By Jane Pendry

DFSH, HPD, BA Hons (London), PGCE (Cantab), Reg CNHC, AfSFH, MNCH, ABNLP, ABH, IARTT, CTAA, Multi-award winning, International Hypnotherapist

NB: You need a formal diagnosis of IBS from your doctor to eliminate other possible conditions before starting Gut Directed Hypnotherapy.

Professor Whorwell’s Gut Directed Hypnotherapy protocol

Tailored hypnotherapy, using Professor Whorwell’s Gut Directed Hypnotherapy protocol, combined with Solution Focused approaches.

Martin Z, reported persistent uncomfortable symptoms such as cramping, bloating and stabbing pains. Occasionally these were so bad he had been hospitalised.

The Gut Directed Hypnotherapy protocol alleviated Martin’s symptoms in just 4 sessions. He reports being ‘cured’ and largely symptom free and improvements in symptoms were sustained over six months.

Now Martin is able to manage and recover from occasional symptoms or set-backs more quickly and easily, and his quality of life has been greatly improved.

Who is Professor Whorwell?

Peter Whorwell is Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at the University of Manchester. He believed hypnosis might help his IBS patients relax. He discovered that hypnosis helped reduce IBS symptoms significantly. After developing the Manchester protocol he proved that his Gut Directed Protocol reduced symptoms by 30% or more and results were sustained*

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

If you have been diagnosed, and are familiar with IBS, skip this part.

Irritable, bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a biopsychological condition that affects the digestive system and has both a physical root, and is impacted by psychological symptoms like anxiety, stress, lack of sleep or conflict.

Symptoms of IBS

Typical symptoms are diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and stomach cramps. Sufferers may also experience flatulence (farting to you and me), low energy, nausea, backache, problems peeing or feeling they can’t empty your bladder, and problems with bowel control – which can be the most distressing symptom of all.

As these symptoms can be linked to more serious conditions, its extremely important to get a diagnosis of IBS from your doctor.

What causes IBS?

It is not clear what causes IBS. Researchers hypothesise contributory factors may include:

·       oversensitive nerves in the gut  - visceral hyper-sensitivity

·       disordered motility of the gut - food not moving through the gut well

·       signals from the gut are not being read correctly by the brain

·       the gut microbiome - the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut

·       the immune system of the gut

·       signals in the gut brain axis, through the vagus nerve.

·       stress and anxiety

The most common identified triggers to the start of symptoms are food poisoning or gastroenteritis.

The truth is, you cannot fully know what is causing your IBS! Nevertheless, Gut Directed Hypnotherapy nearly always has a positive impact.

How is IBS usually treated?

Typically IBS is treated with medication and by changing diet (the FODMAP diet is recommended by doctors). If medication and diet don’t work, doctors may recommend psychological interventions, usually CBT in the first instance.

Where nothing else has worked, doctors may recommend hypnotherapy (at last). It is rarely available on the NHS, except in the most serious cases. 

We will look in to why later.

What is Gut Directed Hypnotherapy?

The Manchester protocol typically involves 6 sessions of hypnotherapy. Research showed this was optimal for lasting results.

When reviewed 5 years after the GDH protocol was delivered, original positive outcomes were retained.

Each session of hypnotherapy involves direct suggestions targeted to the gut, and Ericksonian suggestions for the mind. It’s a simple process with repetition, visualisations and sensory suggestions. 

Each session includes:

·       a simple physical relaxation of the body

·       induction and deepener involving going to a safe and comfortable place

·       direct suggestions and imagery of normal gut function

·       hands on your abdomen and hand warmth and imagery of healing light

·       reframing and rehearsing daily activities with a normally functioning gut

·       tailored metaphors to reflect the client’s experience

The induction eases clients down into the alpha-to-theta brainwave state we call called trance.

Post-hypnotic suggestions reinforce the impact of the hypnosis. The format remains similar week on week, with adjustments to suit the client. The unconscious mind – and the gut - loves repetition.

Having sent a body of research to medically trained Martin, I was intrigued to learn that his opinion was there is no definitive evidence for the causes of IBS. Only theories.

Hypnotherapy for IBS and the NHS

Hypnotherapists have long understood that hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for IBS symptoms. Now, a body of research shows a 30% of reduction in symptoms or more using just Professor Whorwell’s protocol.

So why isn’t hypnotherapy recommended by the NHS?

NHS clinical guideline (CG61] states that: “Referral for psychological interventions (cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT], hypnotherapy and/or pscychological therapy) should be considered for people with IBS who do not respond to pharmacological treatments after 12 months and who develop a continuing symptom profile (described as refractory IBS states).

That’s right! Even though research indicates that Gut Directed Hypnotherapy is about twice as helpful as anything else, it is the last port of call!

Recommended by the NHS

Perhaps its due to budgets, or perhaps because hypnotherapy is not generally available through the NHS or is provided by gastro-enterologists at some expense. However, it is always worth discussing whether hypnotherapy on the NHS is available in your area with your GP if symptoms persist or are debilitating.

When did Martin contact me?

Martin contacted me in September 2023 suffering with chronic IBS.

Despite his medical training, and trying all traditional routes, Martin still had many days of chronic pain. On occasion, his pain was so bad he had been hospitalised or was curled up in agony. Like most people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Martin had taken the appropriate medication, and changed his diet. But the problem remained.

His IBS was an enduring persistent problem.  

Why Choose Hypnotherapy?

One day, Martin was walking through the street when he felt a familiar agonising, gripping pain in his gut. A pain he'd always believed had a physical root.

Martin suddenly saw a man with a car identical to one he had as a young man. A red Ford RS Turbo 1989.

The moment he saw the car, and engaged the owner in a delightful conversation, Martin’s pain went. Just like that.

The car had brought back many happy memories. The pain literally dissolved away. Martin’s symptoms were directly impacted by his thoughts and feelings. His IBS had a psychological element. Eureka!

The Exploratory Conversation

In our exploratory consultation, Martin explained how his IBS symptoms affected him daily, and the level of pain and discomfort he frequently experienced – generally moderate to high levels of pain, and occasionally intense pain.

Muzaffar was a trained medical expert with a highly scientific, logical mind. Although aware of Gut Directed Hypnotherapy, he was sceptical. He just hoped to reduce the experience of pain and discomfort, and thought it worth trying.

We discussed Professor Whorwell’s Gut Directed Hypnotherapy, using Whorwell’s trialled scripts, and the Sense-Ability Solution Focused framework with Emotional Regulation tools to help control symptoms.

Formal Assessment - Gut Directed Hypnotherapy

5th September 2023

Our brain is plastic. We have billions of neurons in the brain connected via neural pathways. These pathways can be weakend, strengthened, or broken. New neurons are created all the time.

In a nutshell, that’s the foundation of Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. Its uses the natural plasticity of the brain to help you change the way you think, act and react.

We began by discussing Best Hopes for the outcome of therapy. Martin had modest hopes. To get on with his life. To work without being bothered by too much pain. Any improvement in symptoms would be positive. Specifically, he didn’t want to be hospitalised ever again.

I shared a presentation on IBS, the causes and the evidence behind why Gut Directed hypnotherapy is generally effective. I also shared a body of research with Martin as he was certainly qualified to assess it.

Martin was asked to keep a ‘Positives Diary’ detailing what was good, what was better and what was challenging but he handled it better. He did so much more than that, as you will find out.

Martin’s earlier experience with his red Ford RS Turbo had already illustrated how his thoughts affected his feelings. He understood the value of observing and recording any exceptions – the times he did not have symptoms.

Martin’s Pain Before Therapy

Being medically trained, Martin chose to keep a professional pain scale. This was more than I could have hoped for.

The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a pain rating often used in clinical research to measure the intensity or frequency of pain a patient feels across a range from no pain at all, to extreme pain. From the patient's perspective, this spectrum appears continuous. Pain doesn’t take discrete jumps (none pain, mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain). This scale captures the idea of a continuous scale of pain.

GDH Therapeutic Session 1

12th September 2023

Using Professor Whorwell’s Protocol

In this session, Martin was asked to share his hopes for a positive outcome for this coming week. His hopes were modest for the week: a reduction in symptoms, a way to manage symptoms if they flared, and reduction in pain. Able to focus more on work.

Scaling

Martin was asked to rate his experience of IBS on a scale of 1 to 10. Where 10 indicated Martin had no symptoms of IBS; and 0 showed was he was symptom free, where was he now?

On this scale, we are moving towards a positive outcome. Martin stated he was typically about 1 on the scale. His experience of IBS was pervasive and seriously impacting his quality of life.

Delivering the Protocol

In this session, I delivered the full Professor Whorwell script without deviation or alteration. I included Martin’s own metaphor to describe his experience of pain. That’s also part of the protocol.

The Client’s Metaphor

The inclusion of the client’s metaphor – the visual image they use to describe their symptoms - is part of Professor Whorwell’s protocol. The unconscious mind understands and interprets metaphors better than ideas and logic. We know that from our dreams.

Usually metaphors related to IBS symptoms are fairly predictable – a blown up balloon for bloating, a clamp or a vice for cramping, a fist tightening around the gut. You get the picture.

As a scientist Martin chose an unusual and specific metaphor. He described a wave machine he had seen when he had studied physics.

A wave machine has a plastic tray of water, and a bar that vibrates to create and measure wave forms. When the bar is moved in the shallow end, it produces gentle or more vigorous waves depending on the adjustment of the motor.

The frequency and amplitude of waves in the machine reflected Martin’s experience of pain.  I used this imagery to describe the waves steadily slowing down until the water was flat and calm. By mentally controlling waves in his imaginary wave machine, Muzaffar could control the waves of pain caused by his IBS.

After the session, Martin told me he had enjoyed the experience, and was able to relax. He felt his gut symptoms subside throughout the session.

We recorded the session so that he could listen to it every night before bed.

Therapeutic Session 2

19th September 2023

Adapting to the Client

We began the session talking about what had been good and better for Martin this week. He reported a measurable improvement in symptoms.

Martin also gave his feedback on the induction within the hypnosis script.

The original induction involves walking down a staircase into a safe and beautiful room. The colour of the carpet was a visual ‘anchor’ linked to feeling calm and relaxed. The room

However, Martin told me that his unconscious mind took him somewhere entirely different. That’s the unconscious mind for you! As the mind relaxes, it takes us where it will. However, either way it an alpha-to-theta brainwave state during which we can change the way we think, act and react.

In this case, Muzaffar’s mind took him to a clear memory of walking into and field of wheat, lying down under the Sun and looking up at the great expanse of sky above. This memory was an experience of great peace and joy. He asked if I could adapt the induction to include this image. I agreed.

ability to think clearly and make good decisions. However, he was beginning to understand that conflict – facing challenging conversations – directly impacted his gut. He recognised the link between stress, conflict and his IBS symptoms.

Martin is scientifically trained, highly logical and rational. He didn’t fully recognise that stress was affecting his body as it didn’t affect his cognitive function.

Pain Before Therapy

Before therapy, Martin experienced a significant degree of pain every day, as recording on the Client’s Pain Scores before therapy table. As you can see, he often had to take Gaviscon and lie down, and this was fairly typical of Martin’s daily experience.

It’s safe to say, he was surprised and delighted to find that his symptoms – as recorded on the medical pain scale - had significantly reduced. He also wrote detailed notes to explain exactly how the hypnotherapy was helping him: “Often, I don’t reach the end of the recording as I drift off. I relax very rapidly into the session and much before the specific suggestions focused on the problem itself.”

Pain Scores after one week

I was so delighted with Martin’s scores and his feedback. These were significant and immediate improvements. There was a bit of a dip on Thursday but for the first week, but these results  in week 1 showed great promise.

There was one bad day when Martin scored 3.5 - more like a lower score from the week before he started therapy. He had three days when he scored 0 – no pain at all. And 3 when he scored 2 or 1 (low pain).

After discussing his positive results, Martin explained how he had observed his symptoms subsiding over the week. He had one day with moderate pain, but had not needed to lie down or take ant-acids this week.

During our follow up conversation, it became apparent that poor sleep was now a bigger issue for Martin. He commonly woke in the middle of the night and found he could not get to sleep and this was a factor in his worst day this week. Weeks of poor sleep would likely contribute to his experience of pain. 

Finding out about contributory factors is very important, and one of the reasons I like to tailor therapy to the client. We discussed ways to address the sleep issue, including using Box Breathing when he woke up in the night, progressive muscle relaxation and listening to  the recording again.

We practised Box Breathing – a method of breathing where you breathe in, hold your breath, breathe out, hold your breath and repeat in an even pattern. I sent Martin a sheet on box breathing with links to a video and a free metronome and asked him to practise this daily before listening to his recording.

This session, Professor Whorwell’s script was adapted with an induction and deepener based on Martin’s walking into the field, staring up at the sky and drifting into deep relaxation. I added in steps as inductions usually involve the sensation of moving steadily down, to mirror the mind sinking down into the subconscious. Or the shifting of brainwaves from beta brainwaves (busy and conscious) to alpha brainwaves (calm and relaxed) and down to theta brainwaves (dream state). Usually the hypnotic state hovers between the alpha and theta brainwaves states, and is not static.

The script included the core suggestions of Professor Whorwell, which are a series of long  descriptive indirect suggestions, and direct suggestions aimed at the gut.

Generally we don’t use direct suggestions.The unconscious mind can resist them. However, there are circumstances where direct suggestions, even commands, work very well. Stop smoking is one, and Gut Directed Hypnotherapy is another. By directly suggesting the gut relaxes, and describing what the relaxation of the gut feels like, the body responds to the suggestions.

Direct suggestions include envisioning power and light moving through the hands, for example, “…feel another nice surge of comfort coming out of your hands... as your tummy responds more and more to the power and energy... coming from your mind.... feel positive, feel strong, feel in control... feel a surge of well-being in your tummy.”

Clients also visualises and imagines the experience of the gut working perfectly, “visualise your gut as a river... That is flowing easily, gently and smoothly... feel it becoming more and more normal... as you visualise it flowing effortlessly ... just as you want it to flow.”

We included Martin’s metaphor – the wave machine.

Martin reported becoming very relaxed throughout. His gut felt increasingly comfortable. had a few more suggestions about the induction. He let me know that he preferred not to include stairs as he liked replicating his earlier experience exactly as it was, and there were no stairs. I explained why the idea of ‘going down stairs’ was important and that the colour of the carpet was an anchor that could help to recall the relaxed state, but agreed we could describe moving steadily down through the field, and discussed how I might adapt the script further.

Usually, I don’t need to adapt the scripts for clients, but sometimes it really helps. I had a client who preferred to climb the steps to a tower and look out over a wonderful view, which seems counter-intuitive to easing down to the subconcious; but it worked for him.

I am always happy to adapt scripts in session, and collaborate with clients, if that helps the client ease in to deeper relaxation and builds essential trust.

I agreed to record the next session for Martin so he could listen to his preferred induction.

Therapeutic Session 2

3rd October 2023

Continuing Improvement

It was a few weeks before our next session because of work and other commitments. However, Martin reported having made even more progress since the last session. 

Martin was delighted with his results. He had practised the Box Breathing daily, and found the progressive muscle relaxation helpful. He had had a couple of better night’s sleep but sleep remained a problem but he was pleased with the progress.

The Gut Directed Hypnotherapy protocol is not focused on sleep of course. However, we know that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is impacted by poor sleep. A lack of sleep has a huge impact on the body and mind and puts us under stress. Improving Martin’s sleep, was a very important part of therapy.

Any hypnosis is likely to help sleep. Hypnotherapy recordings help people get to sleep and to stay asleep. However, I adjusted the suggestions in the Gut Directed Hypnotherapy script to help Martin’s insomnia.

The alpha-to-theta brainwave state of hypnosis is strengthening and toning the vagus nerve – the longest cranial nerve in the body. By calming the vagus nerve which is the conduit for the gut brain axis, the gut relaxes, gut motility improves and visceral hypersensitivity is reduced.  At the same time, the body and mind relaxes, overall stress reduces, and we expect sleep to improve.

Martin’s Pain Scale - Week 2

As you will see Martin experienced no pain after the last session. He qualified that, saying there were days he had experienced some discomfort and pain but it scored less than 1. 

Martin observed certain emotions exacerbated the sensations of pain and these were related directly to stress and conflict Although these did not affect his intellect, they had a direct and visceral impact on his gut. 

Martin’s sleep had improved with two full nights of sleep, but in general, he still woke in the night and found it hard to go back to sleep.

The hypnotherapy script was now Professor Whorwell’s suggestions, with an induction totally tailored to Martin, the metaphor of a river moving round rocks and obstacles included in the script, and the addition of Martin’s own metaphor – the wave machine.

Martin’s observations

Over the six week period, Martin observed that pain was correlated with specific emotions. There was a direct and proportionate pattern that he had never been fully aware of before.

Martin noted that an emotion – usually potential conflict like a challenging conversation - would trigger pain. The intensity and type of emotion determined the intensity and/or duration of the pain. A directly proportionate pattern. This observation from a trained scientist and medical was illuminating. He had to actively look for the pattern to notice it!

Martin noted, “Only certain emotions could trigger the pain. Likewise, certain other emotions had no effect and some emotions could even erase the pain once started. I have proof that is the case. The emotional pathway is initiated by an event. The event cascades into an emotion. The emotion type then triggers off the symptoms. Some emotions can be dramatic and result in an immediately strong emotion with immediate pain.”

Martin added, “However, most of the emotions DO NOT start in this fashion.  After an event, the emotion starts off almost imperceptibly and innocuously. It just lurks in the background like a gate-crasher hanging around waiting to sneak to a party. It then slowly and continuously escalates until it becomes the main highlight and then pain commences.”

Another example of how Martin noted how emotion reduced his pain, was when he walked into a vinyl record shop and immediately felt pain subside and ease away. He noted there were many times positive emotions could impact his experience of pain.

This awareness of how emotion both creates the sensations of pain, and alleviates it, has been helpful in itself. By understanding how his thoughts affect his body, Martin reported explained he was better able to control the pain and his responses to it.

Martin’s homework including carrying on with box breathing, progressive muscle relaxation before sleep or when waking, listening to the new recording we made in this session, and monitoring his thoughts. He would also keep his Positives Diary – what’s been good, what’s been better, what was challenging but he handled it better - and continuing to keep a record of his experience of pain on his VAS pain scale.

Therapeutic Session 4

25th October 2024

Tackling Poor Sleep

In the third session, we focused mostly on Martin’s sleep issues as his IBS was under control. We first covered what was good and better, and Martin continued to feel the improvements and to sustain them. So much so, that his main concern was now sleep.

Martin’s pain had stayed low, with just one bad day, Saturday so we didn’t speak about that much.

He had sent me an email explaining falling asleep was not a problem but using sleeping pills or alcohol no longer helped him. He woke up at 3.00am “like clockwork”. At 6.30am at the start of the day, he was exhausted and remained extremely tired all day. He then finds it hard to concentrate at work, becomes anxious, is not so effective in the day, is irritable and has frequent headaches. About 3 days a week he had do nap for 30 to 50 minutes a day. This is the impact insomnia has on us.

Martin had been run down with a cold and hadn’t kept up with his pain scale but he did report on the most recent week. He had missed the recording a few nights too. But still his pain was under control. He wrote, “I apologise if this is a spanner in the works however, the good thing in a way is that I can cope with the functional gastric disease better than my current sleep malfunction which is causing incontrovertible disarray.” I think, on the contrary, this was an opportunity to demonstrate how meeting the client’s needs, and working towards the outcomes they want, requires a flexible approach.

We discussed what was happening with his sleep, and his best hopes for a good night’s sleep. He said, “I go to sleep quite well but I wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake. I tend to go downstairs and do my cryptic crossword before going back to bed.”

I don’t think many of us would find a cryptic crossword puzzle a good way to unwind the mind! Martin did see the irony. Cryptic crossword puzzles by definition require us (if we even have any capacity to do them) to be alert, focused and to stay in our conscious mind. This is not conducive to sleep! It will stimulate us and make us more alert.

Martin agreed, so in our Solution Focused conversation I asked him what a good night’s sleep looked like. What difference it would make to him? What would his day be like after a good night’s sleep? And what might he do instead of a cryptic crossword?

Describing in detail, Martin outlined how much better his days would be if he had a good night’s sleep. He was able to recall times he functioned really well and dealt with stress better after a good night’ sleep (strengths and resources). And he was able to describe good sleep hygiene and what he might do instead of the cryptic crossword to get back to sleep.

Though Solution Focused questioning, Martin was able to imagine a more helpful routine when he woke in the night. This included Box Breathing, progressive muscle relaxation (ideal

He described doing the progressive muscle relaxation and the box breathing when he woke up and not doing anything stimulating. By expecting he could go back to sleep, rather than believing insomnia was a norm, would like help him get back to sleep.

It now appeared his phenomenal memory enabled him to recall the field of wheat and the blue sky, and the suggestions with relative ease. This is, of course, is self hypnosis and he believed he could use this more in the coming weeks.

Having had a couple of good nights sleep a week, he now knew it was possible. He also reported he had kept his IBS symptoms at bay.

Therapeutic Session 3 - Hypnosis

This hypnosis session included the tailored induction (into the field) with the IBS relief direct suggestions and indirect suggestions, and his tailored metaphor. The unconscious loves repetition, and we stick to Professor Whorwell’s core structure and language patterns following the induction.

I included suggestions about sleep in this session - getting to sleep, staying asleep, sleeping through the night, waking up refreshed. I drew on Martin’s answers in my descriptions.

Martin’s Homework

Martin was to continue keeping his Positives Diary, recording these reflections morning, lunchtime, and supper time. This time he would include things he was grateful for. This was to help him change his mindset and his brain chemistry, and remind him he had the capability and capacity to change his habits.

The progressive muscle relaxation is used by soldiers in combat zones to calm the body fast). Doing this when he wakes in the night, and listening to the recording or doing some self hypnosis would replace his cryptic crossword! I added in yoga eye exercises – the eyes are connected to the vagus nerve - to help switch the brain from left to write and disengage his critical and analytical mind, and help him to return to sleep.  

One of Martin’s solutions was to outline his routine for the week: the anchor points in his day; the daily and weekly hours he would like want to work; and his sleep routine. The aim here was to help Martin articulate and clarify what it felt like to be in control of his week, and to help him him embed this as a new norm.

Therapeutic Session 4

Sleeping Better, IBS Symptoms resolved

When Martin returned, he reported improvement in his new sleep routines, and successfully getting back to sleep in his Positives Diary, alongside sustained improvement in his IBS symptoms.

With regard to IBS symptoms, Martin felt very much that he had mastered this issue. His pain was generally 0 and a couple of days there was pain or discomfort but it was scored as less than 1 (a quarter or a half) as is indicated on the table. Now each week pain is either less than

Any symptoms did not last long and passed quickly. He is now able to address the emotional triggers that lead to IBS symptoms, and when he does experience pain, he gets over it quicker.

The Gut Directed Hypnotherapy protocol is typically six sessions. However, it was clear that Martin had already mastered his symptoms and sustained the gain. However, he did report that he might like to do another recording with less expression and no stairs to access his happy place – the wheat field and the blue skies.  Although, he was able to recall this place in his imagination, and remembered the suggestions well so could use self hypnosis when he needed it.

Martin’s Review

Martin contacted me with a wonderful review for my Google Business page, and here it is:

“IF YOU SUFFER FROM IBS, then this may be the way out for you from this horrible condition. 

“This is what happened to me. 

“In desperation I tried one last attempt to find a way out of my irritable bowel syndrome known as IBS. Having suffered with pain for many years I had already tried all the medications and tests but they failed to provide any proper relief. 

“I then started treatment with Jane in conjunction with Professor Whorwell’s protocol using hypnotherapy. Altogether I had four sessions with her. 

“Coming from a medical profession, I was a total sceptic, however I noticed that my pain levels decreased significantly and now they are at a level where they do not bother me at all during my day-to-day activities. 

“Before hypnotherapy, I used to be in so much pain that IBS would disrupt my work and even on the occasion I have had to visit accidental and emergency in severe pain.  

“I have been so impressed with Jane that now I have continued working with her but more on a coaching role. She is brilliant and always works diligently to a strict ethical ethos. 

If you have IBS, then you should seriously consider investing your time into using the techniques that Jane can offer you.”

Further follow up May 2024

Martin got back in touch with me for a review of the impact the gut directed hypnotherapy's had on his life, and following his review appointment with his own GP. Although his GP was aware that hypnotherapy was a successful therapy for IBS, The process of recommended by NICE didn't make it possible for him to direct people towards hypnotherapy as the first port of call; despite having hundreds of patients with IBS! How frustrating.

After the review appointment with his GP, Martin contacted me with immediate feedback. And this is what he said:

“I had a review appointment with my GP at 4pm, just now.

“He said that he was really pleased and frankly amazed about my progress. He has decided to taper my medications off within the next 4 weeks; and he asked me, what effect this had been on me. I have a greater level of energy and purpose in life.

“It used to be stressful just anticipating when pain could occur. In addition, it severely limited my work patterns. Now, I feel a new invigoration on a daily basis. 

“My GP asked me, how I had been over the last 4 weeks: I told him that on most days, there are no symptoms at all and no need for medications.

When, there are symptoms, the intensity is about a third to a half of previous levels. and, they last about only half as long as previously.

“I did have a bad 5 days about 3 weeks ago and resumed listening to your Recordings for these 5 days and got back on track.”

“I am so grateful to you and my GP, and I feel really grateful and fortunate.”

Gut Directed Hypnotherapy - Conclusion

It is clear that Gut Directed Hypnotherapy has been absolutely successful in reducing Martin’s pain and IBS symptoms.

Pain from IBS had once dominated his life.

Many months after finishing treatment, Martin was still experiencing almost no pain. When he does have low levels of pain, it lasts between 15 minutes and 30 minutes, rather than two hours. When it is present, Martin scores pain as less than one on the pain scale. Martin’s sleep has improved too and he is often able to sleep through the night now.

Martin had only 4 sessions, not the 6 recommended. He had suggested a further session to tailor the recording even more to his exact specifications but that never seemed to be needed, and the improvements made were sustained.

For Martin, Gut Directed Hypnotherapy hasn’t just been about reducing the pain and discomfort of irritable bowel syndrome. He was now no longer concerned about what might happen or what could happen because of his IBS. His overall stress has reduced. His quality of life has improved dramatically.

What is Martin’s life like now?

Most days, Martin experiences no symptoms. When he does, he has no difficulty challenging the sensations of pain and addressing them himself. Knowing the script so well he is able to hypnotise himself.

Martin, was absolutely clear that he had been 'cured'. His words not mine! I pointed out that an accredited hypnotherapist would never claim to cure! However, he replied, “I don’t care. I am cured.”

No longer taking medication, his GP was impressed with the outcome of our work together. Frustrated that his GP was not able to refer clients for hypnotherapy easily, Martin felt Gut Directed Hypnotherapy had been far more helpful than diet or medication.

We talk about a gut punch when we feel overwhelmed by a bitter blow. We have gut instinct that tells us when things feel right. We say we are gutted when something goes wrong. We have always been aware that the gut is in some sense the seat of our emotions.

The gut is a second brain. It can give us clear signals that we need to change something in our lifestyle to improve our overall health.

Martin now views his gut as a barometer of his health rather than a problem. Any gut symptoms tell him that he is stressed, or that he's finding a challenging potential conflict difficult, and he needs to address his emotional state himself. That's an interesting reframe.

Martin Z is a pseudonym as my client wishes to remain anonymous

References:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61/chapter/recommendations

https://www.healthandcareleeds.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/13c-4-IBS-psychology-2910141.pdf

Guts UK: The charity for the digestive system; the gut, liver and pancreas. – What Causes IBS?

Ref: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - Symptoms - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Ref: Frontiers | Gut-directed hypnosis and hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: a mini-review (frontiersin.org)