Biofeedback Training - Enhancing The Mind-Body Connection

Sometimes referred to as neurofeedback training, biofeedback training is a learning process that utilizes electronic feedback machines to help a person learn to how manage their internal physical responses, of which most people are not even aware. Ever since the late 1960's, biofeedback treatment has been used to help people improve their peripheral blood flow, modify their muscle activity and tone, control their heart rate and blood pressure, as well as many other physiological responses which are commonly thought to be beyond a person's voluntary control.

Biofeedback training is accomplished with the help of biofeedback therapists who will assist a patient in learning various techniques to understand and act upon information that is provided from a device called a biofeedback machine. This feedback data is then used to gain control over the autonomic functions of the body, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, circulation and perspiration, and to monitor changes that occur through applying biofeedback techniques.

In many instances, this training can be integrated with other types of therapeutic methods to help achieve the desired results. Biofeedback therapy is often very useful for conditions of chronic pain and it is a very appealing therapy for those who deal with chronic pain because often they are able to reduce the amount of prescription or over-the-counter medications that they need to take to control their pain levels.

Another common use of this type of training is with patients who suffer from incontinence or constipation. As well, there are many instances of successful use of neurotherapy for treating high blood pressure, stress, tension and migraine headaches, just to name a few of the many uses. In addition, there have been many reports that a biofeedback program of therapy can help athletes recover from injuries and help surgery patients to recover more quickly from some types of surgical procedures.

One of the primary reasons why many people are attracted to the concept of a biofeedback program is that it provides a non-pharmacological option to reducing various symptoms of illness and disease. This means that many different health problems and issues can be dealt with without the concern of drug side-effects or drug interactions. Biofeedback therapy is also quite a flexible approach and it can be custom tailored to an individual's needs and also to specific psycho-physiological profiles.

Another reason for the growing popularity of biofeedback training is that it is a painless and completely non-invasive approach, which is appealing to many for obvious reasons. Neurotherapy challenges both the person and the person's brain to learn to self-adapt to an overall healthier and more functional state of brain pattern activity, which can result in very positive and long lasting changes, as a result of a better awareness of the power of the mind-body connection.

Traditional Healing in Modern Medicine

You've heard that it's takes a village to raise a child, but Dr. Mehl-Madrona believes that it often takes a community to heal someone who is ill. The indigenous ways have much to teach us. In his books and this interview he tells us stories that he's told to his patients to help in their healing process. These stories give us universal wisdom and strength.

• Discover how to use the community to help your friends and family heal
• See how to integrate contemporary medicine with traditional healing
• Learn the traditional meaning of the Four Directions
• See how you can use stories to enhance the healing process
• Discover the hidden meaning of the Native American Medicine Wheel
• Be Inspired to live in harmony with the seasons and nature
• Learn about the real meaning of “success” in healing
• Explore how to use our ancestors’ spirits in healing and story
• Find out what the benefits of ceremony can be in your life
• Learn to create your own ceremonies for daily living
• See how the Ravens Beak story relates to modern health issues

Lewis Mehl-Madrona holds an M.D. from Stanford University and has been a practicing doctor for over 20 years. An experienced healer who has led many Native American healing ceremonies, Dr. Mehl-Madrona has also headed traditional medical clinics, helping AIDS and cancer patients as well as researching the benefits of relaxation techniques to aid in the natural correction of breech positioned babies. He is currently an Associate Professor of Family Practice at the University Of Hawaii School Of Medicine. He has been studying and working in the field of Native American and indigenous healing for many years.