London & online appointments
Hypnotherapy for IBS and gut-directed hypnotherapy
Do your IBS symptoms flare up when you are stressed or anxious? Do you plan your day around where the nearest toilet is, or avoid eating out in case your gut plays up? I help people explore the stress, anxiety and subconscious patterns that can contribute to IBS symptoms, so they can feel calmer, more comfortable and more confident in daily life.
Hello, I’m Susannah. I am a fully qualified hypnotherapist with 20+ years of experience, offering clinical hypnotherapy in the City of London, near Liverpool Street, and online. I help people with IBS using gut-directed hypnotherapy, which aims to calm an oversensitive gut and the stress that can set off symptoms. I also support people whose IBS affects their work and social life, or who feel anxious about their symptoms. Contact me to find out more or book your initial consultation.
Prices and appointmentsYour first appointment includes hypnosis.
What hypnotherapy for IBS can help with
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, long-term condition that affects the digestive system. Symptoms tend to come and go, and flare-ups can be hard to predict.
Hypnotherapy for IBS can help with:
- tummy pain and cramps
- bloating and a swollen, uncomfortable tummy
- diarrhoea, constipation or both
- a sudden, urgent need for the toilet
- anxiety and stress linked to your symptoms
- avoiding food, travel or social plans because of your gut
It aims to ease the physical symptoms and the worry that often comes with them.
What is gut-directed hypnotherapy?
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a form of hypnotherapy developed specifically for IBS. It was pioneered by Professor Peter Whorwell in Manchester in the 1980s and has been researched ever since.
It uses hypnosis to help calm the gut and change how the brain responds to signals from it. NICE recommends considering referral for hypnotherapy or other psychological therapies when IBS symptoms continue despite 12 months of drug treatment. Your GP can advise on the options appropriate for you.
Your hypnotherapist: Susannah Saunders
I established City Hypnotherapy Centre in 2003 and have over 20 years of experience as a clinical hypnotherapist. I help people with IBS using gut-directed hypnotherapy, working on gut symptoms, stress and the anxiety that can affect everyday life.
- BSc (Hons) in Psychology
- Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma (HPD)
- Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice (SQHP)
- CNHC registered and a GHR registered member
Fees and appointments
£198
Per session, including VAT.
Approximately 50 minutes. Your first appointment includes hypnosis as well as the consultation.
Choose an appointment at City Hypnotherapy Centre near Liverpool Street, London, or online by Zoom.
IBS hypnotherapy: see your GP first
Before starting IBS hypnotherapy, it is important to have a diagnosis from your GP. Other conditions, such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, can cause similar symptoms.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you have:
- unexplained weight loss
- a hard lump or swelling in your tummy
- bleeding from your bottom or bloody diarrhoea
- shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats and skin that is paler than usual
You should also speak to your GP if your symptoms change or get worse.
How gut-directed hypnotherapy works
Gut-directed hypnotherapy combines deep relaxation with suggestions and imagery focused on the gut. The aim is to calm the gut-brain connection, reduce sensitivity and help the gut work more smoothly.
In hypnosis, we also work on the negative stories, thought patterns and beliefs at the root of the anxiety around IBS. These might include ‘my body always lets me down’ or ‘I can’t go anywhere without knowing where the toilet is’. Positive suggestion can then help calmer responses take hold.
Lowering your overall stress can help you respond to symptoms more calmly and practise coping with situations you have been avoiding.
Working with a hypnotherapist for IBS
Working with a hypnotherapist for IBS starts with an initial consultation. In this first session, we talk through your symptoms, what tends to trigger them and what you would like to change.
I also explain how stress and the subconscious mind affect the gut. The first session includes hypnosis, so the work begins straight away.
My approach is solution-focused, so we concentrate on the changes you want and build on the progress you make.
What happens in a gut-directed hypnotherapy session
Each session after the first starts with a short conversation about what has gone well since we last spoke. Most of the session is gut-directed hypnosis, using the techniques that suit you.
After each session, you receive the personalised recording of that session to listen to before the next one. Regular listening is an important part of gut-directed hypnotherapy and can help reinforce the changes. You can also use it when you feel symptoms starting to build.
Try my free hypnosis audio
Try my free 30-minute guided relaxation audio and get a feel for my voice and approach.
Hypnotherapy for IBS-D, IBS-C and mixed IBS
IBS is often grouped by the main change in bowel habits. IBS-D involves mainly diarrhoea, IBS-C mainly constipation, and mixed IBS (IBS-M) moves between the two.
Hypnotherapy for IBS is tailored to the type you have. With IBS-D, the focus is often on calming urgency and the anxiety around it. With IBS-C, it may be on easing bloating and helping the gut move more smoothly.
The gut-brain connection in IBS
The gut and brain are in constant two-way communication through nerves and chemical messengers. The gut has so many nerve cells that it is sometimes called the ‘second brain’.
In IBS, this connection can become oversensitive. The gut may react more strongly to stress. The brain may also interpret normal digestion, such as wind or stretching after a meal, as pain.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy aims to settle both sides of this connection.
Hypnotherapy for IBS and stress
Stress is a common trigger for IBS flare-ups. The body’s stress response can affect digestion and how strongly you experience gut sensations. IBS is a physical condition involving the gut–brain connection; symptoms are not imagined or simply caused by worry.
The stress bucket is a helpful way to picture this. As the bucket fills, the gut tends to become more reactive, while good sleep helps to empty it.
Hypnotherapy for IBS and stress aims to lower the level in the bucket, so flare-ups may become less frequent.
See my stress hypnotherapy page for more about this work.
Hypnosis for IBS and anxiety
IBS and anxiety often feed each other. Worrying about symptoms can make the gut more reactive, and a flare-up then gives you more to worry about.
Over time, the subconscious can learn to link certain places and situations with symptoms, such as the morning commute or a work meeting. Hypnosis for IBS and anxiety aims to weaken these links, so you can feel calmer and more confident in those situations.
You can also read about hypnotherapy for anxiety.
How IBS affects daily life
IBS can affect far more than digestion. Many people plan their day around toilets, avoid travelling or turn down invitations in case symptoms start.
Work, exercise, relationships and intimacy can all be affected, and everyday things like commuting or eating out can become a source of worry. Living with this uncertainty can be exhausting, and it often adds to the stress that makes symptoms worse.
Gut-directed hypnosis for pain and bloating
Pain and bloating are among the most common IBS symptoms. They can make it hard to concentrate, wear certain clothes or feel comfortable after eating.
Gut-directed hypnosis aims to soothe the gut and make it less sensitive. Using warmth, imagery and suggestion, it can help ease tension in the tummy and make discomfort easier to manage.
Hypnotherapy for IBS urgency and toilet anxiety
Sudden urgency is one of the hardest parts of IBS for many people. The fear of not reaching a toilet in time can lead to checking where toilets are, avoiding public transport or staying close to home.
That fear can trigger the gut’s stress response and make urgency more likely. Hypnotherapy for IBS urgency aims to calm this response, so you can feel more relaxed when you are away from home.
IBS hypnotherapy and food anxiety
Many people with IBS become anxious about eating, especially away from home. Some cut out more and more foods, or skip meals before work or social events.
IBS hypnotherapy can help ease anxiety around food and make eating out feel more manageable. If you are cutting out a lot of foods, speak to your GP or a dietitian about your diet.
Who hypnotherapy for IBS can help
Hypnotherapy for IBS can help many different people, including:
- people whose symptoms flare with stress or anxiety
- those who have tried diet changes or medication but still have symptoms
- commuters and travellers who worry about finding a toilet
- people who avoid eating out or social plans because of their gut
- anyone whose symptoms worsen before exams, interviews or important events
- women who notice symptoms change with their monthly cycle or during menopause
- people who feel anxious about their health or their gut
It can help whether you were diagnosed recently or have lived with IBS for years.
IBS, hypnosis and the subconscious mind
Digestion involves automatic processes that are not under simple conscious control. IBS symptoms are real, and struggling with them is not a failure of willpower.
Gut-directed hypnosis uses focused attention, imagery and therapeutic suggestions to work on gut sensations and habitual responses to them. It can also address the learned fear and anticipation that keep you on alert for symptoms.
What IBS hypnosis feels like
Hypnosis is a natural, relaxed state, similar to daydreaming or the moment before sleep. You stay aware of what is happening and in control throughout.
IBS hypnosis is a clinical process, very different from stage hypnosis. Sessions are non-judgemental, and most people find them relaxing. You may notice your breathing slow and your tummy relax as the session goes on.
Techniques used in gut-directed hypnotherapy
Gut-directed hypnotherapy draws on many techniques, and sessions are tailored to your symptoms. Depending on what you need, they can include:
- imagery of a calm, smoothly working gut, such as a gently flowing river
- placing a hand on your tummy and focusing on warmth and comfort
- slow breathing to settle the body’s stress response
- positive suggestion to reduce gut sensitivity
- working on the negative stories and beliefs linked to your symptoms
- releasing stress and tension held in the body
- building calmer responses to triggers such as meals, commuting or meetings
- self-hypnosis to use when you feel symptoms building
- rehearsing situations such as eating out or travelling, where helpful
The techniques used can change from session to session as you make progress.
IBS hypnotherapy alongside medical care
IBS hypnotherapy can work alongside the care you receive from your GP or gastroenterologist. Many people also make changes to their diet, ideally with support from a dietitian, or take medication to manage symptoms.
Hypnotherapy focuses on the gut-brain connection, stress and the subconscious patterns that can make symptoms worse. Any changes to medication should be made with your doctor.
Is hypnotherapy for IBS right for you?
Hypnotherapy for IBS can suit anyone with a diagnosis of IBS, whichever type they have. It may be particularly helpful if stress or anxiety tends to make your symptoms worse.
It tends to work best when you listen to the personalised recording regularly between sessions. If you have not been diagnosed, or your symptoms change, see your GP first.
Choosing a hypnotherapist for IBS
When choosing a hypnotherapist for IBS, look for recognised qualifications and experience of gut-directed hypnotherapy, stress and anxiety. It also helps to feel at ease with the person you choose, especially when talking about bowel symptoms. An initial consultation is a good chance to ask questions.
I hold the SQHP and HPD qualifications and have been practising as a clinical hypnotherapist since 2003.
The benefits of gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS
Gut-directed hypnotherapy aims to improve your symptoms and how you feel about them. Benefits can include:
- less pain and bloating
- fewer or milder flare-ups
- more settled bowel habits
- feeling calmer about your gut
- less worry about finding a toilet
- more confidence eating out, travelling and socialising
- better sleep and more energy
- feeling more in control of your body and your life
If you would like help with IBS, contact me to find out more or book your initial consultation.
Research on gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS
Gut-directed hypnotherapy has been studied in clinical trials for IBS. It can help some people manage symptoms, but results vary and it is not a guaranteed cure.
- The IMAGINE randomised controlled trial found that individual and group hypnotherapy improved reported adequate relief compared with educational supportive therapy, with benefits assessed at three and twelve months.
- NICE guidance on IBS recommends considering psychological therapies, including hypnotherapy, for persistent symptoms after 12 months of drug treatment.
- British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines recognise gut-directed hypnotherapy as an option for overall IBS symptoms, while rating the supporting evidence as low quality.
These findings concern defined treatment programmes and groups of patients. They do not predict an individual outcome or replace assessment by your GP or gastroenterologist.
IBS hypnotherapy and gut-directed hypnosis: your questions answered
Answers about IBS symptoms, gut-directed hypnotherapy, research, and finding a hypnotherapist for IBS in London or online.
IBS hypnosis and gut-directed hypnotherapy
What is IBS hypnotherapy?
IBS hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to help ease irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and reduce their impact on daily life. Sessions use focused attention, therapeutic suggestions and imagery aimed at digestive comfort, alongside addressing worry about pain, urgency or being away from a toilet.
What is gut-directed hypnotherapy?
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is hypnosis specifically focused on IBS and the communication between the brain and digestive system. It uses gut-focused suggestions and imagery to work on discomfort, sensitivity and bowel symptoms. The treatment is directed at digestive symptoms, rather than being only general relaxation.
Are IBS hypnosis and IBS hypnotherapy the same thing?
People often use these terms interchangeably. Hypnosis is the focused state used during treatment; hypnotherapy is its therapeutic use. Gut-directed hypnotherapy describes the IBS-specific approach. When you enquire, we can discuss the symptoms you want help with rather than worrying about which term to use.
How is gut-directed hypnotherapy different from general relaxation?
Relaxation is one part of the approach. Gut-directed hypnotherapy also uses suggestions and imagery specifically related to bowel function, gut sensations and abdominal comfort. Treatment can address the fear of symptoms as well as the symptoms themselves.
What is the gut–brain connection in IBS?
Your brain and digestive system continually exchange signals. IBS is a disorder of this interaction: changes in sensitivity and bowel movement can contribute to pain, diarrhoea or constipation. The NIDDK explanation of IBS describes this connection. Gut-directed hypnosis works with this communication rather than assuming symptoms are imaginary.
Does having hypnotherapy mean my IBS is all in my head?
No. IBS causes real physical symptoms. A treatment that involves the brain can still help a physical problem, because the gut and brain influence each other. You do not need to have an anxiety disorder for gut-directed hypnotherapy to be relevant.
How does IBS hypnosis work with the subconscious?
Many digestive and stress responses happen automatically. In hypnosis, we use suggestions and imagery to influence how you experience gut sensations and respond to them. We can also address automatic thoughts such as “I will not reach a toilet”, rather than expecting you to reason yourself out of every anxious reaction.
What happens during gut-directed hypnosis?
I guide you into focused relaxation and use therapeutic suggestions suited to your symptoms. Imagery might involve a comfortable, settled abdomen or a steady flow to represent bowel movement. We can also rehearse eating, commuting or attending a meeting without constantly checking your stomach for trouble.
IBS symptoms and everyday life
Can hypnotherapy help with IBS pain and cramping?
Yes. Gut-directed hypnotherapy can help reduce IBS-related abdominal pain. Suggestions and imagery are used to develop a greater sense of comfort and reduce the alarm attached to gut sensations. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis found a significant benefit for pain compared with the treatments used as comparators.
Can IBS hypnotherapy help with bloating?
Bloating can be a focus of gut-directed treatment, including the discomfort, tension and worry it brings. We discuss when it happens and what you notice. Treatment aims to improve overall IBS symptoms; it does not assume that every cause of abdominal swelling can be addressed with hypnosis.
Can gut-directed hypnotherapy help with IBS-D and diarrhoea?
People with diarrhoea-predominant IBS can consider gut-directed hypnotherapy. Sessions can focus on bowel symptoms and the anxiety around urgency, travel and toilet access. Medical treatment and dietary advice can continue alongside hypnosis; new or unexplained diarrhoea should be assessed by a doctor.
Can gut-directed hypnotherapy help with IBS-C and constipation?
People with constipation-predominant IBS can also consider the approach. We can focus on abdominal comfort, tension and the distress of unpredictable bowel movements. Tell me about your diagnosis and current treatment so the sessions fit with the care you already receive.
Can IBS hypnosis be used if I alternate between constipation and diarrhoea?
Yes. Mixed-type IBS can be discussed as well as IBS-C or IBS-D. We tailor the focus to your symptoms and how they change, rather than using suggestions that assume everyone needs their bowel to speed up or slow down.
Can hypnotherapy help with fear of needing a toilet urgently?
Yes. We can address the expectation of an accident, repeated toilet checking and avoiding places without easy access. In hypnosis, you can rehearse a specific journey or event with less panic. We agree practical steps that respect your symptoms while helping you regain confidence.
Can IBS hypnotherapy help with commuting, meetings or travel?
Yes. Tell me what you have started avoiding or finding difficult. We can rehearse travelling to work, sitting through a meeting or making a longer journey, while addressing the thoughts and bodily tension that build before you leave home.
Can hypnotherapy help with embarrassment about gas or digestive noises?
Yes. We can address the fear that people will notice, judge you or react badly. Hypnosis and rehearsal can help reduce constant monitoring of your stomach and the pressure to conceal every sensation, so social situations become less exhausting.
Research and expectations
What research supports gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS?
Gut-directed hypnotherapy has been studied in randomised trials and systematic reviews. A 2025 review of 12 studies involving 1,158 patients found benefits for pain; results for overall symptoms varied between studies. The IMAGINE randomised trial found better adequate symptom relief with hypnotherapy than educational supportive therapy at three and twelve months.
Does NICE recommend hypnotherapy for IBS?
NICE recommends considering referral for psychological interventions, including hypnotherapy, when IBS symptoms persist despite twelve months of pharmacological treatment. This is a recommendation to consider treatment for continuing symptoms, rather than a promise that every person will respond.
What do gastroenterology guidelines say about gut-directed hypnotherapy?
The British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines include gut-directed hypnotherapy as a treatment for overall IBS symptoms. They recommend considering psychological therapies for persistent symptoms and allow earlier referral based on availability and patient preference.
How effective is IBS hypnotherapy?
In the IMAGINE trial, about 41% of patients assigned to individual hypnotherapy reported adequate relief at three months, compared with about 17% assigned to educational supportive therapy. Those figures describe that trial and its definition of relief; they are not a success rate for my practice or a prediction for an individual.
Can the benefits of gut-directed hypnotherapy last?
Research has followed patients beyond the end of treatment. A 2025 two-year follow-up study found sustained symptom improvements among patients who completed a gut-directed hypnotherapy programme. Keeping up useful self-hypnosis practice can be part of your longer-term plan.
Can hypnotherapy cure IBS permanently?
The goal is meaningful symptom relief and a life less restricted by IBS. Improvement can mean less pain, fewer disruptive symptoms and more confidence eating, working or travelling. IBS can fluctuate, so treatment is better described in terms of symptom improvement and management than a guaranteed permanent cure.
Do I need to feel stressed for IBS hypnotherapy to help?
No. Gut-directed treatment is aimed at IBS symptoms and the gut–brain interaction, not only stress. If anxiety is a major part of your experience we address it, but you do not need to identify a stressful event or believe that stress caused your IBS.
Can hypnotherapy help if diets and medication have not helped enough?
Yes. Persistent symptoms despite other treatment are a recognised reason to consider gut-directed hypnotherapy. We review what you have tried and what remains difficult. Severe symptoms or a change in symptoms also deserve medical review, so the diagnosis and treatment plan remain appropriate.
Diet, medical care and treatment choices
Do I need an IBS diagnosis before starting hypnotherapy?
Digestive symptoms should be assessed by a GP before being treated as IBS. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Once you have been assessed, tell me about the diagnosis, any investigations and your current treatment when we discuss hypnotherapy.
Which digestive symptoms need medical attention rather than being assumed to be IBS?
Seek an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 advice for unexplained weight loss, bleeding from the bottom or bloody diarrhoea, or a hard abdominal lump or swelling. The NHS IBS symptoms page lists warning signs. New or changing symptoms should be assessed, even if you already have IBS.
Can I continue IBS medication while having hypnotherapy?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can be considered alongside prescribed treatment. Tell me what you take and continue to follow your prescriber’s advice. If symptoms improve and you want to change medication, discuss that with the clinician who manages it.
Do I need to follow a low-FODMAP diet during IBS hypnotherapy?
A low-FODMAP diet is not a requirement for hypnosis. Dietary treatment and gut-directed hypnotherapy are different options that can be discussed alongside your existing care. If you need dietary changes, a dietitian can advise on a suitable plan and reintroducing foods.
Can hypnotherapy help with fear of eating because of IBS?
Yes. We can address expecting every meal to cause pain or urgency, and the anxiety that builds around eating out. This supports confidence around food alongside appropriate dietary advice. We do not use hypnosis to ignore an allergy or override a medically necessary restriction.
Can IBS hypnotherapy help me eat a wider range of foods?
Treatment can address fear and avoidance that have continued around food. If your diet has become very restricted, work with a dietitian on safe reintroduction and nutrition. Hypnotherapy can support that process by addressing anticipatory anxiety and rehearsing eating more comfortably.
Is gut-directed hypnotherapy the same as using a hypnosis app?
An app usually provides a set programme of recordings. One-to-one sessions allow us to discuss your symptoms, tailor suggestions and review what changes. Research on a particular app applies to that programme; it should not be used as a success rate for a different treatment.
Can I use IBS hypnotherapy alongside CBT or dietitian support?
Yes. These approaches can address different parts of IBS care. Tell me about your existing support so we can discuss how hypnosis fits with it. The NIDDK treatment overview includes dietary changes, medicines and gut-directed hypnotherapy among treatment options.
Finding a hypnotherapist for IBS and booking sessions
How do I choose a hypnotherapist for IBS?
Ask about recognised hypnotherapy qualifications, professional registration and experience using gut-directed techniques for IBS. A hypnotherapist should discuss your diagnosis, symptoms, current care and how progress will be reviewed. You can read about my qualifications and experience on my About page.
Where can I find a hypnotherapist for IBS in London?
I offer IBS hypnotherapy at City Hypnotherapy Centre, Longcroft House, 2–8 Victoria Avenue, London EC2M 4NS, near Liverpool Street. I also offer online appointments. Contact me to discuss your symptoms and arrange a session.
Do you offer online IBS hypnosis and gut-directed hypnotherapy?
Yes. I offer one-to-one IBS hypnotherapy by Zoom as well as in London. You need a quiet, private space, a comfortable seat and a reliable internet connection. Online sessions include discussion and hypnosis focused on your symptoms.
What happens in the first IBS hypnotherapy appointment?
We discuss your IBS diagnosis, bowel symptoms, current treatment and the activities that have become difficult. We agree what to focus on first. Your first appointment includes hypnosis as well as this conversation, so treatment starts during that session.
How many IBS hypnotherapy sessions will I need?
We agree an initial plan based on your symptoms and review progress together. Gut-directed hypnotherapy research often uses a course rather than a single appointment. The number and pace of your sessions are discussed with you, alongside practice between appointments.
Will I practise self-hypnosis between IBS sessions?
Home practice is an important part of many gut-directed programmes. I provide personalised hypnosis recordings as part of my IBS work, so you can reinforce the suggestions between appointments. We discuss how to fit practice into your routine; listen somewhere safe and never while driving.
How much does IBS hypnotherapy cost?
Current fees are listed on my prices and appointments page. Contact me if you would like to discuss how IBS sessions are arranged before booking.
How do I book a hypnotherapist for IBS?
You can send an enquiry or call 07973 896907. Tell me about your IBS diagnosis, the symptoms you want help with, and whether you prefer appointments in London or online.
Have another question? Contact Susannah or call 07973 896907.
Enquire about IBS hypnotherapy
Tell me what you would like help with and whether you prefer an appointment near Liverpool Street in London or online.
