Balance Mind Rx
Psychogastroenterology
Psych-Gastro
In Monmouth County, New Jersey
When your gut and mind finally start speaking the same language.
Here’s How It Works
Understand how the gut–brain connection works — and how to use it to feel better.
Psychogastroenterology turns the science of the gut–brain axis into practical, personalized care. Every thought, emotion, and stress response sends messages to your digestive tract — sometimes creating a pattern of discomfort that no test or medication can fully explain.
Through specialized gut–brain therapies, we retrain how these systems talk to each other. This isn’t talk therapy about your stomach — it’s structured treatment that helps the nervous system and digestive system relearn calm communication.
Our work focuses on what modern research calls Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBIs) — conditions like IBS, chronic bloating, and unexplained abdominal pain that thrive on miscommunication between the mind and body.
Treatment Plans
Step-by-Step Relief Plan — Backed by Research
Every plan begins with a simple premise: your mind and gut are part of the same system, and both deserve attention. Here’s how we bring that into practice:
Gut-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
We teach the brain to interpret gut sensations differently — reducing hypersensitivity and urgency. Over time, you’ll feel fewer “false alarms” from the digestive system.Mindfulness & Lifestyle Integration
We help you build everyday habits that reinforce your body’s healing — from nutrition and sleep to realistic stress management.
Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy
Through guided relaxation, patients learn to quiet the nervous system’s overreaction to stress and improve gut motility. It’s calm, evidence-based, and often life-changing.Medication Management
For some, targeted medication provides essential support. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Debra Peneiras can prescribe and manage medications as part of an integrated plan when needed.
Every method we use is supported by decades of clinical research from the Rome Foundation, Stanford, and other leaders in gut–brain medicine.
What To Expect
When you begin treatment
We start by listening — carefully and without assumptions.
Your first visit lasts about an hour and covers your full health picture: physical, emotional, lifestyle, and digestive.
From there, you’ll receive a plan that fits your needs — not a generic protocol.
Over time, the goal isn’t just symptom relief — it’s a calmer, more predictable relationship between your gut and your mind. Different care, different results.
Care That Feels Different — Because It Is.
Who Benefits Most
Test Results are “Normal,” but You Still Don’t Feel Well
Psych-Gastro may help if you
Have IBS, functional bloating, or stomach pain without a clear medical cause
Have tried medication or diet changes without improvement
Feel like no one has looked at the whole picture
Notice stress triggers gut discomfort
Our patients often say: “Every doctor found something — but no one could put it all together.” That’s exactly what our work does.
Why We’re Different
A Complete Approach to Gut–Brain Health
At Balanced Mind Rx, you’ll find
One provider for psychiatry, behavioral medicine, and gut-brain health
Coordinated collaboration with GIs, psychologists, and other providers
Convenient In-person and telehealth appointments statewide
Treatment plans that evolve as your body and stress patterns change
We treat your daily life as one connected story — nervous system, digestive system, and your overall gut-brain health.
Gut–Brain Therapy
Research, Results, Relief
Bringing the science to everyday practice — right here in New Jersey.
Studies from Stanford Health Care show gut-directed hypnotherapy reduces IBS symptom severity in over 70% of patients.
The Rome Foundation confirms behavioral therapies targeting gut–brain pathways outperform medication alone for many DGBIs.
Reviews in MedCentral and FODMAP Everyday demonstrate the long-term benefits of integrating psychological and gastrointestinal care.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We specialize in both psychiatry and gastroenterology
Evidence-based treatments drawn from global research and clinical outcomes
Coordinated collaboration with trusted New Jersey specialists
Individualized, integrative care — not one-size-fits-all advice
In-person and telehealth visits available throughout New Jersey
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No — it’s a partnership. We work with your gastroenterologist to align all aspects of care.
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Many patients notice changes in a few weeks. Progress builds as new habits and nervous-system responses take hold.
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Yes — telehealth appointments are available across New Jersey.
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Not necessarily. Many patients improve with behavioral and lifestyle therapy alone. Medication is considered case-by-case.
More Resources
Learn how anxiety and stress influence IBS through the gut-brain axis. Balanced Mind Rx in New Jersey offers evidence-based psychogastroenterology to help you find relief.