Pediatric Mind Body Medicine Program

Schedule a Virtual Visit

Our team provides patients with virtual visits using video-based programs over a secure Internet connection to the patient’s desktop computer, laptop or tablet. Virtual visits give our patients and families a direct video link with their pediatric gastroenterologist without having to travel for an appointment. Patients may discuss symptoms and clarify treatment plans from the comfort of their home or another private setting. To arrange a virtual visit, please call 617-726-8705.

Overview

Founded in 2018, the Pediatric Mind-Body Medicine Program at Mass General for Children is one of the first of its kind in the nation.

Our mission is to recognize, destigmatize, and normalize the interplay between psychological and physical suffering and help patients with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, especially Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction, improve their mental, emotional and physical well-being.

We help children, adolescents, and young adults up to 21 years of age recognize the bidirectional connection between the mind and body and how psychological stress, especially from conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD can manifest as and/or exacerbate GI symptoms.

Our program uses mind-body interventions such as biofeedback, gut-directed hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and physical therapy as well as self-care practices such as meditation, physical exercise, healthy sleep hygiene, and the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program to buffer the effects of stress on the body, reduce physical symptoms, and build resiliency.

The Pediatric Mind-Body Medicine Program at Mass General for Children is embedded within the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and closely affiliated with the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Benson-Henry Institute, a world-renowned clinical and research institution in the field of mind-body medicine. This allows our program to incorporate the latest knowledge from cutting edge research into our treatment strategies.

Our multidisciplinary team brings over 40 years of collective clinical experience and includes Sarah Shea, PhD, a child and adolescent psychologist, and Joonhee Cho, MD, a pediatric and adult psychiatrist, and is led by Mark Salvatore, MD, MS, a pediatric gastroenterologist and consultant pediatrician at the Benson-Henry Institute.

Conditions Treated

We treat all chronic GI conditions in children, adolescents and young adults up to 21 years of age, especially:

• Disorders of the gut-brain interaction (DGBI)
• Functional/Chronic abdominal pain
• Functional nausea and vomiting
• Functional dyspepsia/bloating
• Visceral hypersensitivity
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Difficult-to-treat or currently undiagnosed GI disorders

Services Provided

• Help patients and their families better understand the mind-body connection and how psychological and social stressors can manifest as and/or exacerbate GI symptoms.
• Work in conjunction with a pediatric psychiatrist and psychologist to address any comorbid anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD, which are found frequently in association with DGBI.
• Introduce patients to a myriad of mind-body interventions, which buffer the effects of stress on the body, reduce physical symptoms, and build resiliency.
• Provide a second opinion regarding a difficult-to-treat or currently undiagnosed GI disorder.