Treating IBS

If you or someone you know is suffering from the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you are not alone. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of Americans - the majority of them women - have the symptoms characteristic of IBS.

IBS is one of the most common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. People struggling with IBS have a range of digestive problems, ranging from gas and bloating to diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of these.

Treatment of IBS
Medications are commonly prescribed for IBS, but are usually aimed at treating a single symptom. Because IBS is characterized by a complex range of symptoms, medications have been of limited effectiveness.
Hypnosis has been found in several studies to be very successful in helping people with IBS to manage the symptoms of the disorder. Hypnosis is, in fact one of the most successful treatment approaches for chronic IBS to date. It is a very comfortable form of treatment, utilizes the healing power of the individual's mind, and is generally without negative side effects.

IBS Treatment Program
I offer an 8-session, 12-week program to help those suffering with IBS learn to manage the symptoms of the disorder. This program is based on the established protocols of leading IBS researchers, and is specifically designed to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Clients I work with are provided with a self-hypnosis CD for home practice and a symptom diary for establishing a baseline of symptoms and for providing a way of tracking improvement over the course of the 12-week program.

The cost of the treatment program is $115 per session if paid "as-you-go"or $100 per session if the 8 sessions are paid for up-front (a savings of $120).

Note that most insurance companies will not cover psychotherapy for the treatment of IBS, so this is an out-of-pocket expense. The advantage of not using insurance is - as you may have read elsewhere on this site - the complete confidentiality of the treatment as well as a freedom from treatment restrictions that are sometimes imposed by insurance providers.

Your IBS treatment most likely CAN be paid for through an employer-sponsored Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), if you have one. Check with you HSA/FSA program administrator to learn whether you can pay for these sessions out of pre-tax dollars.

To learn more about the protocol I use, please contact me at 651-882-6234 or send an email to kalli@newfamilybeginnings.com.

To learn more about the use of hypnosis for the treatment of IBS, visit the very informative web site www.ibshypnosis.com, authored by one of the world's leading researchers in the area of IBS.