gipsychiatry
A collection of 12 issues
When Your Gut Doesn’t Feel Like Yours Anymore
Understanding IBS after colon cancer surgery — and what to do about it If your bowel habits have completely changed since your colon cancer surgery, you’re not imagining it. You’re not overreacting. And you are not alone. The urgency. The cramping that wakes you at 3am. The way you
When Stress Breaks Down Your Gut — And Your Mood Pays the Price
Most of us have felt it: a stressful week that brings on a stomachache, a bout of anxiety that makes eating feel impossible, or a prolonged, difficult period that somehow leaves us both emotionally drained and digestively wrecked. We tend to dismiss these as coincidences—stress affects the mind, and
When Tests Are Normal, but Symptoms Aren’t...
I've been seeing so much frustration out there lately on how gaslit patients feel when the medical system doesn't reflect what they're feeling. Often, people feel that seeing a psychiatrist means "giving up" or that their medical team doesn't believe
Biofeedback in DGBI
I was thrilled in November to share with my colleagues how biofeedback can be used in the outpatient setting for Disorders of the Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBI). The energy in the room was palpable, and I was genuinely moved by how many psychiatrists approached me afterward to learn more about
Why Chronic Abdominal Pain Persists—Even When Your Tests Are “Normal”
The experience of chronic pain is incredibly overwhelming and exhausting. When you go to the doctor and hear, “Great news! Your labs are normal.” Empty reassurances about it being just stress or not “seeing inflammation.” It’s very human to interpret these messages as “it’s in your head.” In
The IBS–Anxiety Loop
Why Perfect Eating Isn’t the Answer If you have IBS, you’ve probably been told to track your food. Log everything. Identify the trigger. "Fix" the problem. But unless you have a true food intolerance or a condition like celiac disease, most people never find one consistent
Why I Practice GI Psychiatry — and Why It Matters
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been reading for a while, this is a little re-introduction of who I am and what it is that I do. My name is Claire Brandon, MD. I’m a psychiatrist, double board-certified in psychiatry and consultation-liaison psychiatry,
Resetting for 2026: Gut–Brain Habits to Start Now (and What to Let Go Of)
What if your 2026 reset didn’t start with discipline—but with your nervous system? This week’s newsletter breaks down the gut–brain habits to start now (and what to let go of) so change actually sticks. If January resolutions never last for you, this approach may finally feel different.
Grounding Your Autonomic Nervous System During the Holidays
A GI Psychiatry Guide to Protecting the Gut–Brain Axis Why the Holidays Disrupt the Gut–Brain Axis The holidays very often make us think of time off from work and relaxing time with family, but psychologically and physiologically, they can be one of the most activating times of year