Biofeedback therapy is a technique for improving the mind-body connection. This form of alternative medicine measures certain bodily functions—like breathing and heart rate—and teaches you how to voluntarily control them in real time. Biofeedback is not a form of psychotherapy (AKA talk therapy). Rather, it’s a holistic somatic therapy that focuses on your bodily responses to stressors. By learning to control physical responses related to mental health conditions, you can reduce symptoms, lower stress, and improve overall well-being.
What are the origins of biofeedback therapy?
Biofeedback as a method for improving self-regulation dates back to the late 1960s, thanks to the research of Neal Miller, an American experimental psychologist who wanted to prove that people could have control over physiological process that were previously thought to be involuntary.
When is biofeedback therapy used?
Biofeedback therapy is used to treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also help improve symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders like attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Biofeedback is also used in medical settings to treat physical health conditions such as:
Chronic pain
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Migraines
Urinary incontinence
Fecal incontinence
Constipation
High blood pressure
Fibromyalgia
Raynaud’s disease
Biofeedback is conducted in a one-on-one setting. While it can help with various symptoms, it is typically not used as a standalone treatment—instead, it’s used as a complementary treatment to talk therapy and/or psychiatric medications.
How does biofeedback therapy work?
Biofeedback works by helping you understand the relationship between your emotional and physical states. In biofeedback, you gain a better understanding of your bodily functions, and how to exert more control over your physiological reactions to stress.
Many physical reactions — like sweating, muscle tension, or a racing heart — happen automatically in certain situations. But biofeedback helps you gain more awareness about these reactions and exert some control over them. In turn, this can help regulate your emotional state.
Biofeedback usually relies on devices that are temporarily connected to the body. These devices enable people to see data — or “feedback” — about their body on the monitor, such as heart rate or breathing. While viewing the feedback, patients engage in relaxation techniques, and are able to see in real time how their breathing or heart rate is slowing, or their muscle tension or sweating is subsiding.
The relaxation technique and real-time data reinforce one another, and patients learn concrete skills for self-regulation and retraining the body’s reactions to discomfort or stress. Some biofeedback providers might even use video games or virtual reality for a more engaging experience.
What are the different types of biofeedback?
Biofeedback technology can measure many body functions. Different types of biofeedback include analyzing:
Heart rate – Sensors attached to the chest connect to an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure heart rate and rhythm. In some cases, a pulsometer is placed on a finger to take the pulse instead.
Brain activity – An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures electrical activity in the brain with electrodes attached to the scalp. This is also called neurofeedback or EEG biofeedback.
Breathing – Bands with sensors are placed around the chest and stomach measure breathing rate and patterns.
Temperature – Pads attached to toes or fingers read skin temperature. This is also called thermal biofeedback.
Sweat – Galvanic skin response (GSR) sensors attached to palms or fingertips measure sweat gland activity.
Muscle tension and activity – Surface electromyography (AKA surface EMG or sEMG) uses sensors on the skin to check muscle activity.
What is biofeedback therapy like?
Before you get started, the provider might ask about your current struggles and symptoms you want to address. They’ll want to hear about your stress levels and any triggers that worsen symptoms. From there, they can determine what body functions they’ll measure and devise a plan.
In each biofeedback session, your provider will hook you up to the biofeedback equipment by applying electrical pads or sensors to your skin. These sensors can measure any of the bodily functions above, sending this information to a monitor where you and your provider can see the activity.
You will then be taken through a relaxation exercise or other skill. You and the provider will work with the biofeedback together to reduce the symptom in the moment, and then discuss how the technique(s) can be applied in your everyday life.
How long does biofeedback therapy take?
Biofeedback treatment sessions typically last around 30 minutes to an hour. It may take around 8 to 10 sessions to see improvement, but it depends on the condition you’re treating.
How to find a biofeedback therapist
If you think biofeedback might be right for you, it’s important to speak with a licensed and experienced clinician who’s trained in this model. There are many types of mental health care providers who practice biofeedback, including licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) and more.
On top of finding someone specializing in biofeedback, you want to make sure they meet your other needs. For example, if you’re struggling with PTSD after sexual trauma, you may want to find a therapist who also specializes in treating sexual trauma. In addition, finding a therapist who accepts your insurance can make therapy much more affordable.
You can find a therapist who accepts your insurance and specializes in biofeedback by using Grow Therapy. After filtering for your location, insurance, and needs, you can then select “Biofeedback” from the “Treatment methods” drop-down.
About Grow Therapy
Grow Therapy is an online therapy platform that meets you where you are. With thousands of providers, therapy and medication support, and insurance-covered care, starting therapy is faster, easier, and more affordable.
