Gastrointestinal Behavioral Health Supportive Resources

Our supportive resources for GI behavioral health patients include book recommendations, online video presentations, blog articles and research articles.

Please note: While self-help mobile apps, books, or websites can be beneficial for some people, they don’t work for everyone. If you try hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or another treatment with one of these resources and find it isn’t helping, it doesn’t mean the treatment won’t work for you. You may need a more individualized plan and a provider to work with you for treatment to help.

Books

We have curated a list of books that you can borrow for free at the Consumer Collection at Matthews-Fuller Health Sciences Library. The library is located on the 5th floor of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, two floors up from the Main Entrance Information Desk.

You can also consider taking out some of these books from your local library or seeing if you have access to them online through Libby, a smartphone app that lets you borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and other media from your local library for free.

Mindfulness and coping skills

  • The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices and Our Overall Health. Mayer EA. New York: Harper Wave, 2016. ISBN: 978-0062376558.
  • Reclaim Your Life from IBS: A Scientifically Proven CBT Plan for Relief Without Restrictive Diets. Hunt, Melissa G. Routledge, 2022. ISBN: 9781032153391
  • Coping with Crohns and Colitis: A Patient and Clinicians Guide. Hunt, Melissa G. Routledge, 2021. ISBN: 9780367523671
  • Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity. Epstein, Ronald M. Simon and Schuster, 2017. ISBN: 978-1501121715
  • When You're Sick and Don't Know Why: Coping With Your Undiagnosed Illness. Hanner, Linda, et al. Chronimed Pub, 1991. ISBN: 978-0937721834
  • The Compassionate Connection: The Healing Power of Empathy and Mindful Listening. Rakel, David. WW Norton & Company, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-393-24774-9
  • The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook. Eshelman, Elizabeth R, et al. New Harbringer Publications, 2008. ISBN: 978-1684033348
  • The Relaxation Response. Benson, Herbert, et al. New York: Morrow, 1975. ISBN: 978-0380815951

Chronic pain and chronic illness

  • Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired: Living with Invisible Chronic Illness. Donoghue, Paul, et al. WW Norton & Company, 2000. ISBN: 978-0393320657
  • Healing Pain: The Innovative, Breakthrough Plan to Overcome Your Physical Pain and Emotional Suffering. Berger, Ann. Rodale, 2006. ISBN: 978-1594860126

Food, diet, and cookbooks

  • Meals That Heal: 100+ Everyday Anti-Inflammatory Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less: Gut Health, Brain Health, Cancer Prevention, Heart Health. Williams, Carolyn. S&S/ Simon Element, 2019. ISBN: 978-1982130787
  • The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day. America's Test Kitchen, 2016. ISBN: 978-1940352640
  • Dealing with Food Allergies: A Practical Guide to Detecting Culprit Foods and Eating a Healthy, Enjoyable Diet. Joneja, Janice Vickerstaff. Bull Publishing Company, 2003. ISBN: 978-0923521646

Mobile apps

Below are some suggested mobile phone applications.

  • Mahana: An app that uses cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce IBS symptom severity.
  • Mindfulness Coach: Developed to help veterans, service members and others to help you learn how to practice mindfulness with a gradual, self-guided training program
  • Nerva: Helps you manage your IBS symptoms with a science-backed digital program
  • Zemedy: Provides a comprehensive digital CBT-based program for individuals with IBS

Presentations and websites

Research articles

Gut Feelings: The Emerging Biology of Gut-Brain Communication (PDF)
Mayer EA. Gut feelings: the emerging biology of gut-brain communication. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2011;12(8):453-466. Published 2011 Jul 13.

Psychological Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (PDF)
Ballou, Sarah, and Laurie Keefer. “Psychological Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.” Clinical and translational gastroenterology vol. 8,1 e214. 19 Jan. 2017.

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
Peters, S. L., et al. "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 (2016): 447-459.

The Role of a Health Psychologist in the Management of Functional Esophageal Complaints (PDF)
Riehl, M E et al. “Role of a health psychologist in the management of functional esophageal complaints.” Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus vol. 28,5 (2015): 428-36.