Tuesday, March 29, 2016

An Overview of Biofeedback for Stress



As a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Cleve Shirey works with individuals dealing with conditions such as stress and anxiety. The range of approaches employed by Cleve Shirey, MD, includes biofeedback therapy.

Biofeedback therapy uses technology to measure such factors as heart rate, muscle tension, and brain activity. After attaching sensors to a patient’s body, a doctor employing biofeedback therapy will instruct the patient to perform tasks such as tensing and relaxing specific groups of muscles or focusing on breathing more deeply. Other techniques used include focusing on a particular image to encourage relaxation and practicing certain meditation techniques.

Unlike other types of therapy, the participant can see exactly how different approaches affect the body through a monitor that displays the output of the biofeedback sensors in real time. This can go a long way in helping patients learn techniques that they can put into practice when faced with a stressful situation.                             

Monday, March 14, 2016

The MOVE! Weight Management Program



Prior to his current position as a staff psychiatrist at Sierra Tucson, Cleve Shirey, MD, provided outpatient psychiatric care for patients of Southern Arizona VA Healthcare Systems (SAVAHS) in Tucson. Over the course of four years on staff there, Dr. Cleve Shirey treated over 540 patients in a broad age range. SAVAHS offers comprehensive healthcare for qualified veterans who have served in the active military and were separated for any reason other than dishonorable discharge.

The MOVE! Weight Management Program began in 2006, and represents one of many wellness programs that SAVAHS offers to its patients. MOVE! aims to improve the lives of veterans by offering them customized weight management solutions. The program strives to screen veterans annually for obesity in order to direct them toward appropriate weight-loss services.

The MOVE! program educates veterans on the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. Participants learn that even a small weight loss can reduce health risks, prevent or even reverse some diseases, and allow for a longer life with better quality-of-life. The program provides lifestyle coaching via group sessions, one-on-one telephone conferencing, and online clinicians.