Biofeedback (stress testing, relaxation training)

Through understanding the relationship between accumulated inner stress and the development of dis-ease, we can finally move beyond the present medical paradigm and begin to look within, instead of looking for the miracle cure! Physicians estimate that up to ninety percent of the illnesses they see in an average day are rooted in chronic anxiety (Greenwood & Nunn, 1994). Anxiety and stress have been increasing so rapidly in our culture that is has now reached epidemic proportions, and this is a direct link to our increased disease and illness.

Understanding and managing stress in your daily life will improve your general health, reduce weight, improve digestion problems, increase energy levels, alleviate muscular tension, improve mental clarity, and improve your overall outlook on life. When our stress levels are balanced we are better able to cope with the negative stressors that come our way. However should we start to have an excess of negative stress then our ability to cope with the bad stressors in life become more difficult. During negative stress our body releases the hormone cortisol and this hormone if over stimulated leads to the break down of muscle tissue and fatigue of the adrenal glands. Over time adrenal gland fatigue will lead to a breakdown of the immune system and then disease. It is therefore very important that we maintain a good balance.

Biofeedback is a technique in which people are trained to improve their health by learning to control certain internal bodily processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as heart rate blood pressure, muscle tension, and skin temperature. These activities are measured with special devices and then feedback is provided to the client about the internal workings of his or her body. The person can then be taught to use this information to gain control over these “involuntary” activities. These devices can detect a person’s internal bodily functions with far greater sensitivity and precision than a person can alone. This information is invaluable as clients can use it to gauge and direct the progress of their treatment as it acts as a kind of sixth sense which allows them to “see” or “hear” activity inside their bodies. Biofeedback is an effective therapy for numerous physical and mental conditions.

Many people benefit from biofeedback who have conditions that are brought on or made worse by stress. For this reason, relaxation is key to successful biofeedback therapy. When a body is repeatedly stressed, internal processes like blood pressure become overactive. Guided by a biofeedback therapist, a person can learn to lower his or her blood pressure through relaxation techniques and mental exercises. As clients are taught various forms of relaxation exercises, they learn to identify the circumstances that trigger their symptoms and also taught how to avoid or cope with these stressful events.

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“Be the change you want to see in the world”. Gandhi