The Hypnosis Brief

Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for IBS: The Science Behind the Gut–Brain Connection

Many people living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) hear the same frustrating message from doctors: “Your tests look normal.” Yet the pain, urgency, bloating, and discomfort remain very real. So what is actually happening? In this episode, LaMont Sinclair, Certified Hypnotherapist and founder of Self Attunement Hypnotherapy, explores the science behind IBS and explains why the condition often persists even when no structural problems are found in the digestive system. You’ll learn how IBS is strongly connected to the gut–brain axis, the communication network between the digestive system and the nervous system, and how changes in pain processing and nervous system sensitivity can amplify gut sensations. Most importantly, this episode explains how gut-directed hypnotherapy works to retrain the way the brain interprets signals from the digestive system. Drawing on scientific research and clinical understanding, LaMont breaks down: • Why IBS symptoms can occur even when medical tests appear normal • The role of the gut–brain axis in digestive discomfort • How the nervous system can amplify gut sensations • What gut-directed hypnotherapy is and how it works • What research shows about hypnotherapy for IBS symptom relief If you or someone you know struggles with IBS, this episode provides a clear, research-informed explanation of the condition and explores how hypnotherapy may help address the underlying gut-brain interaction. Listen now to understand the science behind IBS and how gut-directed hypnotherapy can help retrain the gut–brain connection. Research & References Mentioned in This Episode The following peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were referenced in this episode while discussing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), the gut–brain axis, and gut-directed hypnotherapy. 1. Systematic Review of Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Almogbela, E., Al-Harbi, F. A., Alamro, A. M., Al-Saif, A. K., Alghamdi, S. M., Alkhalifah, K. A., Alayed, R. S., & Al-Mutairi, T. A. (2025). Systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Published via the National Library of Medicine. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00029157.2025.2585911 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00029157.2025.2585911] 2. Psychological Therapies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Systematic Review Krouwel, M., Farley, A., Greenfield, S., Ismail, T., & Jolly, K. (2021). Systematic review exploring the effectiveness of psychological therapies for the management of IBS symptoms. Published via the National Library of Medicine. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229921000133 [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229921000133] 3. Hypnotherapy as a Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lee, H. H., Choi, Y. Y., & Choi, M. G. (2014). Review examining the clinical effectiveness of hypnotherapy as a treatment for IBS. Published via the National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4015203/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4015203/] 4. Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Amsallem, F., Sanchez, S., Armoiry, X., & Mion, F. (2021). Review of gut-directed hypnotherapy and its role in treating functional gastrointestinal disorders including IBS. Published via the National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8592737/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8592737/]

Clinical Hypnosis: Foundations, Frameworks, and Evidence

In this first episode, we’ll establish a foundation by exploring how clinical hypnosis is conceptualized, how it is understood to work, and how research has approached its study—setting the stage for future episodes that focus on specific applications through structured research review.