Clinical hypnosis has reliably been found to produce both short- and long-term treatment benefits for functional gastrointestinal disorders (i.e., functional dyspepsia, functional abdominal pain, and irritable bowel syndrome). Moreover, as various physiological and autonomic nervous system variables have been found to contribute to these functional gastrointestinal disorders, they have more appropriately been relabeled Disorders Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI). However, the exact mechanisms of action that result in such hypnotic intervention benefits have remained elusive.
This webinar will review the empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of various gut-directed clinical hypnosis strategies, address possible mechanisms of action, and outline these techniques for participant use. Moreover, recent research will be reviewed on a polyvagal-based hypnotic intervention effective with gut-brain interaction disorders. Furthermore, the polyvagal model’s relevance and this technique will be reviewed concerning the treatment of fibromyalgia, other pain disorders, and trauma.