About the founder

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Hi, I'm Dr. Elaine Barretto.

I'm fascinated by the complexity of connections between body and mind—and especially by how our relationship to physical sensations, thoughts, and the world around us can either promote disease or support healing.

I bring together expertise from multiple disciplines to treat complex conditions at the gut-brain-pain intersection. My approach integrates pain psychology, nutritional psychiatry, nervous system science, and lifestyle medicine—because these conditions don't respect disciplinary boundaries, and neither should their treatment.
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My Background

I've always been curious about how things work: nature, the universe, devices, the human body, the mind. At first, I spent my career using physics to build medical devices, then learned how those devices interacted with the human body. Now, I focus on understanding how the different systems of our bodies interact with each other—and how our mind influences them all.

For years, I looked well on the outside but silently struggled with overlapping physical and mental health conditions that specialists couldn't connect or resolve. I went from doctor to doctor, each treating one piece while missing the whole picture. This broken, fragmented approach ultimately led to severe burnout in my mid-thirties.
I finally found healing through lifestyle changes, trauma-informed therapy, nervous system work, and evidence-based nutrition. That personal journey—combined with my scientific background—inspired me to pursue extensive training across multiple disciplines so I could offer others what I couldn't find: integrated, compassionate care that treats the whole person.
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My Approach

I treat each case as a research investigation, not a protocol to follow. No two patients are alike, and cookie-cutter programs don't work for complex functional conditions.

My practice is built on:

  • Lifestyle Psychiatry framework (endorsed by WHO and World Pyschiatric Association) 
  • Extended coaching-based sessions (60-90 minutes, not 15-minute medical visits)
  • Multidisciplinary integration in one practitioner—you don't need to coordinate between disconnected specialists
  • Evidence-based interventions drawn from pain neuroscience education, psychogastroenterology, nutritional psychiatry, and behavioral change science
  • Trauma-informed, compassionate care that recognizes the role of stress, nervous system dysregulation, and past experiences
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My Qualifications

To provide truly integrated care, I've pursued training across multiple fields:

Clinical & Scientific Training:

  • MS Psychological Medicine & Mental Health
  • PhD Engineering & Biomedical Technology
  • Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional 
  • Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Specialized Training:

  • Pain Neuroscience Education
  • Psychogastroenterology
  • Nutritional Psychiatry & Culinary Nutrition
  • Nervous System Regulation
  • Emotional & Binge Eating Disorders
  • Trauma-Informed Care

Additional Credentials:

  • Professional Certificate in Health Communications (University of Chicago)
  • Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500)
  • Mindfulness Instructor
  • Founder, Singaporean Society of Lifestyle Medicine

Why this matters

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Current healthcare is fragmented.

Patients with IBS see a gastroenterologist. Chronic pain gets sent to pain management. Anxiety goes to a therapist. Eating disorders to a dietitian. Each specialist works in isolation, often giving conflicting advice, and the patient is left trying to piece together their own care.

But these conditions overlap for a reason.

The gut and brain communicate constantly. Pain is processed by the nervous system, which is shaped by stress, trauma, and inflammation. Mental health and metabolic health are deeply intertwined.

You need someone who understands all of these connections—and can treat them as the integrated system they are.

That's what The Care Layer provides.


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My Mission

I want nothing more than to see people feeling better. I've spent years developing evidence-based tools and frameworks so patients can feel supported and empowered to take their health into their own hands—with expert guidance that actually addresses root causes, not just symptoms.

Whether you're a patient looking for integrated care or a practitioner seeking collaboration or training, I'm here to help bridge the gaps that traditional healthcare leaves open.

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Ready to work together?

If what you've read so far resonates with you, I look forward to exploring together how we can improve your health or the health of your patients.