DNRS vs Gupta Program For Brain Retraining + Chronic Illness Recovery
Hello dear friends!
After nearly two years of brain retraining, I’ve begun talking more about this incredible modality and recommending it to more of my clients and followers. As I’ve experienced more shifts personally, and dove deeper into the science of neuroplasticity, I’m now a solid believer in this way of healing. And I think that modern medicine will eventually catch up to the power of the brain and nervous system regulation, in solving complex chronic issues.
If you are searching for brain retraining programs, you’ve likely run across a few. There are several out there now, but the two main ones are the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) and the Gupta Program. These are the two with the greatest number of participants, as well as scientific research and clinical studies behind them. You may be wondering which one is best for you? Or what makes them different? I wanted to write this post with you in mind!
When I first ventured into the realm of brain retraining or brain rewiring, I found DNRS first. And this is the first program I did, solid for about one year, before finding Gupta. And now, as someone who has completed both, I feel I can offer a unique perspective on these programs.
But first, a quick primer on what these programs do and why they work.
Essentially, the premise is that complex illness syndromes like ME/CFS, POTS, Dysautonomia, chemical sensitivities, and now, long-haul COVID, are manifestations of an overactive limbic system. This primal part of our brains is responsible for processing emotion and threat, working hard to keep us safe through survival mechanisms. All of us have this system inside of us, but for some, it’s stuck in the “on” position, continually keeping the body in a state of stress. This continual stress loop can create physical symptoms, which our brains stress out about more, thus creating more symptoms and on the loop continues. Over time, this response may become more severe (which is why most of us with these conditions tend to worsen or get more sensitive over time), as the pathways of stress response become deeper in the brain.
Programs like DNRS and Gupta are designed to go straight to the root cause of these conditions, by retraining the limbic system/amygdala to calm down and slowly react less to certain triggers both internal and external. This is a MUCH more effective approach than chasing individual symptoms, killing pathogens, restricting diets, and on. (If you’ve been down this path like I have, you’ll know how frustrating, discouraging, and sometimes scary that can be)
Both of these programs contain similar core components, for retraining the limbic system to reduce its reactivity. Both are drug-free, self-guided programs for reversing limbic impairment, retraining the maladaptive stress response, and helping people recover from chronic conditions. But they are not the same, and they have a few key differences, which is why I think one may be better for certain people. I hope this brief overview of DNRS vs Gupta Program will help you decide which to invest in!
So, let’s dive into the basics of each program, and their main components. Please note, that in order to protect their intellectual property, I will only give general information and not share any proprietary retraining techniques.
Dynamic Neural Retraining System
DNRS was developed by Annie Hopper back in 2008, and has been used successfully by thousands of people to treat conditions like “Long Covid, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Lyme Disease, Food Sensitivities, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.”
The program is structured around something they call the “5 Pillars,” which include:
Recognition of limbic system impairment as the root cause of the condition
Interruption of old brain pathways (often called POPs, short for “pathways of the past”)
Incremental training around symptom triggers
Elevating your emotional state
Main brain retraining practice, which includes aspects of NLP, visualization, and other techniques. This practice is often called “doing rounds.”
The DNRS program is quite robust in its ongoing support networks, which is one thing I really like about it. There are so many people doing this program, there are dozens of different (independently organized) WhatsApp groups, and a structured individual coaching program. I have worked with 3 different DNRS coaches, and have found this to be helpful with troubleshooting, motivation, etc. I’ve met lots of great people through DNRS, participated in laughter yoga, and did a few sessions of Living DNRS classes. Note- the coaching and Living DNRS classes are outside of the main training program, and do cost extra.
About 9 months into the program, I invested in the Deeper Dive supplemental program, which I really liked. This included more videos, tips for practice and handling ebbs, example rounds, and other content. I needed a boost of motivation, and it was worth the money.
Overall, I really like the DNRS program for its ease of use, great support network, and focus on joy/positive visualization.
The Gupta Program
Developed by Ashok Gupta, this program has been around since 2001. It is a neuroplasticity, mindfulness, and holistic health program aimed at retraining the amygdala and insula (aka the limbic system) to reduce reactivity to stress. Just like DNRS, the Gupta Program acknowledges that maladaptive stress mechanisms are the root cause of conditions such as “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), M.E., Long-Haul Covid, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities / Electrical / Mold Sensitivities / CIRS, MCAS, Pain Syndromes, Anxiety/Panic, Adrenal Fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, SIBO, Burnout, Lyme, and POTS.”
The Gupta Program is focused around the “3 Rs of Recovery” which are:
Retraining
Relaxing the nervous system
Re-engaging with joy
Gupta includes many healing modalities, including:
Main 7-step retraining technique (this is similar to DNRS, containing a combo of NLP and positive visualization) and shortened versions of this like the “accelerator”
Meditation
Internal Family Systems (IFS) or “parts work”
The Gupta Program also includes access to the 12-week group coaching webinars and the Facebook group. Like DNRS, Gupta also has a network of coaches you can hire for individual sessions. I’ll admit, I haven’t spent as much time connecting with people within the Gupta Program, but since it’s such a large and international program, I imagine there are a lot of people to connect with for encouragement and community support.
There are quite a few similarities between these programs, but also some differences. Let’s summarize:
The similarities:
Both DNRS and Gupta are based on the same premise: neuroplasticity and brain retraining to address the root cause of chronic stress-related conditions.
Both DNRS and Gupta include a foundation retraining technique that should be done daily, including NLP, visualization, and interrupting old “symptom thought patterns” or “POPs”
Both programs are easily accessed online, and instruction is through videos and written content. Both have the option of a printed workbook.
Both DNRS and Gupta use a lot of visualization, both for positive past memories and positive future scenarios.
Both have robust support systems for individual and group coaching, and social groups for retrainers.
Both DNRS and Gupta offer a money-back guarantee: if you follow the program and do not see benefits after 6 months, you can get a refund.
Both programs include 1 year of access to the materials, with the option to extend through monthly subscriptions beyond that. There are options for hard copies of the materials through books, DVDs, or a flash drive.
The differences:
The Gupta Program is more holistic in its approach, including not just the retraining stuff, but also guidance around sleep, sunlight exposure, diet, pacing, and mindfulness. (I don’t follow the dietary suggestions, but everything else is useful)
The Gupta Program includes advanced techniques with IFS or “parts work,” and addresses that many people with these conditions have a history of unresolved trauma.
DNRS is more structured in its approach and doesn’t allow for much flexibility in rewiring techniques, whereas Gupta is less regimented.
The Gupta Program has been around longer, and has been studied in more clinical trials and scientific research. Although, DNRS is catching up to that quickly!
The Gupta Program includes a library of guided meditations and other practices. DNRS does not include meditation as part of the program.
DNRS appears to have a more expansive and diverse social network, with many outside groups for retrainers to connect and uplift one another.
The Gupta Program offers a free 28-day trial (which I did before committing to purchasing the program). DNRS offers a 7-day free trial.
Overall, both of these brain retraining programs are quite similar, and both are very effective! I think one or the other may be better for you, depending on your personality, history, and unique needs. For me, I found that the Gupta Program resonated a bit more, due to its holistic approach and inclusion of trauma-informed practices like IFS. However, I did make good progress with DNRS alone. These days, I practice a somewhat flexible retraining routine that combines aspects of both DNRS and Gupta.
If you are ready to begin truly healing the root cause of the ME/CFS, Lyme, Fibro, POTS, MCS, or other chronic symptoms, I highly recommend investing in brain retraining. If I would have found one of the programs 14 years ago, I imagine I could have saved myself thousands of dollars, endless stress, and years of disability. But of course, better now than never!
Alright my friends, I hope this was helpful for you! Please reach out if you have any questions, or set up your own coaching session if you’d like guidance on either of these brain retraining programs.
Here’s to finally breaking free from the cycle of chasing symptoms and wasting money on ineffective treatments!
Wishing you joy and ease,
