Introduction to Online Biofeedback and Counseling:

 

Welcome,

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If you are a wanting to work with improving mood, attention or calm  it is possible to this with biofeedback and online mindfulness practice in counseling. Biofeedback can be done in a lot of ways. I lend clients biofeedback "kits" that are set up. These kits have sensors clients put on their fingers that monitor their attention and stress. The "bio-feedback" happens with sound volume levels that tell a person when they are calm or have good attention or don't.  When the person is calm there is a white noise or ocean sound that is quite. When they get stressed or their attention gets cluttered the sound gets louder. The louder sound reminds them of a more cluttered, or louder thoughts.

 

When we use the sound on a device it lets a person use it when they do other things like listen to music, work, study, hang out with family, draw or talk. The sound tells them when they are calm and clear or when they are more mentally stressed or cluttered. It works well with adults and children.

 

It opens up a lot of options and becomes something people can share with people they are with. I teach clients and work with them online with home based biofeedback equipment I lend clients. I lend clients a complete kit for biofeedback.  and we use, art, games or sound therapy that I give to clients. This is covered by Minnesota State Health Plans, and the the video chat software we use is free. It also let's people draw together online while they share screens (it is fun for family and friends to use together too).

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For a lot of reasons working online is appealing. People can have the comfort of their home and privacy to make up for the limited communication cues of in person sessions. Also, the stress of travel is an issue.

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I currently work with children and adults across Minnesota and we use biofeedback, art, games, doodling, and other things with counseling and mindfulness. Doodling has been proven to increase memory by 29% when people doodle while they are read a list of information and it is proven to cause reductions in stress. Art also heals traumatic memories (I did research on art art therapy in graduate school). I also enjoy joking with clients and think that the mindfulness process can be funny. I also used to draw funny comic strips and enjoy drawing with kids I work with.

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Meeting online is as effective as office visit. There are trade-offs where people give up some body cues but gain comfort and privacy. Online visits are proven to be as effective as in office visits. At home you can invite different people to be together with you. This is also great for children. I also studied art as a minor before I studied counseling and art therapy along with biofeedback in graduate school. When we do virtual video sessions we can share screens so the person I am working with can show me things, we can draw on the same screen, and I can show people things and teach them. It can also be funny at times (I used to do comic strips in high-school and college, and enjoy using humor with kids). 

 

I also like to think of what we are doings as "neuro-education", and I ask clients to think of what we are doing as a type of mindfulness class along with it being counseling and supportive.

 

Working online together makes things possible in many situations when a person can't get to the office or I or my partners can't get to them in the community with the time limits we have.

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"Neuroeducation" can also be called neurotherapy. It can be done with sounds in specific brain rhythms that I guide clients with. It is called sound entrainment in research, and it has been proven  to work in published university level research for improving pain, anxiety, attention, mood and other things.

 

Neurotherapy changes brain rhythms like neurofeedback, but does it using a sound rhythm in a brain rhythm that reminds the person consciously or unconsciously of the brain rhythm that would help help. The idea behind using sound entrainment is that sounds in specific rhythms help people increase needed brain rhythms as a form of therapy, and helps them learn them as a form of education.

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By working online I can teach families to individuals. One or more people can be at the computer, and people who aren't wanting to be there or who need to do something else in the home can. 

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In the State of Minnesota all the Minnesota State Health Plans and all the insurances that manage them (including the private insurances) cover online counseling with biofeedback when there is a need.

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My graduate training was in both in home, in school and in office counseling. For adults the privacy and convenience helps with online services and for children it can be a great way to structure brain therapy or education with games, drawing, talking or whatever fits. Families can guide me with what works best for them. I also did graduate and undergraduate research in art therapy, and studied psychology and art as an undergraduate student.  

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Here are some results from research studies that I also see in my practice:

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• Improvements in mood and attention. It helps people who are already doing well at work. And, clients with anxiety and attention struggles often reduce medication by 50% or more. Biofeedback is proven in research to be as effective as medication for anxiety and attention struggles.

• Reductions in children's tantrums by 50% or more (including children with autism).

• Improvements in school grades by 25% or more (including children with autism).

• Teenagers learn to healthily work with their focus as they grow their insight and front brain as they learn to focus better.

• There are improvements in mood and mental performance at work for adults.

• There are improvements in social skills happen because mindfulness is a key part of understanding others. There is also improvements in relationships when people are calmer. I see less conflict in people's relationships.

• People suffering from pain or migraines see a reduction in pain or the number of migraines by 50% or more.

• For attention and impulsive behavior problems there was a 70% reduction in impulsive behavior in children with ADHD in a research study where they used a specific sound therapy I use with clients.. Children and adults perform better on mental tasks and in school or work focus. This increase in focus and self control translates into more awareness of other people and social awareness.

• For mental performance, memory and mood adults at Duke University and The University of Virginia showed significant improvements in focus, and performance with mental tasks.

• It also helps reduce the anxiety that precedes drinking or using drugs. I have seen clients reduce the need for alcohol dramatically, and be able to maintain not drinking.

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Benefits of working online and how sessions done:

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The web based process uses video conferencing where I work with adults and children. We practice mindfulness or while talking. The video is secure, private and convenient. The sessions allow me to work with children and adults who can chat online while playing games, drawing, or doing a talk session. It is possibly the best way to do relaxation and mindfulness exercises. 

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Sessions can be scheduled online and paperwork can also be done online to start. We use a secure, free video chat that has screen sharing, shared drawing tools and is made to be private for medical practices/

 

Over enough time patterns in our lives show up in our conversations, and people learn how to use the tools we use on their own more. Most research studies using biofeedback are based on two 30 minutes sessions a week. The same goes for other mindfulness therapies. I try and follow this way of scheduling. And, it is usually easier for families to do with online visits.

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Here are some specific situations that can benefit really well from online sessions:

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• Children with autism can do it as a form of brain behavior therapy where they listen to sounds I provide.

• Couples can learn to do mindfulness together as we talk about the stages of marriage.

• Adults and children who want to improve attention, reduce anxiety, or heal ADHD can work with me at home, work, or school if they have a way to be in touch.

• Clients with pain can meet with me and reduce the need for pain medication.

• Also, people who are struggling with chemical dependency can use this service to do regular meetings for reducing anxiety.

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Also, if I am working with a family I find that it is best to help two people in a family increase their mindfulness. It helps the family practice the skills and the tools we use can be shared more easily with multiple people's input. The biofeedback equipment becomes something family or friends can use. Helping more people also helps the future of the family and community.

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Feel free to email me questions at petermeilahn "@" yahoo.com or call me at 651.347.8172.

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Thank You, Peter J. Meilahn