Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome is a benign but often highly distressing functional disorder of the gut. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, a feeling of fullness, diarrhea, constipation — or an alternation between the two.
The exact cause is unclear; multiple factors are always involved, such as increased gut sensitivity, changes in the gut microbiome, and stress.
Those affected often endure a long odyssey through medical practices and receive little real help. The mandate of gastroenterologists usually ends once endoscopic examinations show no abnormalities — and this is often where health insurance coverage ends as well. Any further support must be paid for by the patient themselves, with uncertain prospects of success.
Gut–brain axis
We go to the origins of old patterns and explore the roots of the learned dysregulation of your nervous system.
What are you feeling when you cannot say why you are feeling it right now? What does feeling actually feel like? Are there states of tension within you — fight or flight — or states of freeze or shutdown that do not seem appropriate in the here and now?
By repeatedly and gently approaching your feelings, never letting them go and never leaving you alone with them, a tangible sense of relief can emerge on a physical level. When helpful, we can also anchor these experiences cognitively.
The Body keeps
the Score
Body and mind are closely interconnected. Early childhood stress or traumatic experiences can leave a lasting imprint on the nervous system and alter the regulation of the brain, gut, and immune system. Years later, these early imprints often show up as physical symptoms — for example, as irritable bowel syndrome. The gut then becomes hypersensitive, oscillating between alarm and shutdown — the typical pattern seen in IBS.
Polyvagal theory helps explain why trauma therapy, body-based exercises, breathwork, mindfulness, or vagus-stimulating practices (such as humming, singing, cold exposure, or specific breathing techniques) can help alleviate IBS symptoms. We support your nervous system in (re)finding a state of safety — which, in turn, stabilizes digestion.
How I support you.
If you are living with irritable bowel syndrome, we will plan our collaboration individually. We clarify how much medical diagnostic work you have already undergone and what kind of support I can offer in relation to your condition. I work in an informative way alongside the physical symptoms and focus on the aspects of the illness that can be located on a psychological level. I can also advise you on which steps outside of our therapy may be relevant.
The initial consultation for IBS clients lasts 45–60 minutes and is free of charge.
„If you take away anger from a child, you potentially leave them defenseless for the rest of their lives.“