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IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) affects up to 20% of the population. It’s not life-threatening, but for many, it’s life-altering. Fortunately, hypnotherapy offers real hope and relief for IBS sufferers. If you’re a hypnotherapy practitioner or hypnotherapy student, here’s how you can work confidently with clients who have IBS.
Why Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
When my daughter
was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome as a teenager, I saw firsthand how this condition can impact every aspect
of life - from school and
socialising to simply leaving the house without worrying about where the
nearest toilet was. That experience sparked my interest in working with IBS, and over the
years, it’s become one of my areas of specialist interest in practice.
The symptoms
of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, usually
including abdominal pain and changes
in bowel habits, are thought to be related to problems with how the brain and gut communicate and
interact.
It’s one of the areas where the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends
hypnotherapy, as well as CBT, and psychological therapy, especially when symptoms persist for more than twelve months despite medical treatment.
Hypnotherapy has been shown to reduce symptoms in 70–80% of clients, and (unlike
taking meds) its effects often
continue after therapy ends (Whorwell, 2004).
Of course, not
all clients want to wait a full year
to seek help. If their IBS has been diagnosed by a GP and other serious
conditions have been ruled out, you can safely and ethically work with them
earlier than that.
Before you Start Working with IBS
Before beginning treatment, there are a few essential boxes
to tick:
- Ensure the client
has a proper IBS diagnosis
from a medical practitioner (i.e., that they
are not self-diagnosed).
- Advise them to
inform their GP that they are using hypnotherapy.
- Look out for
red-flag symptoms such as blood in stools, unexplained weight loss, fever, or
diarrhoea that disturbs sleep. You need to refer these back to the GP straight away.
- If you have no medical qualifications, you must make it clear that you are not doing anything medical. Use careful language: say you aim to ‘reduce symptoms’ or ‘change your perception of the pain’ rather than use words like ‘treat’ or ‘cure.
Planning Your IBS Hypnotherapy Sessions
Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms and
triggers vary, so you need to remain flexible in your approach. There are protocols, like the
Manchester Model or Mahoney’s OPSIM, that provide structure,
but you don’t need to follow a rigid approach. You can build a customised
programme using proven principles such as deep relaxation, guided imagery,
cognitive tools, and stress management.
Here’s an example
of how a 4–6 session structure might look:
Session 1: Intake
and Relaxation Skills
As always, begin
with a thorough client history
and rapport-building. A dedicated IBS questionnaire can help gather useful
details such as dietary triggers, symptom patterns, and emotional impact.
Session 2: Healing
Metaphors
Tailored metaphors work well with Irritable Bowel Syndrome clients, and there are a few around. See the bottom of this page for more information about my IBS scripts, and you can always create your own based on your client's likes and interests.
Session 3: Pain
Control Techniques
Pain is a major
symptom for many IBS sufferers. Glove anaesthesia, changing modalities, and other hypnotic pain relief methods
can be very useful.
Session 4: Stress
& Anxiety Management
Most clients report
a reduction in stress-related Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms by this point, but it’s worth
dedicating a session to it. CBT-style approaches work well here, such as
diaries, thought or symptom records, affirmations and so on. It’s a good idea to revisit the client’s intake form to measure
change and ensure you’ve covered all the issues it raised.
Session 5
onwards: Individualised Needs
Additional sessions
might include motivation for
lifestyle changes (diet, smoking cessation, exercise). Address secondary
gain if there is any. And of course, you can shuffle these session ideas into a different order if it's more appropriate for your client's situation.
Don’t forget to use
SUDS ratings (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) in every session. Having
clients rate symptoms from 0-10
helps both of you track
progress. I also give clients audios to listen to at home to keep the
momentum going.
In my experience, it’s unlikely a client will show much long-term
improvement after just one session. Consistency is usually the key, so consider offering discounts for
block bookings to encourage ongoing
attendance.
Tailoring IBS Hypnotherapy to Your Client
The nice
thing about building your own programme is that it lets you adjust to the person in
front of you. For example:
- A high-achieving
client may benefit from control-based metaphors.
- A creative type
might respond best to storytelling and more fanciful imagery.
- A client with trauma history may need grounding and safety-focused visualisations before gut-specific suggestions.
In conclusion
Working with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
isn’t just about gut symptoms. It’s
about helping clients get their lives back. Hypnotherapy offers a unique
combination of physiological and psychological support, and the work you do can
make a lasting difference.
Whether you choose
to follow an established model or create your own framework, remember this:
effective therapy isn’t about the protocol, it’s about the person.
And, as I found out
with my daughter, sometimes it’s
personal too.
Further Information:
My ebook on working with IBS contains an overview of the research, a detailed 4-session programme and two hypnotherapy scripts. It's just £1.99 from this link:
BUY IBS EBOOK
References:
NICE (2008). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE Clinical Guideline CG61.
Whorwell, P. J., et al. (2004). Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS: Results and implications. Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of Anxiety to Calm: a Practical Guide to a Laid-Back Life, The Hypnotherapist's Companion, Their Worlds, Your Words, and The Metaphor Toolbox, all available from Amazon or direct from the author. Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi-accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision
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