Solms and Turnbull consider the Gut (and more broadly the entire viscera) to be a critical waystation between the internal world (brain) and the external world. What happens in our external environment at any one point influences the operations of our viscera, and our viscera, in turn, influences the actions we take in the external world (Solms and Turnbullo, 2002, p. 29). In many ways, the actions taken are instinctual in nature and align closely with our emotional state. Traditional psychoanalysts might identify the forces driving these actions as being those of the Id.
Furthermore, our gut and other elements of our viscera (such as our heart) are closely linked to our brain and are profoundly influenced by the operations of our brain (especially our lower-level reptilian brain and our limbic system). The gut, in turn, extensively influences what happens in our brain. In many ways, our Gut serves as a second brain. While the Gut has often been considered an Id-based element of the human psyche, it is probably better to consider it to also be an element of the Ego.
As a waystation between our internal and external world, as a venue for adjustments of internal physiological operations, and as a second brain, our Gut serves many important functions. Among them is the monitoring of our emotional state and reactions to this state. It is this function to which Dr. Freud referred when working with Daniel. Many other important functions are also being served, of which Dr. Freud and all of us who do professional coaching should be aware. At this point, I bring in my colleague, Gay Teurman. Together, we have identified a complex set of Gut-related functions that we group as the Committee of the Gut. I offer an extended description, adapted from Salus! An Appeal to Good Health, a book that Gay Teurman and I have just co-authored with Jeremy Fish (Bergquist, Fish and Teurman, 2026).
There are many ways in which human beings bring together entities from inside their mind and body, along with entities from outside their body, in order to create meaning or energy. At nighttime, this assembling and assimilation often occurs through our dreaming function. Deirdre Barrett (Barrett, 2001) has labeled this function “the committee of sleep.” When we are awake, similar dream-like assembling occurs through daydreaming or engaging in mindfulness processes (such as meditation).
However, the major assimilation we do during the day involves something other than memories, images, or psychological desires. Vital assimilation occurs when we convert the food we digest into energy. However, the Gut is much more than just a digestive organ. The Gut serves as a central hub within a network. It represents six interconnected roles that reflect how healthy systems operate. As with the dreams we weave, the Gut operates like a committee, with many contributing agents. Within the metaphor of the “Committee of the Gut,” each role can be envisioned as a member with distinct responsibilities that together ensure the overall health and adaptability of the system. This committee evaluates incoming substances, decides how to process them, and coordinates responses to meet both immediate needs and long-term balance. By acting collectively, the committee sustains both the integrity and the flexibility of the entire organism.
