with Advanced Cancer and their Family Caregivers |
| Funding Source: | National Cancer Institute |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | R01CA276035-01A1 |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Cho, D, Ahmed, S, Snyder, S, Kroll, JL, Chen, M, Roth, M, Milbury, K. Group-Based Support Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults with Lymphoma: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Psycho-Oncology 34(12):e70343, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Kroll JL, Brown ES, Pinkham A, Khan D, Ritz T. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Captures Group Differences in Central Nervous System Activity During a Facial Memory Task in Adults with Asthma Compared to Matched Controls: Opportunities for Future Study. Sci. Rep. e-Pub 2025.
- Kroll JL, Jones M, Ann-Yi S, Chavez-MacGregor M, Bruera E, Milbury K. Parenting and Family Concerns of Couples Navigating Advanced Breast Cancer: Exploring Discussions Around Parenting Challenges and Targets for Intervention. Psycho-Oncology 34(1):e70069, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Ritz T, Kroll JL, Rosenfield D, Aslan S, Yezhuvath U, Khan D, Pinkham A, Brown ES. FMRI BOLD responses to film stimuli and their association with exhaled nitric oxide in asthma and health. Psychophysiology:e1413, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
- Tunnel NC, Corner SE, Roque AD, Kroll JL, Ritz T, Meuret AE. Biobehavioral Approach to Distinguishing Panic Symptoms from Medical Illness. Front Psychiatry, 2024. PMID: 38779550.
- Kroll, JL, Jones, M, Chen, A, Carmack, CL, Cohen, L, Milbury, K. Adult attachment in couples facing stage IV lung cancer: associations with patient quality of life outcomes and sense of life completion. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice 5(3), 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Kroll JL, Jones M, Chen A, Yang CC, Carmack CL, Cohen L, Milbury K. Adult attachment in couples facing stage IV lung cancer: associations with patient quality of life outcomes and sense of life completion. J Psychosoc Oncol Res Pract 5(3), 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Kroll JL, Jones M, Chen A, Yang CC, Carmack CL, Cohen L, Bruera E, Milbury K. End-of-life care, symptom burden, and quality of life in couples facing stage IV lung cancer: the role of patient and spousal psycho-spirituality and discussions around fear of death and disease progression. J Palliat Med 26(5):690-696, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36856536.
- Kroll JL, Ritz T. Asthma, the central nervous system and neurocognition: Current findings, potential mechanisms and treatment implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36708797.
- Kroll JL, Snyder S, Chen AB, Antonoff MB, Yang CC, (co-first authors MK. Moderators of the association between stigma and psychological and cancer-related symptoms in women with non-small cell lung cancer. Psychooncology 31(9):1581-1588, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35726392.
- Kroll JL, Nordberg HO, Kim R, Werchan CA, Rosenfield D, Befus AD, Ritz T. Social support, exhaled nitric oxide and upper respiratory symptoms in health and asthma. Bio Psychol 172, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35644258.
- Smith G, Banegas MP, Acquati C, Chang S, Chino F, Conti RM, Greenup RA, Kroll JL, Liang MI, Pisu M, Primm KM, Roth ME, Shankaran V, Yabroff KR. Navigating Financial Toxicity in Cancer Patients: A Multidisciplinary Management Approach". CA A Cancer J Clin 72:437-453, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35584404.
- Martinez RG, van Dyk IS, Kroll JL, Emerson ND, Bursch B. Recommendations for building telemental health relationships with youth: A systematic review and resource for clinicians. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health 7(3):349-362, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36248612.
- Kroll J, Kim S, Cho D, Weathers S, Chen A, Smith G, Burera E, Milbury K. Financial distress and its associated burden in couples coping with an advanced cancer. Support Care Cancer 30(5):4485-4495, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35112209.
- Nordberg H, Kroll J, Rosenfield D, Chmielewski M, Ritz T. Chronic stress experience, sleep, and physical activity: relations with change in negative affect and acute stress response to a naturalistic stressor. Br J Health Psychol 27(2):449-467, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34423530.
- Milbury K, Kroll J, Snyder S, Chen A, Higgins H, Li Y, Bruera E. Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial in Women with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer to Assess the Feasibility of Delivering Group-Based Psychosocial Care Via Videoconference. Integrative Cancer Therapies 20, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34663123.
- Ritz T, Kroll JL, Aslan S, Janssens T, Khan D, Pinkham A, Brown ES. Subcortical gray matter volumes in asthma: Associations with asthma duration, control, catastrophic thinking, and anxiety. Brain Imaging and Behavior 14(6):2341-2350, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31501976.
- Ritz T, Kroll JL, Patel J, Chen J, Yezhuvath U, Aslan S, Khan D, Pinkham A, Rosenfield D, Brown ES. Central nervous system signatures of affect in asthma: Associations with emotion induced bronchoconstriction and asthma control. J Applied Physiology 126:1724-1736, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30920889.
- Ritz T, Werchan C, Kroll JL, Rosenfield D. Beetroot juice supplementation for the prevention of cold symptoms associated with stress in health and asthma: a pilot study. Physiology and Behavior 202:45-51, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30682333.
- Kroll JL, Brown ES, Ritz T. Cortisol awakening response in asthma and health. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 59(8):1150-1153, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31161674.
- Kroll JL, Werchan C, Rosenfield R, Ritz T. Acute ingestion of dietary nitrate increases exhaled nitric oxide in healthy individuals. PLOSOne 13:e0191030, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29370244.
- Khalsa SS, Adolphs R, Cameron OG, Interoception Summit 2016 Participants, et al. Interoception and Mental Health: a roadmap. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neurosocience and Neuroimaging 3:501-513, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29884281.
- Kroll JL, Steele A, Pinkham A, Choi C, Khan D, Saifi M, Deol S, Brown ES, Ritz T. Hippocampal metabolites in asthma and their implications for cognitive function. NeuroImage: Clinical 19:213-219, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30035015.
- Meuret A, Kroll JL, Ritz T. Panic disorder comorbidity with medical conditions and treatment implications. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 13:209-240, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28375724.
- Kroll JL, Werchan C, Reeves A, Bruenner K, Lippert A, Ritz T. Sensitivity of salivary hydrogen sulfide to psychological stress and its relationship with exhaled nitric oxide and affect. Physiology and Behavior 179:99-104, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28527680.
- Grace P, Ramos K, Rodgers K, Wang X, Hutchinson M, Lewis M, Morgan K, Kroll J, Taylor F, Strand K, Zhang Y, Berkelhammer D, Huey M, Green L, Cochran T, Yin H, Barth D, Johnson K, Rice K, Maier S, Watkins L. Activation of adult rat CNS endothelial cells by opioid-induce toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling induced proinflammatory, biochemical, morphological, and behavioral sequelae. Neuroscience 280:299-317, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25241065.
- Ramos K, Lewis M, Morgan K, Crysdale N, Kroll JL, Taylor F, Harrison J, Sloan E, Maier S, Watkins L. Spinal upregulation of glutamate transporter GLT-1 by ceftriaxone: therapeutic efficacy in a range of experimental nervous system disorders. Neuroscience 169:1888-1900, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 20547213.
Invited Articles
- Robbins MA, Kroll JL, Knox-Rice TK. When change is the only constant: Managing transitions in times of uncertainty. Independent Practitioner 40(4):22-27, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Abstracts
- Kroll JL, Jones M, Brumley S, Smith G, MacGregor MC, Milbury K. A longitudinal examination of financial distress in couples coping with advanced breast cancer: associations with psychological and relational wellbeing. IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Kroll JL. Dyadic Coping of Financial Stress in Couples Coping with Advanced Breast Cancer (Poster), 2024. e-Pub 2024.
Book Chapters
- Kroll JL, Meuret AE. Exposure therapy when patients present with asthma. In: Clinical Guide to Exposure Therapy. Springer, 183-200, 2022.
- Ritz T, Kroll JL, Werchan CW, Kulikova A, Brown ES. Lung Diseases. In: Essentials of Psychosomatic Medicine, Consult Liaison Psychiatry. American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2018.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 23, 2026