Hypnotherapy for IBS & health anxiety

How hypnotherapy can help with IBS

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IBS is often more than just a physical issue. Many people notice that symptoms are closely linked to stress, anxiety, and how their body responds to pressure. You might feel stuck in a cycle where symptoms increase anxiety, and anxiety makes symptoms worse.

Hypnotherapy for IBS works by calming the gut-brain connection and reducing the body’s stress response. This can help ease symptoms, reduce sensitivity, and give you a greater sense of control.

It’s not that anything is wrong with you. Your system has often become more reactive, and hypnotherapy helps settle that response.

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Mentally planning your day around your body, where is the nearest toilet, when can I next go, I can't risk eating that. All understandable and wise responses to life with IBS and health anxieties but things would be so much better if you could take some of the worry and concern away.

Focus on the strength of your body and mind, not it's weakest part

Stress shows up in your body through inflammation, when you feed the fire with more worry it is a negative cycle which feels impossible to escape from. We look at how your attention is currently being used and how that is influencing what you feel.

Then we change that.

That might involve reducing the constant internal monitoring, breaking the link between sensation and reaction, and helping your system settle rather than stay on alert.

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As a sufferer of IBD, I understand what the physological effects of health anxiety, take back control of the part you can control, which how you think and behave.

Outcome

Less monitoring. Less reactivity. A quieter, more stable baseline.

Common challenges

You routinely scan your body to work out what it’s doing. You think ahead to situations and quietly calculate how “safe” they are. You feel more comfortable when you know exactly where you are, what you’ve eaten, and what might happen. Your body gives you anxiety. Ultimately, you’re not just dealing with symptoms, you’re dealing with the constant anticipation of them.

How it works

Hypnotherapy works by calming the nervous system and changing the patterns that keep you stuck in stress, anxiety or overthinking. By working at a deeper level than conscious thinking alone, it helps you respond differently to challenges and feel more in control day to day.
Hypnotherapy for new parents can help you feel calmer, more in control, and better able to cope with the mental and emotional demands of early parenthood.

What to expect

Sessions are practical, focused and tailored to your situation. We’ll identify what’s driving the pressure, work on reducing immediate symptoms, and build longer-term changes so you feel calmer, clearer and more confident as a parent.
Sessions are available in St Albans and online.

explore other types of therapy

Hypnotherapy for Career stress & anxiety

If you are constantly replaying conversations, rehearsing conflict, waking up thinking about work, or struggling to work out what comes next, this is a practical way to regain clarity, calm, and control.

Hypnotherapy for Golf & Sports Performance

For competitive sports people who want to work on the mental aspect of their game, I help improve focus, composure, confidence, and performance under pressure by working on the mental patterns that interfere when it matters most.

Hypnotherapy for other anxieties, unwanted habits and phobias

Anxieties, unwanted habits, and phobias, I help clients understand and change the patterns driving fear, avoidance, and automatic behaviour so they can respond with more calm, control, and freedom.

Hypnotherapy for New Parents

Dealing with the changes to you and your life after becoming a new parent.

Feel good - on the go

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Hypnosis can be misunderstood

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy CBH, is a modern and scientifically based form of hypnosis. CBT is the most recommended form of therapy by the NHS, combined with hypnosis it is a powerful technique to make changes in your attitudes and behaviours. It is evidence based and is designed with making positive changes in the future.

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What is CBHypnosis?

CBH is a practical combination of CBT and hypnosis. CBT helps you understand and challenge the thinking patterns that are driving the problem. Hypnosis helps you actually change how those patterns feel and respond in real time. It’s not about analysing the past or “being put under.” It’s a structured, forward-focused way of changing how your mind operates day to day.

Is CBHypnosis right for me?

If you’re aware something isn’t working, but thinking harder hasn’t fixed it, then yes, it’s likely a good fit. It works best for people who are used to being in control, but can see that some of their thinking patterns have become automatic and unhelpful. You don’t need to believe in it yet, just be open to approaching the problem differently.

How is this different to talking therapy?

Talking can help you understand the problem. This is about changing it. Whilst there will be elements of talking therapy to understand the issue, the focus is less on analysing the past and more on how your mind is working now. Then how to shift it so things actually feel different day to day.

What kind of things can this help with and how quickly?

Anything driven by habitual thinking patterns, such as anxieties, stress, overthinking, internal pressure, sleep issues, confidence, performance, or feeling stuck in a way of operating that isn’t working anymore. Our brains are prediction machines, currently it is predicting negativity, through relaxation, focus and visualisation we can change what happens next.
You should start to notice shifts early on, often within the first couple of sessions. This isn’t open-ended. We’re working towards specific changes, not just having ongoing conversations. Changes can be subtle but powerful.

What does hypnosis feel like?

It is not like stage hypnosis or what you have seen on the TV or in films. You remain in control, aware and conscious at all times. If you are open to the concept of deep relaxation and focused attention then hypnosis can work for you. Hypnosis at it's best feels deeply relaxing, similar to the state we are in just before falling asleep, still awake but in a dream like state.

I've tried things like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork and other self help, how is this different?

These approaches are powerful in their own right and are helpful in moments. This goes a level deeper by bringing those ideas together into something structured, so you’re not just managing symptoms, you’re changing the pattern underneath.