Nerva: IBS & Gut Hypnotherapy

Mindset Health

In-app purchases

About this app

Nerva is the easiest way to self-manage your IBS symptoms at home, without pills or diet change. Developed by experts, Nerva can help you learn to 'fix' the miscommunication between your gut and brain with a 6-week psychology-based program.

Nerva uses a proven psychological approach to IBS: gut-directed hypnotherapy. Examined in a study at Monash University (creators of the low FODMAP diet), this approach was found to work just as well as their elimination diet for managing IBS*.

How does it work?

Most people with IBS have visceral hypersensitivity, which means their gut is overly sensitive to certain foods and mood triggers. Nerva can help you learn how to address this miscommunication through audio-based gut-directed hypnotherapy in just a few weeks.

What you get:
- An evidence-based hypnotherapy program designed by a world-leading expert to help you live well with IBS and learn to manage your symptoms
- Interactive content with dozens of articles, guides & animations that help you learn to calm anxiety & stress
- Intuitive streak tracking & to-do lists that keep you motivated and on-track
- Tips & advice on how to enjoy a healthy gut and life
- In-app chat support from real people

*Peters, S.L. et al. (2016) “Randomised clinical trial: The efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy is similar to that of the low fodmap diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome,” Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 44(5), pp. 447–459. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13706.

Medical Disclaimer:
Nerva is a general well-being and lifestyle tool designed to help people live well with diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and is not intended as a treatment for IBS and does not replace care by your provider and IBS treatments you may be using.

Nerva is not a substitute for any medications. You should continue to take your medications as directed by your healthcare provider.

If you have any feelings or thoughts of harming yourself or others, please dial 911 (or local equivalent) or go to the nearest emergency room.

Any advice or other materials posted by our employees, or other Users, is provided for general information purposes only. They are not intended to be relied upon and are not a substitute for professional medical advice based on your individual circumstances. You are solely responsible for deciding which of the suggested techniques can be found in the Nerva app to put into practice and the manner in which those techniques are applied.

Nerva uses gut-directed hypnotherapy techniques and is based on established clinical guidelines: https://journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2021/01000/acg_clinical_guideline__management_of_irritable.11.aspx

For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions of Use: https://www.mindsethealth.com/terms-conditions-nerva-app

Ratings and reviews

I had a mix of Nerva, Biofeedback, GI Psychotherapy and Physical Therapy, so no way to know how effective Nerva alone is for me. That said, Nerva was my first and only therapy for three months without any dramatic benefit. Only after adding other therapies for another 6 months did my IBS dramatically improve. Maybe Nerva had some impact, but it's very expensive for "gut-directed hypnotherapy" compared to other options. Cost might be justifiable as a one-time purchase, but not a subscription.

Paid for the app, on week 3. Some people find the voice pleasing, I do not. I asked if there was a way to change it, & there isn't, but it was awesome to get in touch w/ a real person immediately. There's too much repetition with the scenarios themselves- for the cost of the app, there should be different scenes each treatment day. I understand if they repeated during the maintenance phase. I don't recommend this app in it's current state. It seems like a great idea, I hope they improve upon it.

I purchased the 7 day trial plan. While the instructor's voice was appropriate to content, I was appalled that in the 4 times I listened to the coached hypnotherapy, there were repeats of the exact same coaching-- so in 4 coaching sessions, there were only two identical guided scripts. Not worth the money. I was irritated that so little effort was expended by the course creators. I canceled in the middle of the 4th session. Good idea, lackluster, lazy execution.

What's new

Thanks for using Nerva! We've improved the app's accessibility, symptom tracking and personalisation elements.

This update also improves instructions on using Nerva to manage your IBS symptoms after the first 6 weeks and provides a critical fix for the box breathing exercise.

We always appreciate your feedback. If you run into any troubles, let us know at [e-mail]