The “elevator” pitch for why psychology and the gut

Working in an area that fascinates me but is not so obvious to others – Psychology and the Gut – I have had to develop my "elevator pitch"  for what role psychology plays in helping people with gut related issues, so I thought I would share that here. On top of issues such as shame and embarrassment, I know many of my clients also experience confusion and disbelief from friends and family, colleagues and workmates about how the practice of psychology could be at all beneficial for their gut issues. "Why would you be seeing a psychologist for your IBS?" is a common question most of my clients face. This can not only invalidate their experience but create feelings of isolation. How to answer this? My answer usually goes something like this ‘Chemicals from stress can impact the gut and when we have gut problems it can affect our mood. The psychologists role is to help manage and reduce stress responses and therefore help the gut …’ For some great references please go to the resources page where I have identified some good books and helpful articles.