Hypnotherapy for IBS
Living with IBS can feel exhausting. So many of my clients have told me stories of the difficulties they go through every day.
They tell me that you plan your day around your gut. It’s about where the toilets are, and what you can or can’t eat because you worry about symptoms flaring at the wrong time.
You may have been told tests are normal, yet you still feel very unwell.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.
I work with adults who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and want practical, evidence-informed help. You want to be listened to. You want to get on with your life without this worry and embarrassment.
My approach is calm, structured, and professional. I want you to feel safe and not judged. My help
focuses on regulation, not blame. And because I used to be a nurse so understand the medical side and the psychological aspects as a therapist, my approach works with both mind and body.
Why stress and the nervous system matter
Your gut is highly sensitive to your nervous system state. When your body is in threat mode, digestion changes.
Let me give you an example of that connection. I often tell people about the feelings in the abdomen if they are about to take a test. Some people get a feeling of butterflies, others feel sick and some get diarrhoea if they are very nervous. This demonstrates how your negative thoughts about a test can trigger bowel feelings.
This is important when considering IBS, as any stress and anxiety can lead to:
- Increased gut sensitivity
- Altered bowel movement patterns
- Heightened pain perception
- Anticipatory anxiety about symptoms
Over time, this creates a loop. So, symptoms increase anxiety and anxiety increases symptoms.
Hypnotherapy is designed to interrupt this loop through positive suggestions, imagination and focused attention.
Multiple clinical trials examining the efficacy of hypnotherapy for IBS show improvements in:
- Symptom severity
- Pain and bloating
- Quality of life
- Anxiety related to IBS
This is not about ‘thinking positive’.
It is about teaching your nervous system to respond differently.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy has been studied for several decades. It’s a recognised treatment for IBS.
For more information on IBS research check this article.
Häuser W. Gut-directed hypnosis and hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: a mini-review. Front Psychol. 2024 Jun 3;15:1389911. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1389911. PMID: 38887623; PMCID: PMC11181908.
Available at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38887623/
How hypnotherapy can help IBS
When clients come for help, I start with an assessment. People fill in my registration form giving me lots of general information. Before we start with the hypnotherapy, I also use other assessment tools and ask questions, so I fully understand how the IBS is controlling your life.
Clinical hypnotherapy for IBS focuses on regulation and retraining so it’s important for me to understand what you do now and want for the future.
I base my work on an internationally known protocol called the Manchester Protocol for IBS.
Most people I help have relief after five or six sessions, but occasionally more might be needed. In sessions, we work to:
- Calm the autonomic nervous system through learning how to relax the mind and body
- Reduce gut-focused anxiety, fear and any other barriers to change
- Reframe unhelpful thoughts and threat responses in the brain
- Improve your sense of control and confidence
I can also offer education and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) alongside hypnotherapy if required as CBT and hypnosis have high efficacy levels.
I also provide audio recordings to listen to at home.
I want you to feel safe, reassured and supported.
Free 30 Minute Consultation
Contact Linda to arrange your first free consultation.
What is IBS?
IBS is a functional gut disorder.
This means the gut looks structurally normal, but it does not function smoothly. Sometimes it slows down. Sometimes the process of elimination speeds up and for some people the gut alternates between different speeds.
Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Bloating and discomfort
- Diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating patterns
- Urgency and anxiety around bowel habits
- Sometimes aches and pains in other parts of the body
Research shows IBS is closely linked to the gut–brain axis. This is the two-way communication system between your digestive system and your nervous system.
What causes IBS?
The exact cause is unclear. However, it is thought that there are a variety of triggers including:
- Bacterial infections
- Food intolerances
- Stressful life events especially in childhood
- Over sensitive colon or immune system
Lots of my clients ask me about stress and anxiety related to IBS. Some people believe that stress and anxiety trigger IBS, but I have seen that it can also maintain the symptoms.
Benefits I offer
I bring a health-informed, therapeutic approach to IBS support.
You benefit from:
- A practitioner with over 18 years in clinical practice
- A background in nursing, psychology, counselling, and hypnotherapy
- Experience working with stress-related and functional conditions
- A calm, ethical, non-judgemental style
- Sessions that are tailored to you. As IBS does not look the same in everyone.
Your triggers, symptoms, and history matter.
I do not promise cures, rather, I help you build regulation, resilience, and symptom control so you can get on with your life.
What sessions usually involve
- Your work with me may include:
- A clear assessment of symptoms and triggers
- Education about the gut–brain connection
- Hypnosis focused on gut regulation and comfort
- Techniques to reduce flare-up anxiety
- Practical strategies you can use between sessions
Sessions are available online, so you can work with me wherever you live with no worries of travelling or needing a toilet. Book a complimentary consultation and find out more.
I am based in Bournemouth, Dorset, and support clients across the UK and internationally.
Hypnotherapy Prices
Bronze
Hypnotherapy session of up to one hour in duration- One hynotherapy session of up to one-hour duration.
- Plus:
- A hypnotic relaxation audio recording (MP3) download
- Excludes stop smoking
Silver
Programme of 3 hypnotherapy sessions- Save £60
- Each session lasts up to one hour in duration
- Plus:
- A hypnotic relaxation audio recording (MP3) download
- Handouts and worksheets If required
Gold
Programme of 4 hypnotherapy sessions- Save £90
- The most popular hypnotherapy programme
- Each session lasts up to one hour in duration
- Plus:
- A hypnotic relaxation audio recording (MP3) download
- Handouts and worksheets if required
- E-book- Tips and Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Platinum
Programme of 5 hypnotherapy sessions- Save £120
- Each session lasts up to one hour in duration
- Plus:
- One or more hypnotic audio recordings (MP3) download
- Handouts and worksheets if required
- E-book- Tips and Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
NB All payments to be made online before the session or programme or on the day only if in person in my office.
How to Book
Unlike some therapists, I want to make sure you get the right therapy before you buy.
I offer a free 30-minute consultation so we can get to know each other first.
Hypnotherapy Sessions at My Practice
If you live in or around the Bournemouth area, you may prefer to visit my practice for your hypnotherapy sessions.
I provide a safe, relaxing and calm environment where we can start to overcome your anxiety. The practice is easy to find, and plenty of free parking is available, as well as being on local bus routes.
However, your first free consultation will always be online, and many of my clients find this works better for them.
Online Hypnotherapy
Online hypnotherapy is worth considering, especially if you find it hard to travel or live outside the Bournemouth area.
I have been trained in providing online hypnotherapy and have clients from around the world. Providing you have access to a private internet connection and webcam; there is no reason why this wouldn't work for you.
Online hypnosis has many benefits, which include cost-effectiveness, comfort and practicality.
