Why Your Counseling Intervention Should Begin Here!

The term counseling intervention has taken on a littlebiofeedback?
different meaning since the A&E show aboutClients are hooked up to a computer which monitors
addictions interventions, although this particular kindthe time between their heart beats, and gives them
of intervention has been around since Vernonaudio and visual feedback about the coherence
Johnson began it in the 1970's, I believe. To mebetween heart beats.
though, as a domestic violence and angerClients are taught to pay attention to the area
management trainer, the words counselingaround their hearts, and to remember a positive fun
intervention mean interventions that I use in mytime, then ask their heart for a less stressful way to
counseling sessions.handle this kind of event in the future, and when
Those interventions come from Rational Emotiveclients get the breathing and thinking for a bit, they
Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,will see their heart rate variability move into
Existential or Experiential models, from the 12 Steps,coherence, and they also can track how problem
from Grief Counseling, from journaling models, fromthoughts lead to incoherence and stressful feelings.
Gestalt, from T.A., from any number of counselingWith practice folks learn that they can feel relaxed
models, from brainwave and heart rate variabilityfor long periods of time, by attending to their thinking
biofeedback, from sound and light and binaural beatand breathing, and if they get untracked, a simple
technology, from Chi Gong, but most importantlyreminder will cue the relaxed physiology again. After
they reflect my orientation toward Solution Orientedall, biofeedback means that the process is learned by
Brief Therapy, Positive Psychology, and the Pillars ofthe brain in the heart.
Brain Fitness. Brain fitness is a great lifestyle andRelieve stress and increase mental clarity
counseling intervention which is the foundation forYour Heart Has a Brain?
the growth of new neurons.Your heart has enough neurons in it to learn and
I have been involved in my own personal growth formake decisions, and nobody knew about your heart's
30 years, and have sought out tools to try out thatsophisticated nervous system until a few years ago,
have continued to move me towards what I believeso that is why heart rate variability biofeedback is
is an effective and efficient use of my strengths. Inot a widely know counseling intervention yet.
have been blessed to walk with others who areClients learn quickly that changing or controlling the
making similar transitions, so there is an experientialexternal world actually has nothing to do with
truth for many folks that finding strengths andchanging how they feel, and if they change their
operating from them is healthy.thinking to the inside (ask the heart a question), they
So What Counseling Interventions Do Youcan feel better quicker, and can continue to steer
Recommend?their thinking and feelings for long periods of time.
The most important counseling intervention isEver Heard of Neurogenesis or Neuroplasticity?
listening. Understand that listening is a discreet skillProbably not. No one had until about 10-15 years ago,
with discernible steps. Listening non-judgementaly iswhen it was discovered that we grow new brain cells
usually perceived by the speaker as confirmation thatevery day, and that we could lay the ground work
they are basically OK, even though a significant partfor that by attending to the pillars of brain fitness.
of their life right now is occupied by some currentThe two key terms to be concerned with in regards
problem.to counseling interventions here are neurogenesis and
Once clients have managed to relax a bit, and beginneuroplasticity.
to get comfortable that they can find a thinking orNeurogenesis is the growth of new brain cells, and
feeling or behavioral or some combination of all threewe can encourage that capacity of our brain, just as
kind or road map, we can begin to discuss signaturewe can encourage the increased connectivity of
strengths and solution orientations.neurons, which we call neuroplasticity, by taking care
Sometimes clients will profess powerlessness overof the pillars of brain fitness, which are physical
their thinking or feelings or behavior, and at thatexercise, nutrition which will include lots of
point, I like to take them to a biofeedback tool calledanti-oxidants and omega three fatty acids, sleep,
heart rate variability biofeedback, which combines astress management (heart rate variability
number of what I believe to be very helpful toolsbiofeedback), and novel learning experiences.
together in one package, including feedback from theThose novel learning experiences can include learning
computer screen about how they are learning thea foreign language or a new instrument, or perhaps
skill.one of the newly available computerized brain fitness
Once clients get it that they can exert some (or aprograms like the dual n back task, which will train
lot, it they practice) control over something like heartattention and memory for heart rate variability
rate variability coherence, which is usually abiofeedback, and has an interesting side effect of
subconscious physiological process,they are moreincreased IQ.
confident to tackle thinking and and behavioralSo we counselors should start with tools that
interventions which offer less clear cut feedback.enhance our clients efficacy and skills, increasing their
The thinking goes that if I can do the heart rateconfidence, and increasing skills on the dual n back
variability thing, then I can surely dispute irrationaland heart rate variability biofeedback are excellent
thoughts, or communicate assertively, or setfor that. Then we can go on to the more traditional
boundaries, or do the 12 Steps, or go to a Holotropicdepth counseling intervention. What a great model
Breathwork.for a counseling intervention.
So what happens in heart rate variability