I'm sad to say that we've made it to week 6 of the Nerva hypnotherapy app for IBS. This means that I've reached the end of the program and quite frankly, I'm feeling as though I'm going to be lost without it. Thankfully, Nerva has designed the program so that you're not left drifting in limbo. I chat about what I thought of the final week, how Nerva fits into my life moving forward and how I'm feeling as my flare-up rages on.
Ad: This post includes references to a gifted service I received in return for my feedback and an honest review. Edit Nov 2021: Some of my latest posts and videos are kindly sponsored by Nerva. Edit May 2024: Nerva has just launched an affiliate program. I may now receive a small affiliate commission on all qualifying purchases through my links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jump to:
If you haven't been following along then you can find all of my previous week-by-week reviews here:
- Introduction to gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS
- Week 1 review
- Week 2 review
- Week 3 review
- Week 4 review
- Week 5 review
Healing Water
If the idea of pulling on a swimsuit over your bloated belly fills you with dread then you'll be thrilled to hear that this healing water session can be done without even getting your feet wet.
Despite barely being able to swim I've always found the sight, sounds and proximity of water to be soothing and relaxing. So, from that point of view, I was really looking forward to this week.
Once again, this was one of the visualisations that I particularly enjoyed and the scene seemed to flow along nicely. We're transported to a beautiful hot spring in an idyllic mountainscape. The closest I've ever been to a hot spring was a wood-fired hot tub in the highlands in Winter. As romantic as it was to float beneath the stars, it took a ton of wood, sweat and tears to get it going and all day to heat up. Nevertheless, I managed to literally and figuratively immerse myself into the scene. This was helped along by taking full advantage of the gloriously warm private indoor pool at our holiday destination.
I know that the idea of entering wild water can unnerve some people (myself included). Because of this I particularly liked the fact that the narrator emphasises only to step into the water to a level that feels safe for you. For the rest of the session, the word bathing rather than floating is used. I think this phrasing helps reduce any potentially triggering anxiety about the surroundings.
As usual, once it gets going the scene becomes irrelevant. If the idea of a hot spring isn't for you then for the brief time that you're asked to visualise you could just as well picture yourself relaxing in a bathtub.
I'd love to hear in the comments below if this watery backdrop gives you all the good feels or the heebie-jeebies?
All Adrift
If you read last weeks review you'll know that I was living it up on my little staycation with family. Whilst I'm home now, and suffering from the post-holiday blues, I'm still luxuriating in the memory of floating around in bath-temperature water whilst listening to a sneak peek of this week's session. Although I wasn't due to start the healing water session until after I returned home, the pull of the pool was too tempting. Lying there, arms outstretched, body weightless, drifting in blissful oblivion. If only I'd floated through the rest of the week with such ease.
Unfortunately, the tummy troubles of last week have stayed with me. Rather than going out on a high as I'd hoped I ended the week feeling a bit 'meh!' This was all the more disappointing with it being the last week of the program. I'd made such good progress up to week 5 but I feel as though I'm now back to square one.
Frustratingly much of this was self-inflicted, most likely caused by my overindulgence on holiday. I'd hoped that my gut would settle straight down once we got home but sadly, that hasn't happened. Unlike last week, when I had ample time to rest, play and distract away my symptoms, this week I've felt each and every one. I've struggled to work and re-establish a routine as I try to get back to normality despite the flare-up.
My IBS has thrown everything at me this week from sharting to sleeplessness. These physical symptoms were made worse by draining fatigue and guilt at not getting back into work mode. It also wasn't helped by the anxiety that I was ending the program feeling worse than when I began.
Let's be clear, I don't feel as though the hypnotherapy has failed me. If anything I'm to blame for going all out to prove that my mind-gut connection has been healed by the sessions. The hard truth I've re-learned this week is that there is still much work to do. The hope that I'm clinging to is that there is still much that can be done.
Light in Dark Places
It may sound silly to you but as I closed the screen on my last Nerva session I couldn't help feeling a little bit lost. Over the past 6 weeks, taking 20 minutes each day to listen and relax has created such a calming ritual for me. I honestly feel like I don't want either my routine or the program to end.
The good news is that Nerva is designed so that your treatment doesn't come to an abrupt stop, leaving you alone and adrift. Although I had no idea what to expect, I couldn't have been happier this morning when I opened the app. I was greeted by the transition screen that guided me step by step into the maintenance phase.
In all honesty, when I first began my sessions I thought the maintenance plan was a bit of a gimmick. My opinion of these types of subscription services is usually fairly low. More often than not a way to part you with more of your hard-earned cash on an ongoing basis.
After experiencing the anxiety of the program ending mid-flare-up I've never been happier to have an upsell thrust upon me. I don't want to talk too much about the maintenance plan as it's still early days for me yet. I've also just received an email saying that they intend to add more resources soon. I know the ins and outs of the maintenance plan and if it's good value is something that many of you are interested in. I'll bring you more details about that as soon as I know how I feel about it.
Edit June 2024: The program structure has changed since this review was written and the price currently includes 1 year access. This comprises of the structured 6-week program and progresses into a more flexible maintenance plan with a flare-up toolkit as and when needed.
So there you have it. I'll have a detailed full review, covering my thoughts and experience with the program as a whole, coming for you soon. Until then, please reach out to me in the comments with any questions you have about the app. If you've tried the app I'd love for you to share your own experience of how it worked for you.
If these reviews have helped show you that gut-directed hypnotherapy may be just what you've been looking for then please don't forget to take advantage of the 10% off link that I've shared down below.
Thanks for being with me on this journey, Michelle xoxo
Nerva Audio Clip
Listen to a short clip from session 6 to get a feel for the Nerva IBS program.
Please note: You will not be hypnotised by listening to this brief clip. This audio has been abridged to give you a general feel for the narrator, tone and pace of what to expect from the Nerva app.
Visual Inspiration Gallery
To help get you in the mood and stimulate your creativity I've gathered together some images that might be helpful for you for this session. These are just a starting point and are an expression of what comes to my mind as I listen to healing water. You are encouraged throughout the sessions to explore and visualise whatever you like, in your own unique way.
Photo source via Unsplash
Credits: 1: Adrian Korpal, 2: Angus Gray, 3: Chris Lawton, 4: Jeremy Bishop, 5: Daniil Silantev, 6: Nicole Geri, 7: Frank Denney, 8: Erda Estremera, 9: Andy Wang, 10: Paul Gilmore, 11: Jonas Allert, 12: Ryan Loughlin, 13: Wes Hileman, 14: Laura Smetsers, 15: Ryan Loughlin
10% Discount Off Nerva App
If you like what you've heard so far and you're keen to try out Nerva for yourself then you'll be pleased to hear I've managed to organise a little discount for you. But just before you go ahead and invest in the app for yourself I think it's only fair to tell you that I've been gifted free, full access to the Nerva app by their community manager.
This access is in return for honest feedback about the product and a review. That's it, no B*S, no funny business, no scripts, no specified number of posts in strategic places. Just an introduction to a potentially life-changing treatment for IBS and an honest account of my experience.
Edit: As of Nov 2021 I have worked on paid sponsored posts like this one in partnership with Nerva. I know some people can feel a bit icky about these things so I just want to tell it like it is.
Please make sure you pay attention to the sales process below BEFORE you use this affiliate link to claim your 10% discount.
- When you click the discount link you'll see a welcome page. You'll then be guided through several multiple-choice pages like the ones you see below. Don't worry it only takes a few minutes, there are multiple-choice questions interspersed with short advice pages. This section is designed to assess your IBS symptoms and see if gut-directed hypnotherapy is right for you. Be as honest as you can. I don't think there are any wrong answers here but I've not purposely tried to test the system. It's possible that, as with a low FODMAP diet, the program may not be suitable for everyone.
2. At the end of the assessment, you'll be shown a summary of your answers and asked to enter your email. This next bit is VERY IMPORTANT. Once you've entered your email address continue to be guided through the flow. Click on the buttons at the bottom of each page, until you reach the sales page. Do not click directly through to the sales page from the email you receive from Nerva. Doing this may take you to the full price sales page. Depending on the current pricing of the app you will be directed to either the 10% discount (which clearly shows the usual price and the discount you've received) or the current sales price, whichever is the lowest. If you're not sure you're seeing the lowest price available please contact Nerva before proceeding with your purchase.
3. This process also works if you've previously signed up for an assessment. You may have given your email and created an account but not gone on to purchase the app. You just need to click the, "I already have a profile" link at the beginning of the workflow. If you completed the Q&A's before then you'll just see the last few screens before being taken to the discounted sales page.
4. Another crucial thing to point out is that the 4-week money-back guarantee is only valid if you purchase through the sales flow I describe. This is done directly from your phone, tablet or pc on the Nerva website and not via the app store. It's possible to download the free 7 day trial of the Nerva app directly from the app store and upgrade to full access within the app without ever having visited the Nerva website. Unfortunately, if you do it this way, you won't get the discount. You also won't be able to claim the money-back guarantee if you decide the program is not right for you. This detail is not specific to using the discount code, it always applies to the sales process. Nerva blames this on the way that in-app purchases are controlled by the app stores. Don't say I didn't warn you.
5. At the moment I haven't been given a cut off date for sharing the discount. I'm only mentioning this because if it's the first time you've heard about the app then you're probably not ready to get your money out just yet. Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing my thoughts, insights, experience and sneak peeks into the app. At this point, I think it's safe to tell you that you can follow along, learn more about the app and not risk missing out on the discount. If this changes I'll update this post and let you know asap pinky promise.
For all the official information about the Nerva app head over to Mindset Health. The team at Mindset Health continue to improve and update the app based on user feedback. This means that changes may occur to the program over time. Some aspects may differ from my experience and may no longer be as described.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks as I delve deeper into the app. I'll update you on my weekly progress and share my thoughts and sneak-peeks into each session of the program.
Michelle xoxo
Sponsored Post Declaration
Ad: This post includes references to a gifted service I received in return for my feedback and an honest review. Edit Nov 2021: Some links to my latest posts and videos are kindly sponsored by Nerva. Qualifying purchases made through my affiliate links may result in me receiving financial compensation. I appreciate your choosing to purchase through my links and support the work that I do in this way.
Sincerest thanks to the team at Nerva for allowing me to share my honest thoughts without attempting to interfere with the content.
Reviews are based on my experience of the app in Sept 2020. The program, sessions, app structure and pricing are subject to change at any time without notice and may not be as described here. Please see the official Nerva website for the most up-to-date information and pricing.
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