Virtual Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for Crohn’s Disease
100% online
The results all ticked YES for improvement
By Trish Pellen (CHA Director) & Justine Lette (HNZ Director)
What a Recent Feasibility Study Found
Interest in mind–body approaches for digestive health continues to grow, particularly for chronic conditions like Crohn’s disease. A recent feasibility study published in PubMed explored whether virtually delivered gut-directed hypnotherapy is practical, acceptable, and helpful for people already living with Crohn’s disease.
You can view the study here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37531719/
This article explains what the researchers did, what they found, and what it means in practical terms.
First, what is a feasibility study?
A feasibility study is not designed to prove that a treatment cures or directly improves a specific symptom. Instead, it asks a different question:
Is this intervention practical, acceptable, and workable for patients?
Researchers look at things like:
Can people complete the programme?
Do they engage with the treatment?
Is it safe and manageable?
Do participants report overall improvements in wellbeing?
Can the process be delivered reliably?
In this case, the focus was on baseline nervous system functioning and overall wellbeing, including quality of life, stress, anxiety, and major personal symptom burden.
How the study was designed
This was a randomised feasibility trial involving adults diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Importantly, participants were already receiving their usual medical care. Hypnotherapy was added as a complementary intervention.
Key features of the study:
Delivered at a tertiary hospital
Conducted between 2020 and 2021
100% online delivery
Seven-week programme of gut-directed hypnotherapy
Participants assessed at five time points:
Baseline
Post-intervention
3-month follow-up
6-month follow-up
12-month follow-up
This design allowed researchers to observe both short-term and longer-term patterns.
Participation and completion rates
Engagement was strong, which is one of the most important outcomes in feasibility research.
33 people were invited
Most participants completed therapy sessions
Around 76% completed the full 12-month assessment period
About 88% attended all therapy sessions
95% reached the post-intervention stage
73% reported being extremely satisfied
Around 60% experienced technical difficulties, mostly related to online delivery, yet satisfaction remained high
These numbers indicate strong acceptability, even with the challenges of virtual delivery.
What outcomes were observed?
Because this was a feasibility study, the results focus on overall wellbeing rather than specific symptom measurements.
Participants reported:
Improved quality of life
Reduced stress and emotional burden
Positive changes in their main individual symptom concerns
High satisfaction with treatment
Sustained benefits at 3, 6, and 12-month follow-ups
Notably, these improvements occurred without changes to diet or nutrition, and without replacing medical care. Hypnotherapy functioned as an additional supportive intervention.
Why virtual delivery matters
This study is especially relevant because all sessions were conducted online. During the COVID period, many healthcare providers needed remote solutions. The findings suggest that:
Hypnotherapy can be delivered effectively online
Patients remain engaged long-term
Clinical settings can integrate virtual mind–body interventions
This expands accessibility for people who cannot easily attend in person.
Study integrity and credibility
Several factors strengthen the reliability of the findings:
Conducted in a hospital setting
Participants had medically diagnosed Crohn’s disease
Objective data collection across multiple time points
No declared conflicts of interest
Long follow-up period of 12 months
These elements help confirm the study was conducted with appropriate clinical oversight.
What does this mean for people with Crohn’s disease?
The study does not claim that hypnotherapy treats Crohn’s disease directly. Instead, it demonstrates that:
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is feasible and acceptable
Patients engage with and complete treatment
Many experience meaningful improvements in overall wellbeing
Benefits can continue long after treatment ends
Virtual delivery is practical in real healthcare settings
In other words, hypnotherapy may be a valuable supportive intervention alongside standard medical care, particularly for nervous system regulation and quality of life.
Why the gut-brain connection matters
Gut-directed hypnotherapy works through the gut–brain axis, influencing:
Nervous system regulation
Stress response
Sensory processing
Emotional reactivity
Perception of symptoms
For chronic digestive conditions, where stress and physiological responses interact closely, this mind–body pathway is highly relevant.
This feasibility study provides encouraging evidence that virtual gut-directed hypnotherapy is practical, well accepted, and associated with improvements in overall wellbeing for adults with Crohn’s disease.
It does not replace medical treatment, but it highlights the potential value of integrating nervous system-focused therapies into comprehensive care.
As research continues, larger trials will help clarify exactly which symptoms improve most and how these changes occur. For now, the study offers a strong foundation showing that this approach is both workable and beneficial for many patients.
Reference: PubMed Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37531719/
Find a Gut Directed Hypnotherapist and Training here: https://www.pellenandpalmer.com/gut-directed-hypnotherapy
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The study examined whether gut-directed hypnotherapy delivered online is practical, acceptable, and beneficial for adults with diagnosed Crohn’s disease. It focused on feasibility, patient engagement, and overall wellbeing, including quality of life and stress.
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The study found that most participants reported improved quality of life and wellbeing after completing the virtual hypnotherapy programme. While it did not measure specific symptom changes, results suggest it may be a helpful supportive therapy alongside medical treatment.
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Participants completed a seven-week gut-directed hypnotherapy programme delivered entirely online. Researchers assessed outcomes at baseline, after treatment, and again at 3, 6, and 12 months to track longer-term effects.
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Most participants completed their sessions, and around 76% finished the full 12-month follow-up period. High completion and satisfaction rates showed that virtual hypnotherapy is both practical and well accepted by patients with Crohn’s disease.
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No. The study looked at hypnotherapy as a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical care. Participants continued their usual treatments, and hypnotherapy was explored as an additional way to support nervous system regulation and quality of life.
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