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GETTING STARTED

What is Biofeedback?

Biofeedback therapy is a technique that uses sensors to gather information from psychophysiological processes that occur within the body.

These sensors detect signals from specific places in your body and immediately provide feedback to make you more aware of the processes that are taking place within your body.

The goal is to control your automatic body functions, including your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, breathing, perspiration, skin temperature, and brain waves and positively impact on your overall physical and mental performance.

Biofeedback Facts
1
Biofeedback emerged in the late 1960s as a technique to monitor physiological processes and train people to have more control over their involuntary body responses.
2
Biofeedback is generally considered a safe technique. There have been no side effects or potential complications reported.
3
Biofeedback therapy can help people change habitual reactions to stress, which causes anxiety, pain, or illness.
How Does it Work?

When you are under stress your heart rate and blood pressure tend to be higher, you sweat, your muscles become more tense, and your breathing gets faster. During biofeedback therapy, electrode sensors are attached to your skin or fingers to detect physiological processes such as your pulse, skin temperature, muscle tone, or brain-wave pattern. These sensors send signals in the form of a sound, light, or image to a video screen where you can see the patterns or changes occurring in your physiological processes.

Your therapist will interpret those patterns or changes for you and gradually teach you how to alter your body's automatic body functions consciously. Basically, you will practice relaxation techniques to lower your stress and actively change your body’s physiological processes.

BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
Types of Biofeedback

Different types of biofeedback are used to monitor different body functions:

Each biofeedback therapy session lasts about 60-90 minutes. Usually, you can start to see biofeedback benefits within 10 sessions or less. Some conditions, such as high blood pressure, can take more sessions to improve.

Breathing
Heart Rate
Muscle Activity
Skin Conductance
Brain Wave
Temperature
Exercises Commonly Used
Deep breathing • Progressive muscle relaxation • Guided imagery • Mindfulness meditation
Benefits of Biofeedback

Biofeedback is noninvasive and may help you feel more in control of your body. It may also help you manage your:

Chronic Pain
Headaches
Anxiety
Urinary Incontinence
High Blood Pressure
Motion Sickness
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Asthma
Injury
Constipation
Epilepsy
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Urinary Incontinence
Raynaud’s Disease
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Biofeedback has shown positive outcomes in the treatment of certain medical disorders, such as diabetes, nocturnal enuresis, dyschezia, writer's cramp, esophageal spasm, occupational cramps, blepharospasm, dysmenorrhea, visual disorders, some dermatologic disorders, diabetes mellitus, fibromyalgia, menopausal hot flashes, and premenstrual syndrome.

AT-HOME EXERCISES
Types of Biofeedback Exercises

Different types of biofeedback are used to monitor different body functions:

Each biofeedback therapy session lasts about 60-90 minutes. Usually, you can start to see biofeedback benefits within 10 sessions or less. Some conditions, such as high blood pressure, can take more sessions to improve.

BREATHING
You will learn various breathing exercises to relax and center your body.
TENSE-RELAX
You will learn to progressively tighten and relax various muscle groups in your body.
AUTOGENIC TRAINING
You will learn to respond to verbal commands to relax your body.
VISUALIZATION
You will learn to focus your imagination to feel more comfortable and relaxed.
About the Provider
Sarah

Sarah is a fully licensed clinical mental health counselor who has been trained to provide Biofeedback. She is qualified to use biofeedback equipment to measure your physiological processes and teach you how those processes are associated with stress. You will then learn relaxation and stress reduction techniques to regain balance.

Sarah will use cognitive behavioral therapy to guide you in identifying thoughts that increase stress. She will demonstrate how to replace those thoughts with more balanced ways of thinking. She will also provide a structure plan based on your specific needs and goals. Finally, she will help you explore your core beliefs, thoughts, and emotional responses to better understand who you are and how you interact with the world.

Duration Where Cost
Sessions often last
approximately 60 minutes.		 3825 Market St, Ste 4
Wilmington, NC 28403 		$110 per session
(Assessment and report not included).
Common Biofeedback questions

Treatment begins with an initial assessment or intake interview. Following the initial interview, your therapist will explain how biofeedback works and proceed to attach electrodes/sensors to your skin to detect signals (i.e., sounds, light or images) that are to be displayed on a monitor. You will be able to see the physiological changes happening in your body and work on changing your responses through relaxation techniques. Your therapist will recommend exercises to practice at home and coordinate with other professionals involved in your care. if necessary.

Biofeedback therapy offers you tools to manage debilitating medical and psychological conditions and can be an extremely effective treatment approach.

Each person is uniquely different and may respond differently to biofeedback therapy. Some of our patients have only attended six to twelve sessions when they are combined with CBT therapy and the meeting last approximately 60 minutes. Doing your exercises between sessions will maximize your ability to reduce adverse symptoms and achieve relaxation faster.

Self-regulation is the practice of relaxation and stress management techniques to control your physiological response to stress.