Self-Regulation: It’s a Mind-Body Thing

Self-regulation is an important skill that allows people to manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors effectively. What is self-regulation?  It is the ability to have control over oneself, to resist impulsive actions, and to make decisions that line up with long-term goals and values. This valuable skill is a foundation of personal success and well-being, affecting many areas of life, including relationships, academics, career, and overall happiness.

As we become more overwhelmed with information and the speed of life increases, self-regulation is becoming increasingly important. The ability to delay gratification, stay focused, and persevere through challenges is crucial for meeting our goals. Those who have good self-regulation skills are better able to handle stress, overcome obstacles, and adapt to new situations.

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Biofeedback Training for APA Continuing Education Credit

APA continuing education credit is a valuable resource for professionals in the field of psychology who want to stay up-to-date on the latest research and techniques. One area of study that is gaining popularity is biofeedback training, which involves using technology to monitor and provide feedback on physiological processes in order to improve health and well-being. APA continuing education credit for biofeedback training can provide psychologists with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively use this technique with their clients.

Biofeedback training is a type of complementary and alternative medicine that has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, and high blood pressure. It involves the use of sensors to monitor physiological processes such as heart rate, breathing rate, and muscle tension, and provides immediate feedback to the individual in the form of visual or auditory cues. This feedback can help individuals learn to control these physiological processes and improve their health and well-being.

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What Can You Do About Stress?

Stress tends to trigger the fight, flight, or flee response which is supposed to be an emergency state which lasts for only a short time.  When there is not a short-term emergency requiring a physical response then the state can last for a long time.  It may also be triggered repeatedly over a long period of time.  When this happens, negative symptoms including pain, headaches, cardiovascular problems, and insomnia can result.
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Unique Training Options for APA Continuing Education Credit

Most psychologists in the United States need to attend training to keep up with new developments in the field and to remind them of things that they may have learned a long time ago.

There are many options for training including face-to-face programs, online programs, and material that psychologists can read.  There is a multitude of different topics that can be studied.  Since psychologists have to take training, it makes sense to make it something interesting, enjoyable, and useful.  Biofeedback and neurofeedback are subjects that check all of those boxes.  Psychologists tend to do a lot of talking and paperwork as a part of their routine.  Some of this can become monotonous.  Biofeedback and neurofeedback use technology that helps the clients of psychologists learn about themselves.  It helps them to learn how to make real, physiological, measurable changes.  They can learn to change how their body reacts to stress using biofeedback.  They can train their brain to become more regulated through neurofeedback.

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Biofeedback Supplies and Technology

What supplies do you need to have to use biofeedback technology?  Some biofeedback modalities require little or no supplies while others require consumable supplies that you need a ready inventory of.

A Plethysmograph (PPG) sensor which is used to measure Heart Rate, Blood Volume, and Heart Rate variability may use a clip or Velcro band that is permanently attached to the sensor.  In this case, there would be no replaceable supplies needed.

The Electrocardiograph (EKG) sensor measures Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability.  The EKG sensor uses adhesive disposable sensors that stick to the skin and snap or clip to the electrode cable.  These usually come in packages of 50 – 300.  Alcohol prep pads are used to clean the skin before applying the sensors.

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Biofeedback, Medical or Educational?

Is biofeedback medical or educational?

Biofeedback equipment has been around since the 1960s, yet some people still don’t know about it.

Being able to use technology to help learn control over physiology has almost endless applications.

Many people have been working hard for a long time to make biofeedback more accepted by the medical system.  There are physical medical applications like tension and migraine headaches, neck pain, back pain, other types of chronic pain, muscle spasm, hypertension, and asthma.  There are also mental health applications like ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, and depression.

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Biofeedback and Neurofeedback for Veterans

Veterans are given honor for their service in many settings.  One example I notice is when I am traveling by air.  Veterans are thanked for their service and are allowed to board before other passengers.  They are also honored on Veterans Day.  They deserve it for their sacrifice to serve our country.

Many of them pay a great price and suffer with lingering physical and mental symptoms related to their service.  Some of the symptoms that I am aware of that some veterans live with include Anxiety, PTSD, Chronic Pain, Headaches, Insomnia, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and substance dependance/abuse.

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