by Matt Krouwel | Mar 21, 2026 | anxiety, hypnotherapy, phobia, public toilet anxiety
As a hypnotherapist who specialises in anxiety I have encountered a lot of people with toilet anxieties over the years. Often these are secondary to other problems such as IBS, overactive bladder or social anxiety. Whatever the reason, people who with public toilets... by Matt Krouwel | Mar 13, 2026 | anxiety, phobia, public toilet anxiety, shy bladder syndrome
Public toilet anxiety is a common experience in which people feel uncomfortable about using public toilets. One study of university students (Knowles 2023) found some interesting facts about public toilet anxiety: 14% of participants showed public toilets avoiding... by Matt Krouwel | Mar 7, 2026 | anxiety, functional disorder, hypnotherapy, pee shy, shy bladder syndrome, Systematic desensitization
As a therapist with many years of experience working with functional and anxiety disorders I have used hypnotherapy for shy bladder syndrome and pee shy clients many times. Often shy bladder presents as a secondary symptom to another problem such as social anxiety, or... by Matt Krouwel | Mar 1, 2026 | anxiety, functional disorder, paruresis, pee shy, shy bladder syndrome
The term ‘pee shy’ or having a ‘shy bladder’ means a person who finds it difficult or to urinate when another person is around. Shy bladder syndrome is: A specific form of public toilet anxiety. More common in men than women. Frequently accompanied by another anxiety... 
by Matt Krouwel | Jan 5, 2026 | anxiety, erectile dysfunction, Systematic desensitization, vaginismus
Systematic desensitisation (SD) is a psychotherapeutic technique based on behavioural principles. SD involves the patient being deeply relaxed and then exposed to a negative trigger whilst in that relaxed state. Through a process known as reciprocal inhibition the old... 
by Matt Krouwel | Dec 18, 2025 | anxiety, Panic attack
A panic attack is an event in which the physical body enters such a heightened state and the person becomes psychologically overwhelmed by the experience. Commonly the physical experience is sufficiently intense that they feel in danger of a fatal medical event. At...