Biofeedback

Divora Stern - LCSW 
license # 20498
 
707 354-9911

onemindbody@gmail.com

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines biofeedback as "the technique of making unconscious or involuntary bodily process (as heartbeats or brainwaves) perceptible to the senses (as by the use of an oscilloscope) in order to manipulate them by conscious mental control.” Biofeedback is used to both improve general health and to relieve stress or anxiety.
The hot term in biofeedback is congruence, or heart centered breathing. Congruence in biofeedback is easily obtained in comparison to lengthy meditation practices. By slowing the breath down to six inhalations and six exhalations a minute, the heart’s strongest beat or “T Wave,” will naturally align with the inhalation. This process is how congruence is achieved.
Animals perform biofeedback techniques naturally. Have you ever seen a cat getting ready to pounce on its prey? At that exact pause before a cat pounces, they are achieving congruence.
 Essentially, like the cat, the objective is to align your inhalations up with their strongest heartbeat, priming the systems, reaching maximum efficiency. Biofeedback is a self training technique. The client directly sees on a computer screen, what is happening internally. The information is right there visually in front of you, increasing one's own sensory awareness of the breath. The biofeedback practitioner teaches skills of diaphragmatic breathing. Biofeedback can be a safe alternative to drug therapy. This leads to greater self regulation and can turn down stress levels and speed up the recovery process. The primary goal is self regulation, a learned skill.  One might chose to further monitor this process with a take home rented unit.
I am currently licensed to perform biofeedback for assessing and treating any mental condition. I am proficient in the areas of stress reduction, relaxation, reducing anxiety, depression and PTSD.
 Biofeedback has been successfully used for treatment of ADD/ADHD. Biofeedback can increase sleep, in people with sleeping disorders. It has been used to decrease urine leaks after prostate surgery. Biofeedback has been utilized in treating secondary nausea and vomiting of chemotherapy and flight sickness.
  Biofeedback has been proven in sports medicine. There was extensive work done with the NBA. They trained some of their best players in biofeedback. After these players were well trained, they taught them a “quickie” five second biofeedback technique. The results were astounding in success rates on the three point shooters.
  Are you thinking of taking a huge exam? Wanting to get your contractors license? Taking SAT’s, performing before a huge audience, or preparing a speech? Biofeedback could be just the boost to give you that extra edge. Remember, once you have learned this, and with practice, it becomes part of your survival toolkit. Healthy Eating, Aerobic Exercise, and Deep Breathing, yes it’s the old adage again, but this is the path to a better you.

We Were Not Designed for Prolonged Stress!

Primates are designed to be in the fight or flight mode for minutes at a time. Hear a suspicious noise, take action or flee. That’s how we are hard wired. In today’s society, we are sometimes stressed out for every waking minute! This is particularly true of the sandwich generation. Some of us are caring for children as well as looking out for elders. Some of us do not like our jobs, or our jobs do not bring in enough, as our expenses continue to rise. Biofeedback training just might be the tool to assist us in decreasing our anxiety, to really take a good long look at what we are doing. Perhaps opening the door to other options is what we need on many levels. New strategies, and exploring other options, for our stress filled lives.