Have you heard that hypnotherapy can help alleviate IBS symptoms? Sound too good to be true? Or maybe you thought this was a fad, promoted by those on the fringe of the medical community? The great news is that there have been many clinical trials that have shown that hypnotherapy can relieve not only pain, bloating and gas, but also hard or loose stools, and urgency as well as well.
How is this possible? And how can an app help? We sat down with the brothers Alex and Chris Naoumidis, the co-founders of Mindset Health and creators of the Nerva app to learn more, and to bring you the info you need.
Try Nerva For Free!
You can get a 7-day free trial to experience the program before deciding to pay. If you think that Nerva is right for you, then it costs US$199 (AU$249, £149) for a 12-month subscription, which is significantly less expensive than in-person sessions!
Just click below for our special discount offer for FODMAP Everyday® readers!
Dédé Wilson: Alex and Chris, thank you for talking with us. I am very excited about this interview because we have been discussing hypnotherapy internally with our Success Team RDs for years, ever since Erica Ilton brought Dr. Olafur Palsson to our attention and his work at the University of North Carolina Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders.
There is, of course, a gut-brain connection and what hypnotherapy does is retrain how your brain and gut communicate.
Tell us in more detail what gut-directed hypnotherapy is, how you became interested in hypnotherapy for IBS, a bit about your respective backgrounds and also about your company, Mindset Health.
Alex & Chris: Great to speak with you Dédé.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a type of hypnotherapy targeted to improving symptoms of gastrointestinal tract disorders, primarily IBS.
Hypnosis is essentially a state of focused attention and relaxation that amplifies your ability to absorb new information while enhancing the brain and body’s connection. When guided by a medical professional towards gut-specific therapeutic techniques, it becomes gut-directed hypnotherapy.
During a gut-directed hypnotherapy session, the person is guided by the hypnotherapist into a focused and relaxed daydreaming state. Suggestions for the control and normalization of gut function are then made to the unconscious mind.
For more in-depth information read: Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy – Promising Therapy for IBS
We became interested in hypnotherapy for IBS when we explored the research behind hypnosis and discovered just how much clinical research supports hypnotherapy for IBS symptoms. As a celiac myself, helping people with a gut disorder self-manage their symptoms from home, without drugs, was an exciting opportunity.
Our background is in business and technology, and we work with the best researchers and medical experts in the world to help us build our programs. We founded Mindset Health to take that idea and scale it to help millions of people with chronic health conditions, like IBS, anxiety, or post-menopausal hot flashes, self-manage their symptoms without drugs.
So, Mindset Health has two apps: Mindset, which is geared towards helping people with anxiety and depression, and Nerva, which is gut-directed hypnotherapy and the focus of our discussion. Tell us about your scientific advisory board and explain how our community members can rest assured that Nerva is trustworthy and evidence based.
We realized that Chris and my expertise were in business and technology, not healthcare, so we prioritized working with the absolute best experts in the world. Dr. Michael Yapko is the leading hypnosis expert and writes the textbook of clinical uses of hypnosis.
Dr. Simone Peters is our gut-directed hypnotherapy expert and has run a clinical trial of her gut-directed hypnotherapy approach with Monash University. We’re also supported by Dr. Irving Kirsh, an associate director at Harvard Medical School, Dr. May Wong, a gastroenterologist, and Dr. Gary Elkins, the director of the Mind-Body Research Lab at Baylor University. We’re completely focused on building safe, evidence-based digital programs that people can put their trust in. (The team has now added Research Lead Claire Hall).
Briefly tell folks how Mindset came to be. Personally, I find your funding story to be fantastic. There are so many wannabe startups in the health and tech space and only those that rise to the top get the kind of attention and backing that you did.
We founded Mindset Health after we killed our previous startup and fell into a period of anxiety and self-doubt. After researching hypnosis and the brain/body connection, we founded Mindset to make hypnosis more accessible.
We went through an accelerator program in Australia (Startmate) to launch Mindset and then participated in Y Combinator in San Francisco, of Airbnb/Stripe/Doordash/Reddit fame, which helped us launch Nerva. Post this program, we fundraised a Seed round of $1.1 million to help grow our team, conduct research and scale Nerva to help more people.
I am very familiar with Y Combinator and for those who are not in the start-up space, basically what you need to know is that it is one of the most well-respected accelerator programs, with a lot of serious competition.
I have to admit, when I heard that hypnotherapy could be used for IBS symptoms, I was curious, but skeptical. I definitely did not know at first that there were clinical trials that had proven its efficacy. Can you talk a little about the most current research and what we know – and what we don’t know?
The exact mechanism isn’t known, but it’s thought that hypnotherapy works by enhancing mind-gut communication. The mind and the gut are directly connected (through the vagus nerve): one cannot function without the other.
When something disrupts that transmission, the brain can misinterpret normal signals from the digestive tract causing the body to become hypersensitive to stimuli, such as food or stress, triggering IBS symptoms.
This process is thought to be related to how FODMAPs trigger symptoms, with the gas caused by high-FODMAP foods’ fermentation potentially triggering these hypersensitive nerves.
You just explained the connection to FODMAPs so clearly. Thank you!
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is thought to shift the brain’s attention away from those stimuli by providing suggestions around self-regulation and normalization of gut function. It doesn’t get rid of the stimulus; instead, it helps change the threshold of perception, so your brain (and body) is not feeling it with the same intensity.
Along with this process, gut-directed hypnotherapy has been shown to help improve psychological functioning by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression and enhancing the overall quality of life, which also directly impacts IBS symptoms.
I love that you call it “The Nerva Experience”, because that is a very apt description. Nerva is a 6-week hypnotherapy program to help patients learn how to self-manage their IBS symptoms.
Walk us through the app. How much does it cost and how does it work?
The Nerva program is delivered through a mobile app on both iOS and Android. As you mentioned, the program consists of a 6-week core program plus an ongoing reinforcement program. You get a 7-day free trial to experience the program before deciding to pay. If you think that Nerva is right for you, then it costs US$199 (AU$249, £149) for a 12-month subscription, which is significantly less expensive than in-person sessions!
The program’s core is a 6-week series of guided gut-directed hypnotherapy audio sessions, developed by Dr Simone Peters. Each session is designed to replicate the experience of in-person hypnotherapy but while comfortably at home. To start, you sit or lie down somewhere comfortable, putting your headphones on and closing your eyes. You then begin listening to an audio recording from your hypnotherapist, who helps you to deeply relax and focus before guiding you through a themed visualization.
From an inner river to a control center, each visualization provides suggestions to your unconscious that encourage self-regulation of IBS symptoms. At the end of the session, your hypnotherapist will count from 5 to 1, helping you become more refreshed and alert. Nerva’s sessions are very similar to in-person sessions, except that instead of closing your eyes and listening to someone in the room you’re closing your eyes and listening to an audio recording!
Nerva includes a flare-up toolkit, daily psychoeducational articles, and deep breathing exercises in addition to the sessions.
How many people have gone through your program? Do you have details on their satisfaction with the program?
We’ve helped over 10,000 people so far, and many more are starting every day. We have an average rating of 4.5 from over 9k App/Play Store reviews, and our users have reported strong results in their ability to manage their symptoms (updated August 2024).
Tell us about the relationship between the low FODMAP diet and hypnotherapy.
In a 2016 study, researchers at Monash University (including our Dr. Peters) ran a study comparing the efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy to that of the low FODMAP diet in people with IBS.
They found that not only was gut-directed hypnotherapy effective but that it was just as effective as the low FODMAP diet for a similar proportion of people. The study also found that hypnotherapy was effective psychologically, with patients feeling less anxious and less depressed.
So, once the user has completed the 6-week program, what happens at that point?
Once they’ve finished the 6-week program, they move onto the post-program phase, which is a less intense reinforcement and maintenance period. Users can choose to stop using the program after the initial 6-week program, but we’ve found that many choose to continue using Nerva.
A portion of the IBS population is also dealing with anxiety or depression. Tell us a little about your other app, and also whether you have any plans for future apps?
As I mentioned earlier, gut-directed hypnotherapy has been shown to help people feel less anxious and depressed. Still, some people would like more specific mental health support, so we have an app called Mindset. Mindset is a broader program designed to help people learn skills to improve their mental health in anxiety, stress, depression, and sleep.
Thank you so much for talking with us – and for your amazing products. When technology can positively affect our mental and physical wellbeing it is the best synergy of all.
You get a 7-day free trial to experience the program before deciding to pay. If you think that Nerva is right for you, then it costs US$199 (AU$249, £149) for a 12-month subscription, which is significantly less expensive than in-person sessions!
Just click below for our special discount offer for FODMAP Everyday® readers!
Thanks so much for this article. Im curious to use this app, have you used it before? And if so, what is your experience with it?
Everyone I know who has used it saw improvement. The key was sticking with it. Some folks gave up, due to…whatever. Just inertia. It is clinically proven and backed. We highly recommend it. I have not used it myself as my symptoms have been in check. But your question has nudged me. I should and will so that I can answer the question myself. We do stand by it.
Would this also improve SIBO symptoms?
You could reach out to the developers to ask if there has been any research in this area. While I have seen many claims that it does help, I would only rely on clinical data, and I personally have not found any.
I tried it. It doesn’t work. I have SIBO, IBS, and reflux. I paid for the whole program and saw zero improvement. It’s two “businessmen” who found a way to scam people out of money for an app that does nothing.
So sorry this was your experience. Have you reached out to the developers? I am halfway through and Loving it! Your words are strong and we want to point out that a “scam” would not be science and evidence based, which this program is. We would not have presented it if it were not. In lay-person’s terms this means that results were proven in a clinical setting. Nothing is 100% and apparently you did not get the relief you were looking for.
I find calm in my life through meditation. I love that there is an evidence-based app on the market that promotes mindfulness and also improves IBS symptoms.
I’ve been using Nerva and love it. I’m on week 6 and have begun reintroducing FODMAPs back into my diet. Even in a very stressful time, I think it’s working! And when I need an extra dose of calm, I snuggle with my dog. Looking forward to trying more and more foods to test out how Nerva is helping me!
I find my calm through exercise, naps and prayer
I have a two pronged question. IBS/ IBD are fueled by nervousness and relaxing into a hypnotic state seems to be very difficult for a nervous personality. How can this be accomplished and has this technique been successful for relieving symptoms associated with IBD?
HI Susan, a few things to comment upon: IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disease. It is not life threatening and it does not involve any structural changes in the gut. IBD is a chronic, systemic, relapsing, immune-mediated inflammation of the intestinal tract. We don’t know what causes it, but researchers suspect a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Most people with IBD rely on medications to achieve and maintain remission. Some require surgery, including bowel resections and/or colectomy. Severe cases of IBD can lead to life-threatening complications, including colon cancer. One commonality is that chronic stress can affect both – and it is possible to have both. I have IBS, but not IBD. I am a pretty high-strung person and it is difficult for me to “calm down” on my own. I found listening to the recorded Nerva sessions was extremely calming. I just told myself to take the 20 minutes to listen and focus and really, not even to “expect” anything, but just to do it. I found that the program really was soothing and I looked forward to it every day. I do highly recommend it. It is clinically proven and you have nothing to lose!
This sounds promising. I really hope it helps. Thank you fir putting this together for all those of us who are looking for ibs help.
Where do I find calm you ask? I find calm through a mindful tea on the couch in comfy clothes, a mindful walk in nature, and more recently have tried Nerva! Helps create a sense of calm within my body.
I’ve been doing Nerva for a week, and so far it’s been an enjoyable and calm part of my day. I am hopeful it will help me manage my symptoms!
I find calm during my Nerva sessions, but I also make sure I spend time walking outside each day. I also find calm through creative activities, such as calligraphy for beginners 🙂
Still on the fence about it. As someone who practices meditation, I have some curiosity about it. I think it’s a great idea to try a 7 day trial before committing. It may not be for everyone and that’s fine. I think the bit of skepticism comes from the fact that I’ve tried everything for my ibs-c and still haven’t found something that helps in the long run.
Either way, I think it’s a great idea to offer it instead of paying lots of money to have this done in person!
Two guys trying to make the world a better pace for GI sufferers, nothing wrong about that in my books!
All the best
We couldn’t agree more. Everyone has to find what works for them. I was never great at meditating but this helped me immensely. I am one of those people who like to be guided and did feel as though it put my mind into an open, relaxed state.
I am a Lupus patient with all the troublesome IBS afflictions – IBS-D, SIBO , FODMAP sensitive and lazy gut.
I have just completed the full course and am now in the maintenance phase, and still using the app every day. After the first 2 weeks, I began to see results and the next month was astonishingly good. This approach is the FIRST therapy I have ever used (and I have done full-blown MBSR classes), meds, and many different supplements., administered by a world-renowned Integrative Medicine Institute.
With this NERVA, app, I have experienced significant daily relief for the first time in decades. Read the SCIENCE- it works. Is it foolproof? NO. I have plateaued at times, but even that is covered in the sessions. Thank you for this incredible leap in treatment!!
Nancy, Thank you so much for writing this comment and sharing your experience, which is inspiring, compelling and I am sure will help others. So great to hear that this made a significant difference in your life and well-being.
I have done self hypnosis 100 day program and it helped me immensely! I love that more people are doing these types of programs to help! I have SIBO and IBS it’s worth a try it can really help get your mind and body in a state of calm which promotes healing big time! My calm is walking in nature!
I tried Nerva for the trial and really enjoyed it but don’t have the funds to keep going with it! For the giveaway: I find calm by being outside in nature and by being with family ❤
I’ve never tried hypnotherapy, but I’m tempted. What I wouldn’t give to actually enjoy a car ride again!
Give it a try! You know until you do:) Why not try. This is Your health and life and this might offer a solution.
I use meditation to find calm, but I would be open to trying this app!
I have been using Nerva every day for 3 weeks now and love it, I feel calm and have not stressed about food since starting the program. i would definitely recommend giving this a try. Finding calm through Netflix and a bowl of cereal though is definitely my jam ☺️
Love it! Balance, right? It is great to have multiple approaches.
I find calm in my life by tending to my plants, doing yard work, and walking trails. I find calm and joy seeing nature growing all around my yard knowing I helped a little bit by planting spaces for the critters to nest and grow on.
I find calm outdoors in nature.
I’ve been trying out meditating in the evenings and I try to incorporate more quiet time reading into my days, especially when feeling a bit overstimulated by staring at screens all day.