This Unexpected Type Of Treatment May Be A Surefire Way To Improve Your IBS Symptoms
When I hear the word hypnosis, I picture an auditorium of people lulled into a zombie-like state with a snap of fingers from a commanding figure on stage. Of course, that's just one (theatrical) type of hypnosis—but it turns out that you can actually use hypnosis to treat medical conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome.
IBS, a functional gut disorder with symptoms including stomach pain, changes in stool, constipation or diarrhea, can be treated through gut-directed hypnotherapy (GDH), says Meredith R. Craven, PhD, director of GI behavioral medicine and clinical assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. GDH can treat IBS—as well as other digestive tract conditions—by improving the communication between the gut and the brain.
Meet the experts: Meredith R. Craven, PhD, is the director of GI behavioral medicine and a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Megan E. Riehl, PsyD, is a GI psychologist and the clinical program director of GI Behavioral Health at the University of Michigan Medicine.
There are other ways to treat IBS first, like through diet and medication, so GDH is usually not the first line of defense. It comes in when initial treatment options fail or fall short, and is part of a multi-pronged treatment plan that also includes diet and medication. 'Hypnotherapy is especially effective for IBS when symptoms are persistent despite dietary changes or medications, or when stress and anxiety are significant contributors to symptom flares,' says Megan E. Riehl, PsyD, GI psychologist and clinical program director of GI Behavioral Health at the University of Michigan Medicine.
If you're struggling with IBS, gut-directed hypnotherapy might offer relief. Ahead, find out exactly how GDH works, and whether it might be the right treatment plan for you.
IBS And The Gut-Brain Axis
While IBS involves many physical symptoms, it's a gut-brain interaction disorder. 'Your brain and your gut are constantly talking to each other through a network of nerves (especially the vagus nerve), hormones, and immune signals,' says Riehl.
For people living with IBS, this communication system becomes overactive. When that occurs, the gut becomes more sensitive and the brain more reactive, amplifying symptoms like pain, bloating, or urgency in the digestive system. Treatments like GDH work by retraining this system, calming the nervous system, and reducing gut hypersensitivity.
A good way to understand the gut-brain axis is to think of a conductor leading an orchestra, says Craven. You need them to be communicating back and forth consistently in order to create beautiful music. 'The brain and the gut are constantly influencing each other, keeping each other up to date on what's going on,' says Craven. When the chatter is off and messages aren't going through, the music isn't going to sound good. Or in the case of the gut and brain, when they don't work together properly, those common IBS symptoms can appear.
How Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy Works
'GDH is a highly specialized form of hypnosis that focuses on calming the communication between the brain and the gut,' which sets it apart from dietary changes or medications, says Riehl. 'It addresses the brain-gut axis directly, helping to modulate how the brain perceives and responds to gut sensations.' So, instead of just treating the symptoms, it focuses on the underlying issues, like nervous system dysregulation, which can cause IBS.
Even though IBS is a gut/brain communication issue, GDH isn't usually used first for treatment because medication and dietary changes are effective and easier to prescribe, plus, there are fewer gastrointestinal psychologists than general gastrointestinal doctors, says Craven. So, many patients will see a general gastroenterologist for diet and medication treatments, and then if they aren't working, they'll later go to gastrointestinal psychologist for additional treatment.
The goal of a GDH session is to retrain communication between the brain and the gut by putting you in a trance-like mental state 'when the mind is very focused, yet also open to suggestion,' says Craven. Hypnotizing gets a patient in this calm, receptive state that allows the nervous system and gut to get communication going properly. (It's a similar feeling to when you're in a dark movie theater and you're so immersed in the screen that you don't notice anything going on in the seats around you.)
Here's how sessions work: Craven usually guides patients into a deeply relaxed state. Patients will find a spot on the ceiling to look at, then she'll count to three, then by three, they (voluntarily) close their eyes. After that, the patient will focus on relaxing their body to enter the trance state.
Then, Craven uses science-based scripts tailored to GI symptoms, like calming visualizations and metaphors that help promote better gut functioning. The scripts target the hypervigilance of the brain and the hypersensitivity of the gut.
Say you struggle with going to events, like dinners with friends, because you're worried your IBS might flare up—and then it leads to those tummy troubles. In a session, your provider might say phrases like: 'You're drinking a cooling liquid that is flowing through your entire digestive system and providing a healing coating. This coating will allow you to pay less and less attention to symptoms, and you'll focus more on things that are enjoyable to you,' says Craven.
You're in control of your treatment.One big misconception of hypnosis is that it's a form of mind control. In reality, as the patient, you are always fully in control of your actions and sensations, says Craven. The state of being hypnotized is that trance-like, meditative state, so you can choose to leave that trance at any moment—like if you open your eyes.
GDH is very effective in terms of relieving symptoms, according to a 2024 review of studies on the topic in Frontiers in Psychology. When used with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), hypnotherapy can also improve one's psychological well-being and quality of life, even in virtual sessions, per a 2020 review of studies on the effects of CBT and GDH in Current Gastroenterology Reports.
'Many patients report a reduction in abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel irregularities, along with a greater sense of control, confidence and improved quality of life,' says Riehl. 'What I find most rewarding is seeing patients regain trust in their bodies and return to activities they once avoided.'
How To Start Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy
If you decide to try it, treatment generally includes a series of weekly virtual or in-person 45-minute visits with a gastrointestinal psychology provider. (Craven recommends searching on Romegipsych.org, which can show you vetted providers in your area according to your zip code.)
When it comes to cost, each session may run about $125 to $250, though insurance may help lower how much you owe, says Riehl. You can also try GDH in a more affordable way through apps (including Nerva by Mindset Health and The Calm Gut App), which are also recommended as an accessible GDH option by Craven. It offers the same GDH protocol you'd experience in a doctor's office, but in a self-guided format. In order to experience effective symptom relief, you need to be self-motivated and disciplined to complete the full course solo, advises Craven.
The app is even research-backed: In a 2025 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, 240 adults with IBS did a 42-session daily program with the app or they didn't use it, and logged their symptoms over six months. Overall, there were improvements in reducing pain, quality of life, and psychological status. Similarly, in a 2023 study in Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 190 participants completed 42 Nerva sessions between June 2019 and April 2020, and experienced reduced abdominal pain.
Learning more about GDH is also a good reminder to take care of your mental health. 'The fact that hypnotherapy is effective for IBS tells us a great deal about the brain-gut connection and how deeply interconnected our mental and physical health truly are,' says Riehl. So, when you're feeling better mentally, your body will also hopefully follow suit.
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