Book a sessionWhat psychosomatic really means
A psychosomatic symptom is not "made up" and not "in your head". The pain, spasm, rash or dizziness is entirely real. The difference is that it is triggered not by organ damage but by a nervous system responding to an emotion that found no other outlet.
The mechanism is simple: an emotion that cannot be expressed (anger at a loved one, a fear that "does not suit you", grief there is "no time for") does not disappear. It turns into chronic tension in the body and eventually finds a weak spot: the stomach, the skin, the heart rhythm, the back muscles.
Which conditions count as psychosomatic
- Irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, "nervous stomach".
- Tension headaches, migraine without a neurological cause.
- Skin conditions: neurodermatitis, psoriasis, eczema that flare under stress.
- A lump in the throat, shortness of breath, palpitations without cardiac pathology.
- Chronic back and muscle pain with no orthopedic findings.
- Dizziness, numbness, tremor that appear in specific situations.
- Frequent colds against a background of chronic stress.
What the research shows
Why hypnosis fits here especially well
A psychosomatic symptom forms not at the level of thoughts but at the level of automatic bodily responses. Talk therapy can explain why your stomach hurts before meetings, but understanding rarely stops a spasm. Hypnosis works with exactly the link where emotion turns into a physical reaction.
In trance you can "ask" the symptom what it is trying to say, find the situation where it first appeared, give the emotion an outlet, and teach the body a different response. Often the symptom disappears once the emotion has finally been lived through.
How the work goes
When it appeared, what makes it worse, what was happening in your life at the time. Often a connection the person never noticed becomes visible right here.
In trance we make contact with the symptom as a signal. What is it protecting? What does it demand? It sounds unusual, but it works with surprising precision.
We find the event or period where the emotion was blocked and let it complete. Without re-traumatization, in a safe space.
We teach the nervous system a different answer to the trigger: relaxation instead of spasm, calm instead of itching.
A technique you can use yourself at the first signs of the symptom. Control returns to you.
How many sessions are needed
A symptom with a clear history (appeared after a specific event) usually takes 2–4 sessions. Chronic psychosomatics with a long history, 4–6. For IBS and skin conditions the effect often accumulates: noticeable change after 2–3 meetings, a lasting result after the course.
FAQ
How do I know my symptom is psychosomatic?+
Three signs: tests find no organic cause; the symptom gets worse under stress or in specific situations; it appeared after an emotionally significant event. But the final call belongs to a doctor.
Can we work if I have a diagnosis (e.g. psoriasis)?+
Yes. For conditions with a psychosomatic component, hypnotherapy reduces the frequency and severity of flare-ups, alongside dermatological treatment, not instead of it.
Does this mean I made it all up?+
No. The symptom is real, created by a real nervous system. You did not invent it and you do not control it consciously, which is exactly why work at the subconscious level is needed.
Will the symptom go away for good?+
If the emotional cause has been worked through, usually yes. If a new prolonged stress enters your life, the body may "speak" again, but you will already have the tool.
Do you work with children?+
With teenagers from 14, yes, with parental consent. I do not work with younger children.
References
- Flammer E., Alladin A. (2007). The efficacy of hypnotherapy in the treatment of psychosomatic disorders: meta-analytical evidence. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
- Flik C.E. et al. (2019). Efficacy of individual and group hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome (IMAGINE): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
- Shenefelt P.D. (2000). Hypnosis in dermatology. Archives of Dermatology.
- Henningsen P. et al. (2018). Management of functional somatic syndromes and bodily distress. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.