biofeedback Calgary frequently asked questions

A session plan will be talked about on your initial consultation. This plan will be individualized to meet your personal needs, expectations, commitment and budget.
Usually a commitment of one visit every 1 - 2 weeks for your first six sessions. This allows us to monitor changes and focus on your stressors, it also allows your body time to adjust to changes.
We will continuously evaluate your progress and make adjustments to your schedule as necessary. A person with lots of stressors may require visits of greater frequency over a longer period of time, while people with fewer stressors will respond very quickly, even within the first few sessions.

When you start to balance the stress in the body often symptoms such as aching flu-like symptoms, headaches, runny nose, diarrhea, irritability, fatigue, skin eruptions, gas, sweating, tearing, crying, bad breath, increased need for sleep, coughing or emotional sensitivity begin surfacing and releasing. Essentially these are all the different ways the body has to release stored stress. Symptoms are generally indications that your body is working to overcome a condition and regain balance.
Do not be alarmed when you feel "worse" after you start biofeedback. This is usually a good sign, this means that your body has built up enough strength inside to expel accumulated stress. When stress and toxins accumulate inside you body, they do damage to your cells and tissues and weaken your body. This is recognized by medical science as a major contributor of disease.
In cases where you have a chronic condition caused by stress and your body has adapted to the stress (i.e. jaw clenching, food intolerances, allergies, toxicity, infections, emotional fixations etc.) you may have no symptoms until you start biofeedback. Chronic exposure to stress often weakens your body to the point where is is no longer able to defend itself or produce symptoms.
With biofeedback, you may be re-sensitized to hidden stressors, resulting in an increased awareness. In very rare circumstances, biofeedback may not agree with you, if you suspect this discontinue. It is never wrong to be cautious, however, most of the time, temporary aggravations of your symptoms are an anticipated and positive part of feeling well and stress free.

If you get any of the above symptoms, you may try drinking plenty of water (12+ glasses per day), allow yourself to rest and prevent over exertion. Please allow your body's natural elimination of stress to occur. Over the counter medications, decongestants, anti-perspirants and ointments may hinder the body's natural ability to heal itself. For example, when you take aspirin to bring down a fever, you are shutting off beneficial processes that occur within your body. The fever may be stopping the reproduction of pathogens or accelerating a beneficial metabolic process.
After a few hours or a few days, the symptoms will end. You will now experience a state of greater health. You may find that you become stronger inside, get sick less often, can think more clearly, have more energy and realize fewer complaints.
Sometimes as you clear stress from your body your systems begin to function better. You may notice that you can feel more subtle sensations and body signals. That increased awareness may allow you to pinpoint what is good for you and what affects your health or outlook negatively.
If you begin to pay attention to the signals that your body sends, you may be able to make better lifestyle decisions. It is a fun journey - an on going process of peeling away layers of stress, feeling better and uncovering your full potential.

NOTE: If your symptoms persist, or worsen, please contact your health practitioner, it is possible that a deeper disorder may be present.

You may want to make sure that you are getting 7+ hours of sleep each night, relaxing for a time each day, eating 5-6 small nutritious meals per day and getting plenty of fresh air, sunlight and exercise. Also stay hydrated, our bodies are 90% water.
You may also want to pay attention if your energy starts to wane. Your body may be sending you signals about your overall stress load, including behaviour, diet or other exposures. You may get tired when your body needs the energy to compensate for accumulated stress.

The fact that you feel better after one or two biofeedback sessions is very promising. Getting rid of stress is a non-linear process, so you can expect that there will be ups and downs. As deeper layers of physical, emotional and toxicological stress are reduced over time, your energy will begin to hold for longer and longer.
Improvements may last longer if you can resist sabotage. Things like chemicals, food additives, inadequate sleep, sugar, alcohol, smoking, overeating, nutritional deficiency, over-the-counter drugs, inactivity, arguments and emotional extremes, lack of sunlight and outdoors may contribute to elevated stress.
Also remember to take time daily to rest and relax, otherwise you have no energy left for repair. Biofeedback cannot heal you, it reduces stress and which allows your body to heal itself
If you feel that you have been doing everything right yet you are still slipping between biofeedback sessions, you may simply need more frequent sessions until your stamina improves. It usually takes a few sessions to really get a handle on your individual stress.

It may be tempting to jump to this conclusion. Yet it is reasonable to expect more than one session will be required to resolve your condition. There may be many reasons why you are not responding positively, however, at this point, lack of adequate time and consistency are the most likely.
It is difficult being patient when you are not feeling well but remember your body will respond to good nutrition, toxic avoidances, exercise and stress reduction programs. Symptoms should improve when the damage caused by stress is reduced.

Biofeedback is one of the safest natural health programs available. Biofeedback has never resulted in a fatality and negative effects are rare. Negative effects tend to be mild and temporary when they are experienced. Direct conflicts with other drugs, herbs or therapies are unlikely if not unheard of. However, given the different philosophies of conventional and alternative practitioners, all programs should be discussed with your health care providers to ensure co-operation and mutual understanding.