This clinical tool offers a script you can follow to help someone with abdominal pain from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or other causes, use self-hypnosis to more effectively manage their pain. It involves three steps:

1. Guiding a person into a trance state.
2. Moving through the balloon exercise to ease pain.
3. Guiding him or her out of the trance.

It can be done in about 10 minutes. To learn more about the research on clinical hypnosis for IBS, refer to the “Irritable Bowel Syndrome" Integrative Health tool.

1. Entering the Trance

Read the following script

“Imagine a beautiful staircase. It is your favorite color. It has 10 steps. These 10 steps lead to a peaceful and relaxing place—your favorite place.

We are going to count backward from 10 to 1 as you go down each step. After each step, focus on a different part of your body. Allow yourself to gently relax deeper and deeper with each step.

As you start at the top of the staircase, release any tension or strain in your body each time you breathe out.

10. Relax your face and jaw, letting your tongue gently rest at the floor of your mouth

9. Relax your temples, eyes, and eyelids as you step down to [your favorite place]

8. Relax the back of your neck and shoulders, simply letting go

7. Relax your arms knowing that there is nothing for them to do

6. Relax your chest, with each rise and fall of the breath

5. Relax your abdomen setting the muscles free

4. Relax your pelvis allowing it to sink into the chair

3. Relax your legs giving them the day off with nothing to support

2. Relax your toes as you arrive at

1. Your favorite place.

Now, take a few moments to explore your peaceful place in your mind’s eye. Involving all your senses will help you feel like you are really there.

• What do you see? What colors? What objects?