FAQ Regarding

Clinical Hypnotherapy

and The IBS Audio Program 100^®

First it is important to understand what hypnotherapy is and how it may help you in the alleviation of your IBS symptoms. It needs to be known that this is not a cure for IBS (since one does not exist at the moment), but an effective complementary therapy that can be used in isolation or conjunction with conventional approaches, (many people find they can reduce or give up medications, although this should be done along with your prescribing physician.) Hypnotherapy has shown to be highly effective in the majority of people who use it.

Important note:

Please have your symptoms diagnosed by a medical practitioner, gastroenterologist, or doctor. It is important to remember that you cannot self diagnose IBS and there are many serious conditions that mimic IBS.

What is Hypnotherapy?
It is easier to state what it is not, rather than what it is really. A trance (an altered state of consciousness) is not sleep, unconsciousness, magic, nor mind control. Much of the mystery still surrounding hypnotherapy is this lack of a clear definition. hypnotherapy is generally experienced as restful and relaxing; it is different than slumber. In a trance state you are aware of your surroundings, able to hear sounds, to smell, and you are aware of your movements and in control of your actions. Consciousness is NOT lost, it becomes more selective. In a trance it is usual to be more aware of internal processes than in the outside world’s activities and distractions. Contemporary scientific studies show trance is a natural and normal state of mind and like other states, such as alertness or pleasure, has many different and individual components.

Uses of hypnotherapy.... hypnotherapy is often thought to be therapy that only affects the mind, but as mind and body are inseparably joined, hypnotherapy can also help physical ailments. The popular assumption that hypnotherapy is only used for weight reduction and to stop smoking is very much mistaken; there are many more possibilities too numerous to mention. However, hypnotherapy is well known to help all variations of IBS symptoms and reduce frequency of presentation. Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis as a therapy to deal with a wide range of problems, both physical and emotional.

Is hypnotherapy safe?

Yes. It is a safe, natural part of human experience. Always protected by our subconscious, trance is part of everyday life. We are already proficient in its use, we simply don’t recognize it. Hypnotherapy is not stage hypnosis. 

Who can be hypnotized?

Just about everyone if they choose. However, those deeply disturbed or handicapped require special personal attention.

What is it like to be hypnotized?

In experiencing altered states it should be acknowledged that trance is slightly different for everyone. Most find it extremely pleasant, enjoyable and relaxing, saying they’ve never felt so agreeably relaxed and comfortable before.

Should I use hypnotherapy as an alternative to seeing my doctor? The answer is NO.  
It is not an alternative to seeking proper medical care. hypnotherapy is a complementary therapy and should, where needed be used in partnership with conventional medicine. Your physician’s or gastroenterologist’s training in diagnosis cannot be replaced by a clinical hypnotherapist. Check out all health problems first with your doctor if in any doubt and then you can combine both a Physician's and a professional Hypnotherapist healing methods. 

Can I be forced into trance?
No. It is a state of mind that needs your co-operation. No one goes against their own unique code of behavior in hypnotherapy.

Am I too strong willed to be hypnotized?
Strength of will plays no part in the process.

I am too intelligent to be hypnotized!
No. The higher the intelligence and imagination the better.

Do hypnotized persons lose control of themselves?
Quite the opposite, the client is in control of their trance, and is being guided by the hypnotherapist, and will only do that which seems right and is helpful.

Could I get 'stuck' in trance?
No. It simply doesn’t happen.

Will I be unconscious when in hypnotherapy? No. No loss of consciousness is involved. Individuals will be perfectly aware of their surroundings, including sounds, movements and smells and will be hyper-sensitive to touch. Some individuals will achieve a deeper level of trance than others. However, the results remain the same. Physical contact is not needed in any part of the process.

Is my problem to trivial to be bothered with? Any problem which affects our lives is not trivial. IBS is certainly not trivial, it affects the lives of the sufferer and their families.

How was it developed?
The whole process began in 1993, when Michael became interested in IBS, due to increased referrals from doctors and gastroenterologists who could not help with current treatments.  At this time, IBS was a new label, placed on an old condition.  For several years Michael wrote specific hypnotherapy processes, and amended them, to match the needs of presenting patients.  However, it became clear that there were many common threads to IBS symptoms, and he focused on these and continued to refine his processes.

After several years, his success in treating this condition became better known locally, and he began receiving referrals from gastroenterologists, doctors, and other healthcare professionals, as well as, by word of mouth from  IBS sufferers who had been helped.

One medical practice then invited Michael to take part in a medical research project, that the practice would fund and this was conducted over a 12 month period.

After the project was over, it showed an overall reduction in all symptoms of approximately 80% of the patients. This was borne out by Michael’s own finding in his practice.  However, it was important because the figures came from patients, selected by doctors whose orthodox approach had not been found to alleviate the symptoms.

After the project Michael continued to refine his processes, and decided to take these new processes from the clinical environment and transfer them onto audio tape and CD for patients who could not attend his daily practice.

To test the efficiency and effectiveness of this audio program, Michael asked new patients to his practice if they would consider being involved in private research trials.

Once the program was completed the findings were logged, and the patients were contacted for 3 years after completion of the Program to obtain development history and progress. These findings will be published soon.

Do they work ?  
Years of clinical research and active clinical application  show that 80 – 90% or more of individuals obtained relief by using the program. Most of these results were improvements over and above conventional IBS treatment methods. Of course, as with all treatment methods, the sessions are not a panacea, and not everyone is the same and individual circumstances vary. However, most users do obtain results not only in IBS, but other areas too, in clearer thinking, better judgment, less stress, some report better concentration, improved sleep patterns, as well as other positive improvements.

To date, the clinical hypnotherapeutic techniques used in the IBS Audio Program 100^® have been used successfully with over 2700 IBS patients who have mitigated, alleviated, or virtually removed their various IBS symptoms.

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Do certain foods cause IBS? 
No, certain foods don’t “cause” IBS, though many individuals gradually link various foods with symptoms. After completion of the IBS Audio Program 100^®, a vast majority of individuals are again able to eat once “forbidden” foods. It may be noted that food indiscretions are not IBS, as many individuals who do not have IBS, have food indiscretions.

Are there any side effects?
Any side effects are feelings of well being and calmness. Because the processes are natural, not intrusive in anyway, no drugs or potions, or manipulation, there is no way that negative side effects could be developed.

Will I be unconscious when in hypnosis? 
No. No loss of consciousness is involved. Individuals will be perfectly aware of their surroundings, including sounds, movements and smells and will be hyper-sensitive to touch. Some individuals will achieve a deeper level of trance than others. However, the results remain the same. Physical contact is not needed in any part of the process

Do I lose consciousness?
No it simply does not happen.  Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis (an altered state of consciousness) as a therapy for a wide range of problems. In this case, Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Hypnotherapy is not Stage Hypnosis, which is completely different from the Clinical Hypnotherapy processes used in the program

What if I fall asleep during the sessions? 
It is quite common and natural for individuals to sometimes drift into sleep while listening to the sessions. If this happens, don’t worry, don’t try to stay awake; if you do this then you are tensing yourself up and not getting the best results of the program. Remember that your subconscious mind is always alert to keep you safe. The program sessions are still effective if you fall asleep. Some individuals fall asleep and some do not, it doesn’t really matter.

What does the IBS Audio Program 100^® contain?
It contains 3 CDs (also available in 3 double sided audio tapes),  a reference booklet, which contains a progress log/symptom check list, listening schedule and other information relevant to IBS sufferers.  The recordings contain a clear introduction to IBS and Hypnotherapy, and 5 different hypnotherapy processes, each one building on the previous one. The CD version of the program also includes a 4^th BONUS CD, The IBS Companion^ă  which provides a concise, easy to understand explanation of IBS, medical testing, and other pertinent information for family members and other individuals in the IBS patient’s life.

How long do I have to listen to the program.
The program is structured (refer to informational booklet enclosed with program) and is completed over 100 days, with rest days allocated in-between.  After the initial listening, users are encouraged to listen to the final session for a little while, to ensure the learned processes are imbedded into the subconscious.

In all there are 20 ‘rest days’ where no listening of the program is required.

What can I expect when using the program?
Initially most listeners can expect a general feeling of continued calmness and deepening relaxation. Improvement of IBS symptoms is realised within varied time-frames for each individual. There is no need to worry about having any pre-conceived time-frame for feeling better. Just allow the program to do its work, and be sure to complete it according to the provided schedule.  No matter at what point during or after program completion that you begin to experience symptom improvement, it has been shown that the majority of listeners continue to experience on-going  symptom mitigation in the months and even years that follow.

What do I have to do ?
Simply listen. Find a time that is your own when you will not be disturbed, and listen to the program as guided.

Can I set my CD player to play back only today's session?
Almost all CD players offer a "Programming" feature which allows a listener to set the order in which tracks are played back. This feature can also be used to make the CD player play one track only -- for instance, the day's session on the IBS Audio Program 100^®.

Because there are only two tracks on each disc of the IBS Audio Program 100^®, you will only have to program your player when listening to track 1. When you play track 2, the player will stop automatically at the end of the disc.

Read the owner's manual for your CD player to learn how to program your specific model. After programming the day's track, be sure that your CD player is not set to "repeat" mode, to avoid hearing the track more than once.

If you do not have an owner's manual handy, try using these generic instructions as a guide:
Many CD players can be programmed by the following steps:

1. Make sure the CD is stopped.

2. Press the button labeled "program" or "memory."

3. Using the forward/reverse buttons, select track 1.

4. Press the button labeled "program" or "memory" once more, to add the track to programmed play.

5. Press play to finish the program and start the playback.

To play track 2 only, just skip forward to track 2 and press play; the player will stop automatically after the track.

If you are shopping for a new CD player, look for terms on the player packaging such as "playback modes," "memory features," "track selection," and "favorite track," which indicate that the player has a programming feature.

What is the best time to listen to the recordings?
Whatever fits into your daily routine.  Some listen to them in the morning, some prefer after the day has finished, whatever fits into your schedule.

What if I can’t do it ?
There is nothing to do, except listen and lay quietly.

Do people ever become clear of IBS.
Some people do walk away from IBS, however, we do not call the program a cure, medically there is not an organic cause that the doctors can find wrong, although they have clues as to the mind-gut connection, so without a physical problem, few doctors would use the word cure.  This however does not detract from the fact that some people do become symptom free.

Do symptoms ever return?
Improvement for most individuals is very subtle and gradual. Some people find that their symptoms get better, then come back again for a while. This happens with some people for two reasons. One is that IBS has been with the individual for such a long time that the old  negative IBS thoughts come back while trying to resist the new positive thoughts. These positive thoughts become stronger and stronger until the old IBS thoughts become old and weak and gradually dissipate and symptoms again improve. Much is dependent upon duration and severity of symptoms of the IBS.

Also, the individual must remember that as human beings, we all experience digestive symptoms from time to time, and it isn’t necessarily the IBS coming back.

What if I miss listening to a day’s session?  
If you have missed just one day, then go back a day and re-listen to that session, and the next day listen to the missed session and carry on from there.

What are the benefits of using the program over seeing a hypnotherapist in person?
First, finding a hypnotherapist who has the background, training and is a  specialist in the knowledge of IBS is a task in itself. However,  in the UK, you may find a qualified IBS hypnotherapist if you refer to the UK Register of IBS Therapists. The UK is one of the leaders in using hypnotherapy for this condition, some hospital gastroenterology departments employ hypnotherapists for this condition.

Cost might be a constraint.
The price of the IBS Audio Program 100^® is very cost effective in that, in many cases, it is equivalent to, or even less than,  the fee charged for ONE session of live one-to-one clinical hypnotherapy.

Convenience.
No appointments to keep, or traffic to travel through.

Confidentially.

Comfort.
Developed for home use, no unfamiliar noises, odors or surroundings, this allows you to be truly ‘at home with your program’.

Mr. Mahoney is a leader in this field guiding you in safe, tried and tested techniques.

How do I order my program?

Please fill out our order form to purchase The IBS Audio Program 100^® securely online or to print out an invoice to send via postal mail.

Or by telephone

TOLL FREE Ordering Number: 1-877-898-2539
Free telephone number within the UK: 0800-085-39-70

If our lines are busy, please leave your details on our secure line.

How Long from receipt of order to my home?
Within the UK, you should allow 7 - 14 days.
USA: please allow 10 days for delivery
Canada: 14 days for delivery
Australia: 14 days for delivery
Switzerland: 14 days for delivery
European Communities: 14 days for delivery
All postal times approximate barring any unforeseen delays.
All other destinations please allow 21 days for delivery.

How are the programs sent:
In the USA /Priority or First Class; Canada we use Air Mail dispatched from the USA. Internationally we use International Recorded delivery, In the UK we use recorded delivery.

If I want further information, where can that be obtained from?
Even though Michael prefers to answer as many questions as he can himself, due to the increasing volume of correspondence he receives, it is not always feasible to do so. Please review all information provided on these pages to determine the need for inquiry. Michael usually responds to questions in between seeing patients at his surgery, so some delay will be expected; and some replies may come from one of his associates.

What if my CD won't play correctly?
Our CDs are 1^st generation productions, professionally recorded in a state-of-the-art sound studio, duplicated with the latest technology and are tested before being packaged for proper playback and consistent product quality.

In the unlikely event that your CD(s) should skip or have improper playback, try playing the CD in another CD player. Usually this solves the problem. Determine whether the CD is not playing back properly, or if your player is malfunctioning.

Make sure your CD is free from debris, and handle with care to avoid scratching and abrasion.

If you have no other CD player, play another CD in the same player. If you still have a problem, with a different CD, then the problem is with the CD player.

Try cleaning the player if applicable, according to your manufacturer’s instructions. Please be aware, too, that many portable CD players have a limited lifetime, and can become unreliable after a while. Also check to see if your skip control is “on” if your player offers this feature. Sometimes this will easily solve the problem.

If the CD continues to playback incorrectly, please state clearly where the problem begins by indicating the running time in minutes: seconds into the CD, and a clear description of the fault. This will help us to ascertain the fault and reduce waiting / checking time, expediting replacement process if CD is found to be defective.

Should a CD be returned that is not defective you may incur associated postage and handling charges.

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In the UK, the IBS register has members that can be contacted for sessions on a one-to-one basis.