Formats: MP3 Download $12   |   Compact Disc $15

Presenter: Laurie Keefer, PhD & Jennifer L Kiebles, PhD

Hypnosis is a particularly well-suited intervention for the gastrointestinal tract with strong data supporting its effect on rectal sensitivity, pain reduction, improved brain-gut communication, cognitive interpretation of symptoms and improvements in gut motility. Most of this work however has been conducted in functional bowel disorders rather than the more serious and chronic, relapsing-remitting inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis. Medical therapies for IBDs focus around inducing remission with medications and/or surgery when flares occur. Once remission has been induced, patients are expected to maintain a regimen of medications designed to lengthen the time between flares. However, several other factors are associated with symptom exacerbations including psychological stress. There is some support for the use of hypnosis in IBD.


In a 2008 study with Ulcerative Colitis patients, hypnotherapy was found to reduce mucosal release of substance P, histamine, and interleukin-13 while also reducing serum levels of interleukin-621. In a case series, also in 2008, individuals undergoing hypnotherapy for IBD experienced benefit in their quality of life and reduction in bowel symptoms. Recently, we published on the results of a validated intervention for Ulcerative Colitis, which demonstrated improvement in a host of psychological and disease-related variables but most importantly was associated with a reduction in risk to flare over the course of 1 year. The goal of this workshop is to describe the use of gut-directed hypnotherapy in IBD and to share the protocol with attendees wishing to employ these techniques in their practice.

During and at the conclusion of this session, the attendee will be able to:
-> Demonstrate an understanding of the psychological impact of IBD and the role of hypnotherapy in managing the psychological sequelae of the disease;
-> Craft disease-specific metaphors to the problems facing IBD patients;
-> Implement a fully-scripted protocol that they can take back to their practice for use with IBD patients; and
-> Demonstrate improved comfort with managing the psychological aspects of IBD and the benefit of hypnotherapy in disease management.