Hypnosis Helps IBS
One of the best things about being a member of any club or organization is hearing about new ideas. As a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, new ideas arrive almost every week. There’s tons of creativity among the membership! This was where I first learned about the possibility of using hypnosis in the service of managing symptoms in IBS.
Getting Started
About twenty years ago, I read that a ASCH member – Olafur Palsson, PsyD – had come up with a research-supported protocol for helping people with IBS symptoms. Dr. Palsson is a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. I wrote to him about my interest in his work, and my hope that I could use his ideas with some of my clients. (I had a couple of clients at the time who described poor results from the treatment they’d gotten at the time. There are more treatment options today.) After some correspondence, Dr. Palsson gave me the go-ahead to use his protocol for IBS. I’m happy to report that those first few clients got positive results!
Some years later, I got additional guidance from Sheryll Daniel, PhD, at an ASCH training on hypnosis and mind-body interventions. Dr. Daniel practices in North Carolina, too, and was well-acquainted with Palsson’s work. This coaching added to my confidence in using the protocol with my clients. Dr. Daniel is a past-president of ASCH, and a superb teacher.
You can learn a lot about the protocol from Dr. Palsson’s site on the topic. The video from his site is embedded below – it runs just a bit over 21 minutes. Definitely worth watching; it will answer many questions.
Summary
- The protocol is 7 sessions, over about 12 weeks – with a shorter daily hypnosis practice at home everyday, after session #2
- About 70 – 80% of people who complete the protocol will experience significant improvement
- These improvements are maintained over time, even for people who did not respond to other options
- Treatment will – on average – cut symptoms in half
- You can pursue traditional medical care before trying hypnosis, and can continue that treatment while working through the protocol
Take Action!
After you’ve studied this material, talk it over with your doctor. If he or she wants more information, I’d be happy to talk to him or her.
When your ready to get started – give the office a call at 402-334-1122