Physical health
Gut-directed hypnotherapy for IBS
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is recommended in UK clinical guidelines as an option for IBS. It can help calm the gut–brain connection and reduce symptoms such as abdominal pain.
How hypnotherapy helps with IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome is real, common and often wearing. Pain, bloating, urgency and unpredictable bowel habits can shape your whole day: where you go, what you eat, whether you say yes to a meeting or a night out.
The gut and the brain are in constant two-way communication. In IBS that link can become oversensitive, so normal gut activity is felt as pain or discomfort, and stress and worry about symptoms make them worse. Gut-directed hypnotherapy works directly with that connection.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is recommended in UK clinical guidelines (NICE; British Society of Gastroenterology) as an option for people with IBS, and research shows it can help reduce IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain. NICE says psychological interventions, including hypnotherapy, should be considered for people whose IBS has not responded to medication after 12 months. The British Society of Gastroenterology's 2021 guideline gives gut-directed hypnotherapy a strong recommendation for overall IBS symptoms. Two large analyses of controlled trials, in 2020 and 2024, found it reduced the chance of remaining symptomatic and helped with abdominal pain.
What we work on
- Calming the gut's response to everyday triggers such as food, stress and travel
- Easing how strongly pain and discomfort are felt
- The worry loop: anxiety about symptoms that makes symptoms worse
- Confidence to go out, travel, work and eat with less fear
- Stress and sleep, which so often affect the gut
- Self-hypnosis you can use daily to keep the gains going
How sessions work
We start with a free 15–30 minute consultation by phone or video, so you can ask questions and decide whether this is right for you. Sessions take place in person at 9 Coldbath Square, Farringdon, or online.
Gut-directed work uses calming imagery and suggestion focused on comfortable, settled digestion, tailored to your symptoms rather than read from a script. Tim draws on Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP, and teaches you self-hypnosis so you have a tool to use between sessions and long after.
Why Tim
Tim Dunton has more than 20 years of experience and has been training since 2004. He is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), an Advanced and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist and a Master Practitioner of NLP, trained by NLP's co-founders Richard Bandler and John Grinder. He has worked with celebrities, sportspeople and business leaders, as well as people from every walk of life.
Is gut-directed hypnotherapy different from ordinary hypnotherapy?
Yes. It focuses specifically on the gut and how it responds, using imagery and suggestion aimed at comfortable digestion. It is the form of hypnotherapy studied in the IBS research.
Do I need a diagnosis first?
Yes. Please see your GP so other conditions can be ruled out. Hypnotherapy works alongside your medical care.
Will I need to stop my medication?
No. Keep taking anything prescribed unless your doctor advises otherwise.
Can it be done online?
Yes. Many clients prefer working from home, where they feel most comfortable.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Approach | Gut-directed hypnotherapy, tailored to you |
| Evidence | Recommended option in NICE and BSG guidelines |
| Typical course | Usually around five sessions (7 hours) |
| Format | In person in Farringdon, London EC1, or online |
| First step | Free 15–30 minute consultation |
| Fee | £150 an hour online, £195 in person |
Hypnotherapy works alongside medical care. Please see your GP about any medical condition, and keep taking prescribed medication unless your doctor advises otherwise.
See also: hypnotherapy for physical health, hypnotherapy for anxiety and hypnotherapy for pain.
The research
- NICE CG61 (2008, updated 2017), Irritable bowel syndrome in adults, recommendation 1.2.3.1. nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61
- Vasant DH et al (2021). British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. Gut 70(7):1214–1240. PubMed 33903147
- Black CJ et al (2020). Network meta-analysis of 41 randomised controlled trials (4,072 people) of psychological therapies for IBS. Gut. PubMed 32276950
- Goodoory VC et al (2024). Network meta-analysis of 42 randomised controlled trials (5,220 people). Gastroenterology. PubMed 38777133
Individual experiences vary.
Related treatments
- Hypnotherapy for chronic pain
- Hypnotherapy for fibromyalgia
- Hypnotherapy for headaches and migraines
- Hypnotherapy for menopause
A free, no-obligation 15–30 minute call by phone or video. Or call 07975 653893.