What is Biofeedback Therapy?
Biofeedback is a mind-body treatment technique in which people improve their physical and mental health by using signals from their own body. Special non-invasive equipment is used to read physiological signals such as heart rate, breathing rate, skin conductance, muscle tension, and body temperature. These “bio” signals are then “fed-back” to clients so that they can learn to control and change them. These physiological markers are important because they are strongly linked to both physical and mental health. By learning to control them, you can drastically change your well-being.
How Does Biofeedback Lead to Positive Changes?
Chances are you already use feedback systems to control your health. A scale is a feedback system to control weight and a thermometer is a feedback system to make sure body temperature is in a healthy range. Through biofeedback therapy, you will learn how other physiological markers are important indicators of mental well-being. Biofeedback allows you to monitor these markers by viewing them on a screen, and then learning to change them through techniques such as conscious breathing, mindfulness, and physical relaxation. The mind-body connection works in both directions- our thoughts, emotions and experiences profoundly affect our physical experience and vice versa. When you learn to control your physiology, you will learn to reduce your responsiveness to stress and negative thoughts and emotions.
Conditions Treated
- Anxiety and stress
- Chronic pain
- Tension headaches
- Simple phobias
- Irritable bowel syndrome/functional abdominal pain
Learn more about biofeedback