Biofeedback is the new best stress-buster for students
Submitted by Abigail HamiltonIowa State University has opened a Biofeedback Center for students to help them deal with stress.
Directed by Student Counseling Service staff psychologist Todd Pietruszka, the center is free and open to all ISU students.
The university is first of the three Regents’ universities to offer a biofeedback service to address students’ emotional needs.
The center has adopted technologies like video games and guided meditations to teach relaxation techniques, concentration skills and healthy coping responses. Some important take-aways about biofeedback from the discussion surrounding this new student center:
• Biofeedback is really a way to have a coach. It basically lets you know when relaxation techniques are working.
• A good comparison: When you take your temperature and find you have a fever, you might call the doctor.
Games that Help
Tropical Heat
Spend ten minutes a day playing relaxing heart rate feedback games to reduce stress, optimize breathing, and improve performance at work.
Alive is terrific for kids and teens. So far I have used it primarily with 11 to 16 year-olds. With other systems, I could never get an accurate heart rate signal from many younger children because they were so wiggly, and I often had to have very short training sessions because of their short attention span. With Alive, these children sit quietly and don't want to stop, even after 55 minutes. To quote one young boy who caught on immediately: "I have to stay calm even when things get hard."
We got a call from the school principal: Our son is doing better! I'm sure that Dual Drive has been a factor in his improvement. I love watching him calm down and breathe.
