Gut-directed hypnotherapy: a clinical treatment for IBS

“Hypnosis” can sound very different from the kind of care you were looking for. It is reasonable to ask what it involves, why it is being suggested, and whether it has actually been studied for digestive symptoms.

The research is about digestive symptoms

In the IMAGINE randomized trial, adults with IBS received six sessions of individual hypnotherapy, group hypnotherapy, or educational supportive therapy. The hypnotherapy groups were more likely to report adequate symptom relief at three and 12 months than the comparison group (Flik et al., 2019). “Adequate relief” was the study’s outcome; it does not mean that everyone became symptom-free.

The trial tested defined treatment formats. It does not prove that any recording labeled hypnosis will have the same effect.

In a session with me

I explain the exercise before we begin. I use guided attention and gut-focused imagery, adapted to what we are working on. We can discuss the language, your comfort, and what you noticed afterward. There is room to ask for a different approach.

You do not need to perform relaxation for me. I want your honest feedback, including when an exercise feels unfamiliar or does not fit.

Practice beyond the appointment

During our work, I provide customized hypnosis MP3 recordings for practice between sessions. We discuss when and how to use them and review your experience at the next appointment. Use recordings in a safe setting, never while driving or doing an activity that requires your full attention.

Hypnosis is one part of the individualized care I offer, alongside CBT and supporting skills. It complements medical care; it does not replace investigation of new symptoms. Explore what studies can tell us about treatment length.

References

Flik, C. E., Laan, W., Zuithoff, N. P. A., van Rood, Y. R., Smout, A. J. P. M., Weusten, B. L. A. M., Whorwell, P. J., & de Wit, N. J. (2019). Efficacy of individual and group hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome (IMAGINE): A multicentre randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 4(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2468-1253(18)30310-8 (opens in a new tab)

For general education, not diagnosis or an individual treatment recommendation. Discuss new, severe, or changing symptoms with your medical team.