Biofeedback is the process of increasing an individuals awareness of their body state and physiological functions in order to help regulate these states and functions for better health and performance. The most common uses of biofeedback include pain control, like migraine headaches, and chronic back pain, and stress reduction. The process focuses on key physiological systems, including heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tone, and pain perception.
With biofeedback, individuals learn to change patterns in the body so it works more efficiently. For example, when treating stress, a computer program translates information from heart rate rhythms onto a display on the computer screen; the person’s interaction with the computer program teaches him or her how to regulate his or her heart rate and reduce the body’s stress response. Once trained, the individual can improve his or her performance and feelings well-being during stressful situations without the computer.
Dr. Richard Davis, Ph.D., EEG-BCN, Shauna Hoover, LPCC, and Dr. Laurie Berger, Ph.D. are also trained in Neurobiofeedback, a form of biofeedback that trains brain waves to function more effectively to address symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, disorders on the autism spectrum and dementia. These two techniques – biofeedback and neurobiofeedback – are often used together to optimize symptom reduction and relief.