about gut wellness and therapy
Gut-Directed Therapy is a holistic, evidence-based approach designed to support individuals experiencing gut-related symptoms and conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and functional gastrointestinal disorders. At Gut Wellness & Therapy, we integrate Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy, Gut-Directed Behavioural Therapy (ACT), and nervous system regulation techniques to address the complex gut-brain connection, reduce symptom-related distress, and promote lasting wellbeing.
Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and brain are continuously communicating through a complex network involving the vagus nerve and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This connection explains why we may feel “butterflies” in the stomach when anxious or experience digestive symptoms during stress. In conditions like IBS, this communication can become dysregulated — either sending confusing signals or misinterpreting normal signals in ways that cause discomfort and distress.
Gut-Directed Therapy targets this gut-brain axis through a comprehensive, mind-body approach:
- Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy helps individuals enter a deeply relaxed state where the critical, conscious mind quiets, allowing the brain to better ‘retrain’ how it communicates with the gut. This can reduce visceral hypersensitivity, regulate gut motility, and calm overactive nerve pathways that contribute to symptoms.
- Behavioural Therapy cultivates present-moment awareness and emotional regulation skills. Through mindful practices and behavioural strategies, clients learn to observe their symptoms without struggle and reduce the anxiety and stress that often exacerbate gut issues.
- Nervous System Regulation draws on principles such as the Polyvagal Theory to improve autonomic nervous system balance. This supports better regulation of the body’s stress response and decreases sensitivity to digestive discomfort.
Benefits of Gut-Directed Therapy
Research shows that Gut-Directed Therapy can provide significant, long-term relief for 70-80% of individuals with IBS, often matching or surpassing the effectiveness of dietary interventions like the low FODMAP diet — without requiring restrictive eating. This therapy also offers important benefits for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, particularly in managing functional gut symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and urgency, which can persist even when inflammation is in remission.
By addressing both the mind and body, Gut-Directed Therapy helps to:
- Reduce gut-related symptoms such as bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and urgency.
- Regulate the nervous system to decrease gut hypersensitivity and improve digestive function.
- Enhance emotional resilience by teaching mindfulness, acceptance, and compassionate approaches to living with chronic gut symptoms.
- Promote overall wellbeing through a holistic focus on both psychological and physical health.
This unique mind-body therapy provides powerful symptom relief and empowers individuals to take control of their gut health by changing their responses to symptoms and improving gut-brain communication. If you experience IBS, functional gut symptoms, or gut-related challenges associated with IBD, Gut-Directed Therapy at Gut Wellness & Therapy offers a proven, compassionate, and integrative path toward greater comfort, resilience, and lasting relief.