Hypnobiome: A New Promising Frontier of Hypnotherapy in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder (FGID)
Presented by Giuseppe De Benedittis, MD, PhD
Friday, April 11, 2025
9am-10:30am PT / 11am-12:30pm CT / 12pm-1:30pm ET
Event held online via Zoom, link to access provided upon registration.
Increasing evidence suggests that the gut-brain axis may play a key role in health and disease via a bidirectional communication network involving neural and immunoendocrine pathways. This complex interplay deeply influences both gut microbiota and brain behavior. Pathobiome or gut dysbiosis is relevant for the pathogenesis of functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBS, chronic pain syndromes, and neurological and mental disorders. As a consequence, targeting the gut microbiota is emerging as a novel, effective therapeutic perspective.
Among many treatment options, psychological interventions, including hypnosis, have been used to target the so-called psychobiome and its hypnotic analogue, i.e., hypnobiome, referring to their potential efficacy to modulate the mind-gut axis in IBS patients. Dr. De Benedittis will provide a narrative review of the recent literature and review circumstantial evidence suggesting that the hypnobiome represents a promising frontier for hypnotherapy.
Zoom link will be available on course page in “My Courses” upon event registration.
This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.5 CEs for Psychologists, 1.5 IL CEUS for Counselors and Social Workers, or 1.5 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs.
Increasing evidence suggests that the gut-brain axis may play a key role in health and disease via a bidirectional communication network involving neural and immunoendocrine pathways. This complex interplay deeply influences both gut microbiota and brain behavior. Pathobiome or gut dysbiosis is relevant for the pathogenesis of functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBS, chronic pain syndromes, and neurological and mental disorders. As a consequence, targeting the gut microbiota is emerging as a novel, effective therapeutic perspective.
Among many treatment options, psychological interventions, including hypnosis, have been used to target the so-called psychobiome and its hypnotic analogue, i.e., hypnobiome, referring to their potential efficacy to modulate the mind-gut axis in IBS patients. Dr. De Benedittis will provide a narrative review of the recent literature and review circumstantial evidence suggesting that the hypnobiome represents a promising frontier for hypnotherapy.
After attending this intermediate-level program, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the expanding clinical significance of the gut microbiome, recognizing its impact on not only functional gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., IBS) but also a broader spectrum of diseases (e.g., chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative diseases).
- Analyze the role of non-pharmacological interventions (CBT, hypnosis) in managing functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs).
- Discuss the application of hypnobiome as a potential modulator of the gut-brain axis through innovative techniques (e.g., quantum-like hypnosis).
This program meets APA’s continuing education STANDARD 1.3: Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.
This program meets APA’s continuing education GOAL 2: Program will enable psychologists to keep pace with the most current scientific evidence regarding assessment, prevention, intervention, and/or education, as well as important relevant legal, statutory, leadership, or regulatory issues.
General Admission: $65.00
SCEH Members: $55.00*
Students: $15.00*
(*Please email [email protected] for coupon code)
Refund Policy: 100% of tuition is refundable up to 48 hours before the program. Within 48 hours of the program, and at any point in Homestudy format, tuition is nonrefundable.
Giuseppe De Benedittis, MD, PhD; Interdepartmental Pain Center, University of Milano (Italy); Member of the Board of the International Society of Hypnosis
Giuseppe De Benedittis is associate professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Milano (Italy). He founded and directed the Interdepartmental Center for the Study and Treatment of Pain at the University of Milan, the first multidisciplinary pain center established in Italy. He is internationally recognized as one of the leading experts in pain therapy. Professor De Benedittis is also a recognized pioneer in the clinical and experimental use of hypnosis for pain control, contributing to the elucidation of the complex neurophysiological mechanisms of hypnosis and hypnotic analgesia. He is vice president of the Italian Society of Hypnosis and is a Member of the Board of the International Society of Hypnosis. He received the Ernest R. Hilgard Award for Scientific Excellence from the International Society of Hypnosis in 2009.
Prof. De Benedittis has been a key-note speaker papers and conducted workshops at national and international congresses in Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Turkey, Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Singapore, Mexico, Canada, USA and China on various hypnotic topics. He has also published more than 250 professional publications on pain, consciousness and hypnotic issues, including 15 monographs.
Berg, G., Rybakova, D., Fischer, D., Cernava, T., Vergès, M.-C.-C., Charles, T., Chen, X., Cocolin, L., Mauchline, T., McClure, R., Mitter, B., Ryan, M., Sarand, I., Smidt, H., Schelkle, B. E., Roume, H., Kiran, G. S., Selvin, J., de Souza, R. S. C., . . . Schloter, M. (2020). Microbiome definition re-visited: Old concepts and new challenges. Microbiome, 8(103), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00875-0
De Benedittis, G. (2022). Hypnobiome: A New, Potential Frontier of Hypnotherapy in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome—A Narrative Review of the Literature, International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 70:3, 286-299, DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2022.2094269
Deutsch, J. K., Levitt, J., & Hass, D. J. (2020). Complementary and alternative medicine for functional gastrointestinal disorders. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 115(3), 350–364. https://doi.org/
10.14309/ajg.0000000000000539
Keefer, L., Palsson, O. S., & Pandolfino, J. E. (2018). Best practice update: Incorporating psychogastroenterology into management of digestive disorders. Gastroenterology, 154(5), 1249–1257. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2018.01.045
Matarazzo, I., Toniato, E., & Robuffo, I. (2018). Psychobiome feeding mind: Polyphenolics in depression and anxiety. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 18(24), 2108–2115. https://doi.org/10.2174/1568026619666181210151348
Pennisi, E. (2020). Meet the psychobiome. Science, 368(6491), 570–573. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.368.6491.570
Vasant, D. H., & Whorwell, P. J. (2019). Gut-focused hypnotherapy for functional gastrointestinal disorders: Evidence-base, practical aspects and the Manchester Protocol. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 31(8), e13573. https://doi.org/10.1111/nmo.13573
Target Audience: Health care professionals, behavioral health professionals, hypnosis practitioners, researchers, educators, students.
Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.5 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods.
Counselors/Clinical Counselors. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available 1.5 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for counselors and clinical counselors. License Number: 197.000159
Social Workers. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.5 hours of continuing education. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to provide continuing education programming for social workers. License Number: 159.001036
MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs. Course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hour of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.
Non-Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.
*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.
If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to [email protected]. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.