Table 1.

The benefits and limitations of gut‐focused hypnotherapy for functional gastrointestinal disorders

Benefits	Limitations
Extremely safe Highly effective even in otherwise refractory cases Improvement in extra‐intestinal symptoms Reduces healthcare utilization Socioeconomic benefits including reduced absenteeism Reduced need for medication Improves resilience and teaches self‐management skills Improves quality of life, psychological and cognitive function	Time intensive (6–12, 60‐min sessions) Needs to be practiced at home regularly, at least initially Requirement for trained therapist Misconceptions and negative perceptions Relatively expensive Limited availability outside tertiary centers Requires highly motivated patients