01 · Initial reduction
Start with a plan.
Monash describes an initial low-FODMAP phase, usually two to six weeks, ideally guided by a dietitian.
Low FODMAP, IBS and the gut-brain connection
Exploring low FODMAP? Make room for the gut-brain connection.
Food choices are one part of managing IBS. Nerva is a gut-directed hypnotherapy program, with daily audio sessions and practical education.
Whether you are considering low FODMAP or already following it, explore how these approaches differ and where Nerva might fit.
- Use the app at home
- No therapist appointment to get started
- 15-minute daily audio sessions
Start with a free assessment to explore whether Nerva is right for you.
Start with the dietary picture
Low FODMAP is a process, not a forever food list.
FODMAPs are certain carbohydrates found in everyday foods. Adjusting their amounts can help you explore how food contributes to your IBS symptoms.
02 · Reintroduction
Learn about your tolerance.
Reintroducing FODMAP groups systematically helps establish which amounts and foods you tolerate.
03 · Personalization
Make room for variety.
The longer-term aim is a diet adapted to you, with as much variety as possible.
Portions matter as well as ingredients. A dietitian can help with the process and nutritional adequacy. Explore Monash's three-step guide ↗
Food and sensitivity
Why can the same food feel different?
Some FODMAPs are poorly absorbed, drawing water into the gut and being fermented to produce gas. This can stretch the intestine.
A more sensitive gut can experience this stretching as discomfort or pain. This heightened sensitivity, called visceral hypersensitivity, can be one part of IBS.
Food choices and how gut sensations are experienced can both matter. Symptoms are real, and not every symptom has the same cause.
Read Monash's explanation ↗Water and gas
Can increase stretching in the gut.
Greater sensitivity in some people with IBS
Can make that stretching feel more uncomfortable.
Two parts of the picture
Dietary management and gut-brain approaches work on different aspects of the experience.
Understand your options
Low FODMAP and gut-directed hypnotherapy.
Different activities. Different day-to-day commitments.
| Your decision | Low-FODMAP approach | Gut-directed hypnotherapy |
|---|---|---|
| What you work on | Food choices, portions and individual tolerance. | Guided practice focused on the gut-brain connection. |
| What it involves | Dietary changes, reintroduction and personalization. | Structured hypnosis sessions and practice. |
| Professional support | A dietitian can guide the dietary process. | A trained practitioner can deliver GDH; an app offers a separate, self-guided format. |
| Where Nerva fits | Nerva is not a food database or an individual diet plan. | Nerva provides a gut-directed hypnotherapy program in an app. |
What does the comparative research say?
A 2016 randomized study of 74 adults compared practitioner-delivered GDH, low FODMAP and the combination. Symptoms improved across all groups; the study did not detect a between-group difference or added benefit from combining the approaches.
This was not a Nerva-app-versus-diet trial. Read Peters et al. (2016) ↗
Evidence for the app
Nerva has its own randomized trial.
The study compared a 42-session Nerva program with an active digital program without hypnotherapy.
244 adults were randomized; 240 received one of the study programs. Most participants were women; individual results vary.
Explore the research →IBS symptom-severity response at program completion
81%Nerva GDH program
63%Active control
A response meant a decrease of at least 50 points on the IBS Symptom Severity Scale. This is a response rate, not an 81% reduction in symptoms.
Anderson et al., AJG 2025 · Read the trial ↗The everyday experience
Make room for a different kind of practice.
Guided audio, useful education and a way to follow your progress. All in one app.
01
Start with the assessment
Answer questions to explore program suitability before you begin.
02
Set aside 15 minutes
Find somewhere comfortable and listen to your daily guided session.
03
Build a routine
Continue through the six-week program, with education and symptom check-ins.
04
Keep your tools close
Return to breathing exercises and the flare-up toolkit when you need them.
Curious about a session?
Watch the Nerva demo already featured in our clinician resources. You stay in control and can stop whenever you wish.
Different apps, different jobs
Food guidance here. Gut-brain practice there.
The Monash University FODMAP Diet App offers food information, recipes and support for the dietary stages.
Explore the Monash FODMAP App ↗Meet Nerva.
Nerva offers daily gut-directed hypnotherapy audio, CBT-informed education, symptom tracking and breathing exercises.
These are separate apps, not a joint package. Using both does not come with a promise of better results than either approach alone.
See what the Nerva program includes →Before you start
A few useful answers.
Can I use Nerva while following low FODMAP?
The activities are different: dietary management and guided gut-brain practice. Discuss how they fit your care with your clinician or dietitian. The comparative study described above did not establish better results from combining the approaches.
Is Nerva a replacement for dietary advice?
No. Nerva and a dietitian serve different roles. This page provides general education, not an individual diet plan.
If low FODMAP has not helped, does that mean Nerva will?
No. An incomplete response to diet does not predict a response to Nerva. It is a reason to discuss the overall management plan with your healthcare professional, rather than continuing to restrict foods on your own.
Is Nerva part of the Monash FODMAP App?
No. They are separate apps with different functions. Follow the Monash link above for its current features and access information.
What if I have not been diagnosed with IBS?
Speak with a healthcare professional about your symptoms before choosing an IBS management approach. Neither a food list nor Nerva's assessment can establish a medical diagnosis.
Your next step
Explore the gut-brain side of IBS.
Explore the program through the free assessment. You can review the access options before deciding to begin.
Take the quizFind your way to Nerva.
Self-pay, clinician referral and financial assistance are different routes. Eligibility and available support depend on your circumstances.
Check access options →Information for your clinician →Nerva supports self-management. It does not replace medical assessment or your existing care.