I am so glad my GI doctor referred me to Teresa for hypnosis. I have been struggling with GI issues all my life, but the last 10 years were just a nightmare. I got to the point I was afraid to leave the house because I was either constipated or had a diarrhea and I was always bloated and in pain. I could barely work (and it was taking me 3-4 hours just to prepare for leaving to work because of my bathroom needs). I did not have any social life – I could not date anyone and I even didn’t want to see my friends because I never knew when I would need to use the bathroom and I was in constant pain (either from gas or from constipation). I was afraid to eat because even foods I thought were safe for me were causing problems. I felt hopeless and depressed.
I was initially resistant to the idea of hypnosis because I didn’t know how it could help me. I had heard about people using hypnosis to quit smoking or to lose weight, but IBS is a medical problem, so I did not think it would do anything for it. The next time I saw my doctor for a follow up I was in tears and I thought I could not live like that anymore. Again, my doctor insisted I do hypnosis and this time I reluctantly scheduled an appointment. I felt foolish driving for the appointment and I remember thinking “This is crazy! How is she supposed to hypnotize me? I am in pain and stressed to the limits and I don’t even believe in hypnosis”.
That’s what I thought when I entered the office, but I immediately felt at ease when I started talking with Teresa. Somehow I just felt comfortable with her and I trusted she knew what she was doing. She was very professional and she understood IBS very well – it was obvious by the questions she asked me. I felt comfortable talking with her about quite gross and disgusting things like my bowel and bathroom habits. I was still concerned that I would not be able to relax enough to get hypnotized, but it was not the case at all. I actually relaxed very quickly. My body was very heavy even though I felt a floating sensation. The experience was so deeply relaxing that it would have been difficult to move if I had wanted to move. I remember becoming emotional because I felt so good! Once I was in hypnosis Teresa was telling me to think about things related to my body and imagine my stomach and intestines and what was happening there – she was describing everything to me and I just listened. I was surprised that, as we were going through the session, I was able to stop my stomach from churning and stop feeling abdominal pain just by imagining what Teresa was describing to me. I loved the image of a river slowly rolling down, down, down, … Teresa was using her words very deliberately – everything she was telling me had a meaning. When the session was over, I knew that hypnosis would help me with IBS.
We had two more sessions after my first session and I cannot even describe how helpful these sessions were. Until now, every time I imagine the river flowing down I feel my stomach and intestines relaxing, almost like unwinding, and I feel comfortable. Teresa also gave me a sign that I do with my fingers, which helps me relax and center myself. I can do it even when I am talking with somebody – they don’t notice anything, but I immediately feel relaxed and comfortable when I do that. I still listen to different parts of my sessions. I don’t treat it as homework – I really want to do it because it helps me feel good. I think anyone suffering from IBS should do hypnosis – it really makes a huge difference!