Biofeedback is a treatment technique in which people are trained to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies.
Research has identified a psycho-physiological state in which the interactions between the heart, brain and nervous systems become synchronized. This state of synchronization can be observed, measured and trained using biofeedback tools and technologies.
Biofeedback can be useful for adults, adolescents or anyone looking to feel better and optimize performance.
Biofeedback can be incorporated into “traditional psychotherapy” or we can conduct sessions from an educational perspective.
Biofeedback can be particularly useful for athletes wanting to perform at their highest potential. As a former NCAA student-athlete, I can offer a unique perspective on achieving the proper physical and physiological balance for peak performance.
Heart Rate Variability
I have completed the HeartMath* Resilience Advantage Training Program. This program is backed by years of scientific research. HeartMath uses the concept of biofeedback to help you learn how to consciously control a normally unconscious process – your heart-rate variability (HRV). HRV is a very complex but extremely useful metric. Simply put HRV is “the space between the beats”.
The Heart-Brain Connection*
There is a nervous system pathway that carries signals from the heart to the brain, as well as one that carries messages from the brain to the heart. The heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart.
The heart and brain “communicate” and together they “talk” with the body. The messages they send, whether good or bad, can make all the difference in how we feel and behave. The brain receives nerve impulses from the heart which affect how we feel, think, perceive, and perform. Irregular heart rhythms (low HRV) send messages to the brain that indicate we are upset. Smooth heart rhythms (high HRV) send signals to the brain that indicate everything is ok. By training your heart to get into a coherent (smooth) state of functioning, you are creating a much more orderly and balanced pattern in your internal systems, creating a state of coherence.
We will discuss tools and techniques that train your Heart Rate Coherence (HRC). I will also use a device called EmWave that measures your HRV by picking up pulse data from your ear. This gives immediate feedback about the level of HRC you are in.
