About Mind Body OT
Today, we start interpreting your body’s signals.
Your first day in biofeedback is a two-hour appointment to give us the time we need to thoughtfully go over your answers to the questionnaires that I mailed to you the day we spoke on the phone to schedule our first appointment.
The therapy clinic is in the same building as a coffee shop, so feel free to bring a drink to sip during this appointment! You will sit in a comfortable recliner, and I will learn what brought you to this point of seeking a more natural way to approach and treat your chronic condition.
I will be hooking you up for the 20-minute biofeedback physiological stress assessment by the second hour of this initial appointment. We will monitor your heart rate, respiration rate, sEMG muscle tension of facial and neck muscles, skin conductance, and external hand temperature.
You will sit comfortably through the entire session (no treadmill for this stress test!). There is a 32-inch color monitor positioned in front of your recliner, and you can watch what your body is doing in real-time.
Here comes the FUN part!
We will immediately print out your results, compile the data, and interpret your body’s responses. This information is uniquely YOU, like a fingerprint or snowflake.
Your results are unlike anyone else’s, and there is no “right or wrong.” Some people like to joke and say, “Did I pass?” I will show you how your numbers compare to the “norms” and how these numbers will be beneficial for us to pay attention to and learn from them.
By the end of the first appointment…
I will identify your “responder” type. Everyone is a combination of at least a couple of physiological indicators of being in a “fight or flight” response (heart racing, muscles tightening, shallow breathing, cold or sweaty hands, etc.). Physical pain and high-stress levels will involuntarily activate the “fight or flight” response.
Together, we will identify the goals you want to achieve through coming to biofeedback therapy. This interaction is a collaborative effort! I will be your teacher and guide. You will take a very active role in participating and practicing the therapy techniques to self-regulate and make a lasting improvement in your health and well-being!
The process is such fun, and I hope you will look forward to every session as much as I do! Each time, you will learn more about yourself and how to take control!
Then, we will have follow-up sessions.
We start with weekly, one-hour sessions. Each session is different and will have homework! Don’t worry; you will WANT to do this homework – it’s all about paying attention to yourself and being kind to your body! There are no term papers or 45-minute workouts here – LOL.
The number of sessions and duration of coming to therapy are different for each person. The time it takes depends on how you respond and can incorporate what you learn in the clinic into your “real” life.
After you feel established, comfortable, and confident with self-regulation, we will spread the follow-up sessions further apart. We will check on how you are doing, and you will “graduate” when we both feel you have achieved what you set out to do by coming here.
About Me
I’m an 80s girl!
My high school and college years were in the 80s, and I continue to love any movies or music from that decade. 😊 Despite using technology (biofeedback) for a career, I still use paper calendars and checkbooks. My older sister (who has been paper-free for years now) constantly asks when I plan to “stop being old school” and do everything online.
As a result of growing up in a rural setting in Wisconsin, I still enjoy country living today. I have always been drawn to “the underdog” and feel a kinship with people who have a lot going on behind the scenes but are regularly and unfairly misunderstood or, worse, not believed.
My introduction to Occupational Therapy occurred in high school when I volunteered as a camp counselor for disabled adults during the summers. That was it! I knew what I wanted to do for a career.
Here’s a little about my professional background.
My B.S. degree is in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1989. I was lucky enough to intern at Mayo Clinic, where I received my first introduction to biofeedback therapy.
It took another decade before I dove headfirst into everything related to biofeedback. I spent my first ten years as an Occupational Therapist working in nursing homes and loving every minute. In the early 90s, I had the great opportunity to do traveling therapy all over the United States with my husband (who is also an OT!).
Chronic pain has always been an area of great interest for me, which led me to pursue continuing education. Biofeedback therapy came on my radar when my husband and I settled back home in Wisconsin after traveling therapy and having babies. I completed my certification in biofeedback in 2001 with BCIA, which spurred me to establish the biofeedback therapy clinic at Beaver Dam Community Hospital, where I worked for 20 years.
In 2019 (now empty nesters!), I left the hospital for private practice. I LOVE it so much and can’t wait to welcome you to my clinic and introduce you to the joy of learning to listen to your body’s signals and manage your chronic symptoms effectively with less reliance on medications.
When not in the clinic…
I enjoy gardening with my husband, playing with our dogs (Hootie and Bear), and camping with our two adult children.
And there is ALWAYS a book in my hand! I love using my “Nook,” but I still love reading a good old-fashioned book with pages to turn. It would break my heart if there were no more libraries!
Contact me today to start taking your life back from your chronic condition!