Our bodies speak to us in a variety of ways. A nagging headache or upset stomach can sometimes be the body’s way of expressing internal tension, stress or anxiety. Through the use of various monitoring equipment, biofeedback reestablishes the connection between the mind and the body, putting these indissoluble partners back on speaking terms.

“Biofeedback is a psychotherapeutic and performance enhancement technique that teaches mind-body regulation through the observation and shaping of one’s psychophysiological responses in a direction associated with optimum functioning. For example, by learning to manipulate one’s brain waves, breathing or other measures (e.g., temperature, blood pressure, muscle tension) based on visual and/or auditory feedback an individual can achieve better self-regulation and mental and motor performance,” offers Dr. Roland A. Carlstedt, sport psychologist, chairman of the American Board of Sport Psychology (www.americanboardofsportpsychology.organd author of, Critical Moments During Competition: A Mind-Body Model of Sport Performance When it Counts the Most.

Sensors or electrodes placed on the body record fluctuations in heart rate, body temperature, brain waves and muscle tension, making us aware of how physical activity or anxiety create reactions in the body. These variations in muscle tension or brain waves become useful information that you can then use to slowly adapt your responses.

“Biofeedback functions to reprogram brain functioning and biochemical responses. By observing one’s response patterns and tendencies to specific stimuli and resulting biofeedback-induced changes, over time an individual learns to produce healthy or performance-facilitative responses even without being monitored. Laboratory-based bio or neurofeedback can help correct symptom producing behavior and responses such that clients and patients are weaned off biofeedback devices,” says Dr. Carlstedt.

The list of ailments biofeedback has proven helpful in controlling is growing and includes a variety of conditions, including high blood pressure, Raynaud’s Syndrome, epilepsy, irregular heart beat, migraines, asthma and nausea. Some athletes even rely on information gleaned by biofeedback techniques to improve their performance.

Biofeedback has also proven helpful in treating anxiety disorders.

“I often integrate biofeedback as an adjunct to the cognitive-behavioral approaches I use for many presenting client complaints. I find it particularly helpful for anxiety and attention- focusing problems. I use different types of biofeedback either alone or in combination with others...The feedback provides the client with moment-to-moment information that tells them how they are doing. It also helps them correlate different types of thought patterns or breathing patterns with healthier physiological states,” says Dr. Rob Udewitz the director of Behavior Therapy of New York (www.behaviortherapyny.com and a faculty member of the Department of Clinical Psychology at Fordham University.

While there are little or no side effects associated with biofeedback, the benefit is clear to Dr. Udewitz.

“I think the most valuable benefit of biofeedback occurs when clients just learn that they can self-regulate their physiological functioning. To me it’s not as important for clients to achieve some kind of perfect numbers from a physiological sense. Throughout our everyday lives we find ourselves in a myriad of external and internal stress situations. Each one of these situations might be associated with some hypothetical ideal physiological state. However, it’s not so important to achieve that state, but rather to be able to be psychologically flexible to different situations,” says Dr. Udewitz

Sessions in biofeedback are offered in physical therapy clinics and medical centers and can range from $50-$1000. You should look for accredited practitioners who specialize in their particular area of concern.

“Anybody who wants to try biofeedback should ask their therapist what training they have had. If the person is certified by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America, it means they have at least the basic skills to perform treatments…People being treated for anxiety- related disorders with biofeedback-based interventions need to be sure that the therapist is actually trained to treat anxiety problems,” advises Dr. Richard A. Sherman, president of the Association for Applied Psychology & Biofeedback (www.aapb.org).

For more information on Biofeedback or to locate a licensed provider see the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (www.bcia.org).