Introducing Helen Brooks AKA The Tummy Whisperer who uses hypnotherapy as a treatment for IBS

Have you heard of The Tummy Whisperer?

Basically, Helen Brooks (The Tummy Whisperer) is your answer to how to alleviate your IBS symptoms, and her passion for beating this horrible ailment is infectious.

I never would have thought that hypnotherapy could potentially be the answer to IBS, which at the best of times entails a bit of tummy pain, but at the worst of times can include serious abdominal cramps, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea and more. Not only is Helen paving the way when it comes to IBS transformation grounded in science, but she’s a huge advocate for women supporting each other, and we couldn’t agree more. Check out my chat with Helen (you’ll learn a lot, I promise) and make sure you stay up to date with her upcoming collaborations this September as well as spread the word about The Tummy Whisperer.

I’m going to jump in and ask how does one become an IBS Transformation Coach? It’s a niche job title, for sure. 

Yes, it is a niche job but one that is very much needed, given that 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer with IBS, yet there is so little support for people. My title reflects my unique set of skills and knowledge that enables me to help people transform their IBS; I have a Degree in Applied Psychology and almost twenty years experience as a Clinical Hypnotherapist. I bring together evidence-based strategies from applied psychology, wellness coaching and gut directed hypnotherapy which are all proven to improve IBS.

As an IBS sufferer myself, I am so intrigued how hypnotherapy plays a part in transforming or improving the symptoms of IBS. Can you explain how you came to find hypnotherapy as a solution to IBS and how it can help sufferers?

Yes sure! My first IBS client was 15 years ago, I knew hypnotherapy had been shown to help IBS but I hadn’t had any specific training in that area at that time. I was looking into the best strategies to use with my client, and came across the work of Professor Whorwell, the UK’s leading IBS Gastroenterologist. I read about his clinical research that was published in ‘The Lancet’. The results I found were astounding; after a course of hypnotherapy patients with severe IBS showed a dramatic improvement in ALL symptoms, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and gas. In fact there is a whole load of clinical research that confirms a course of gut directed hypnotherapy is an effective approach to treating IBS, it’s just that nobody really knows about it. 

Hypnotherapy helps because IBS is caused by a miscommunication between the brain and gut in something called the gut brain axis. It’s this miscommunication that causes a hypersensitivity of the gut that leads to the pain, bloating and bowel changes. Most people go down the nutritional route and look at eliminating the foods the gut has become hyperreactive to. Hypnotherapy corrects the communication between the brain and gut to reduce this sensitivity, this alleviates symptoms by dealing directly with the source of the problem.

More and more people (especially women it seems) are coming out publicly to say they have gut health issues, do you think this is something we’ve always suffered with but kept silent or is our gut health getting worse in general?

Almost twice as many women as men are affected by IBS, just our luck hey! So that’s why more women are talking about it. Women in their 20’s and 30’s are most likely to develop it. I think more people are talking about gut health in general these days. It's a hot topic and it’s been brought into the spotlight so it’s partly due to that too. As more people talk about IBS, it’s becoming less taboo which is great. I think before more people just suffered in silence.

However, although there’s more talk about gut health issues It’s frustrating that gut directed hypnotherapy is missing from the conversation. It’s not OK that no one knows about it, and I'm on a mission to change that. 38% of people with severe IBS that don't respond to medication or dietary changes have suicidal thoughts, it impacts so terribly on anxiety and mental health. Many of these people are not aware that hypnotherapy can help them where all else has failed.

I think it’s hugely important that we change the misconceptions around hypnotherapy too. It’s not weird, it's not ‘woo’ and it won’t make you cluck like a chicken. It has nothing to do with stage hypnosis, it’s a clinical treatment that we know is effective in reducing IBS in more than 80% of people, so let’s start spreading the word!

Talk us through your 8 week Tummy Whisperer programme, what it entails and what people can expect at the end of the 8 weeks. 

My 8 week programme is a one-to-one intensive journey that takes you through 3 pillars of wellness: the body, the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. It combines a course of gut directed hypnotherapy with wellness coaching and psychological strategies that enable you to take control of your gut and dramatically improve IBS. It’s relaxing, enjoyable and empowering. There really is nothing else like it out there. I provide the highest level of support to help you transform your IBS. At the end of the 8 weeks you can expect an improvement in all IBS symptoms and feel calmer, happier and more in control. 

Over the last year has COVID affected your business and ability to connect with clients?

I’ve been amazed that COVID has actually meant my reach is far wider. I have had clients in Argentina, Lithuania, Canada, Greece, Singapore, Spain and the USA. I’ve been blown away by that, it really wasn't something I anticipated. We have all become much more open to working with people through Zoom rather than face to face so in that sense it has been a silver lining.

What other women inspire you?

Dr Megan Rossi is an incredible woman who is my go-to for all things gut health, as well as a dietician and nutritionist she is a research fellow at King's College, London.. She cuts through the crap (no pun intended) when it comes to diet and nutrition advice.

I’m in awe of so many women, not just the big achievers but all the women who just keep on juggling all the plates of work and family life, being carers, good friends and a ray of light in the darkness. It’s women that have supported me in my business journey and through Covid, and I’ve been nourished by my online communities and networks. They have encouraged me to follow my heart to make a stand for something I believe in and know I can make a difference. Women are amazing, and when we support each other we really are unstoppable. 

Since starting The Tummy Whisperer, what has been your biggest highlight?

My biggest highlight is being witness to the amazing clients I have worked with, nothing gives me more joy than seeing others transform their lives through the power of the subconscious mind. That’s what it’s all about, there really is nothing better. 

What’s next in 2021 and beyond? 

A much needed new website is almost ready and I have just finished recording a 6 episode podcast all about gut directed hypnotherapy “Let’s talk IBS with The Tummy Whisperer” should be out next month! Follow me on Instagram @thetummywhisperer and you’ll hear when it launches.

I have a couple of exciting collaborations coming in September so keep your eyes peeled for those too. I’m on a mission to raise awareness of gut directed hypnotherapy so for 2021 and beyond I’ll be using a massive megaphone to spread the word (I’m not always the whisperer, that’s for sure).