In person in London
A quiet, calm space designed for deep therapeutic work, in my private practice in Camden.
- 5 Calstock, Royal College Street, London NW1 0RX
- Within walking distance of King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston
Toilet anxiety · In person in London & online
Hypnotherapy for Toilet Anxiety
Use public toilets, travel and go out without planning your day around bathrooms. Discreet, judgement-free Ericksonian hypnotherapy with Michele Occelli, in London or online.
- Postgraduate diploma, DistinctionEricksonian Hypnotherapy
- Diploma, DistinctionNLP, Advanced Level
- Registered and insuredGHR and GHSC
- 5.0 from 69 Google reviews
- Since 2010 15+ years' clinical practice
Michele has worked with
The short answer
Can hypnotherapy help with toilet anxiety?
In brief
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help reduce toilet anxiety, including shy bladder (paruresis) and shy bowel (parcopresis), by calming the body's alarm response so the muscles that tense under pressure can relax again.
Going to the toilet depends on the body feeling safe. When anxiety switches on the "fight or flight" response, the body holds on, and the harder you try, the tighter it gets. Hypnosis works with that automatic response directly, rather than relying on willpower, which is why it can help when telling yourself to relax has not worked.
I am Michele Occelli, a London hypnotherapist with over 15 years of clinical experience. Toilet anxiety is far more common than people realise, and it can be hard to talk about. You do not need to go into more detail than feels comfortable; we will work with it calmly, practically and in confidence.
Recognise yourself?
How toilet anxiety can show up in your life
Toilet anxiety looks different for everyone. You might recognise some of these patterns:
In your mind
- Worrying that other people will hear, wait or judge
- Planning your day around where and when you can use a toilet
- Dreading trips, meetings or nights away because of the bathroom
In your body
- Being unable to urinate or open your bowels when others are nearby
- Tension, a racing heart or a blank mind in a public toilet
- Stomach discomfort from holding on for too long
In your behaviour
- Avoiding public toilets, urinals, or using the toilet at work
- Limiting what you drink before going out
- Turning down travel, festivals, flights or social plans
Toilet anxiety is common, and nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a response your body has learnt, and it can be unlearnt.
Book a first session → The method
How hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety works
In hypnosis, your attention becomes focused and absorbed, and the critical, analytical part of the mind steps back. In this state, the nervous system settles and the mind becomes more open to new responses. In our sessions, that allows us to work on four levels:
- 01
Calming the alarm response
Hypnosis shifts the body out of "fight or flight" and into a state of rest. Experiencing that calm repeatedly helps your body learn that it is safe to let go, even when others are nearby.
- 02
Rehearsing in your mind first
In hypnosis we take the situations you find hardest step by step in imagination, from a quiet toilet at home to a busy one at work or on a train, so your body rehearses a relaxed response before you try it for real.
- 03
Easing the fear of being judged
Toilet anxiety is often driven by worry about what others think. We work with that self-consciousness, and with any experience that set the pattern off, without needing to relive it in detail.
- 04
Building your own resources
You leave with practical self-hypnosis and breathing techniques you can use in the moment, and a gradual plan for using the toilets you have been avoiding.
- 1
Book a first session
In person in London or online. Each session lasts 60 minutes, and many clients choose online sessions for extra privacy.
- 2
We start with a conversation
About which situations are hardest, how long it has been happening and how it affects your plans. You only share what feels comfortable.
- 3
Hypnosis
I guide you into a relaxed, focused state. You stay aware and in control, can hear everything and can stop at any time.
- 4
A plan that fits you
Many clients notice a difference after the first sessions. Long-standing toilet anxiety usually benefits from a series of sessions, often between 4 and 8, alongside gradual practice between sessions.
The research
What does the research say about hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety?
Research on toilet anxiety is limited, and most of what exists concerns gradual exposure, practising in more and more challenging situations one step at a time. I am not aware of controlled trials of hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety specifically. Hypnosis lends itself well to gradual exposure, because you can rehearse each step while deeply calm. More broadly, 2019 meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, which pooled results from 15 controlled studies, found that hypnosis produced a substantial reduction in anxiety compared with control conditions, with larger effects when hypnosis was combined with other psychological approaches. I will always be clear with you about what the evidence can and cannot tell us.
Read more about what happens in the brain during hypnosis First session
“It was my first time doing hypnotherapy, and he helped me make great progress in just a couple of months.”
Google review
In London or online
Hypnotherapy for Toilet Anxiety in London or online
Online, wherever you are
Online sessions follow the same structure as in-person work, and many clients find it easier to relax at home.
- Over Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp
- Anywhere in the UK, or abroad while you travel
Low-income clinic: a limited number of reduced-rate sessions each month. Ask about availability · All fees and gift certificates
Your hypnotherapist
About Michele Occelli
I am a registered hypnotherapist practising since 2010, with postgraduate diplomas in Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and NLP from the British Hypnosis Research and Training Institute. I trained with Dr Ernest L. Rossi and Dr Stephen Gilligan, both direct students of Milton H. Erickson.
- Practising since
- 2010
- Registration
- GHR & GHSC, fully insured
- Method
- Ericksonian & clinical hypnotherapy
- Locations
- London, NW1 & online
- GHR
- GHSC
FAQ
FAQs about hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety
Still have a question? Get in touch or call 07939 228 212.
What is paruresis?
Paruresis, sometimes called shy bladder syndrome, is difficulty or inability to urinate when other people are nearby, or when you feel you might be heard or rushed. The equivalent for bowel movements is called parcopresis, or shy bowel. Both are forms of anxiety rather than signs of anything wrong with you, and both can improve with the right support.
Should I see a doctor first?
Yes, if you have not already. If you have pain, blood, changes in your bowel habits, or difficulty urinating even when you are alone and relaxed, please see your GP to rule out a medical cause. Once a physical cause has been ruled out, hypnotherapy can help with the anxiety itself.
How many sessions of hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety will I need?
It depends on how long you have experienced toilet anxiety and how much it affects your life. Some people notice a shift within a few sessions. If it has been part of your life for many years, a series of sessions over several weeks, with gradual practice between them, usually works best. We will review your progress together as we go.
How much does hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety cost in London?
A 60-minute session costs £150, whether in person in London or online. If you would like to commit to a series of sessions, bundles bring the price down to £140 per session (3 sessions) or £130 per session (6 sessions). A limited number of reduced-rate sessions are available each month through my low-income clinic.
I find this embarrassing to talk about. Do I need to go into detail?
No. You only need to share as much as feels comfortable, and many clients find it easier than they expected once they start. I have worked with a wide range of personal concerns over 15 years, and everything we discuss is confidential. Online sessions from home can make it easier to begin.
Can hypnotherapy help with IBS and toilet anxiety?
Hypnotherapy has some of its strongest research in irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety about needing a toilet urgently is a common part of living with IBS. If you have a diagnosis of IBS, we can work on both the gut symptoms and the anxiety around them, alongside the advice of your GP.
Book hypnotherapy for toilet anxiety
You do not need to explain everything before you get in touch. If toilet anxiety is limiting where you go and what you do, that is reason enough to start.