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.