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HeartMath Handout By Brenda McCreight, Ph.D

Sounds weird doesn’ t it.  I wasn’t even going to look into it because it had the word “math” in it and that immediately turns off my interest button. However, I was determined to find a fast, effective method of helping my clients deal with stress, with anxiety, and with depression - and HeartMath is it.

What is HeartMath?

Heartmath is a biofeedback technique that teaches you how to use your breathing and your heart to reduce or eliminate unpleasant symptoms and to put you back in control of your emotional states.

What is the heart’s role in reducing stress and anxiety?

The heart is not only a pump to get the blood flowing through your body, it’s also an information processing system that interacts with your brain and influences your nervous system and your hormonal  system.  The heart actually acts as a balance between your various systems, including the part of your nervous system that deals with the flight or fight stress response, and the part that is supposed to help things gear down when the stress is over.

What Does HeartMath Biofeedback do?

Your HeartMath clinician will teach you how to control your breathing and your heart rate so that you can reduce or eliminate stress, anxiety or depression. The technique involves learning to breathe at a certain rate, and then with the use of a finger sensor to show your heart rate, you are hooked up to a computer screen where you will watch pleasant images that change as you breath.  This gives you immediate feedback to know when you’re breathing correctly and when you’re controlling your heart rate. Within 4 to 6 sessions, you’ll be doing this automatically every time a stressor arises.

What are the results?

You will find reduced stress symptoms, improved immune system, decreased physical pain, decreased emotional distress, improved productivity, ability to deal more effectively with difficult situations.

For further information, contact your Brenda McCreight Ph.D., 250-716-9101.