The Empowered Life Biofeedback & Counselling
550 - 2950 Douglas St. V8N4N4 Victoria, BC, Canada

Invitation to Open House at my new location in Fernwood: "We are delighted to invite you to the Open House for Empowering Health Clinic. We are a passionate and highly skilled group of practitioners who offer a variety of services including counselling, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, and biofeedback. Come have a bite to eat, meet our practitioners, and see some demonstrations. We would love to give you a tour of our new office and to talk to you about our services." 204-1711 Cook... Street ( a few blocks north of Pandora) Where: 204-1711 Cook Street (a few blocks north of Pandora) When: Sat. Jan. 26, 1:30 - 4 pm My page at the Empowering Health Clinic - www.empoweringhealthclinic.com/biofeedback.html Please RSVP if possible, and let me know if you wish to watch or experience a demonstration.

I would like to announce the opening of my private practice in Victoria, BC, on Tuesdays beginning Sept 3. Moving offered so many opportunities to practice what I teach ;-) So glad to be here and looking forward to life in beautiful Victoria!

After 5 amazing years in Vancouver, I am now transitioning to Victoria and will be opening my practice there in the near future

What is Meditation? We hear a lot about the psychological and medical benefits of meditation and mindfulness, so here's a quick guide to help you understand the difference between meditation, mindfulness and visualization. Meditation is the practice of quieting ourselves and focusing our attention. Mindfulness is being aware of the present moment, aware of what is happening inside you and/or around you.... Visualization is choosing an image or process that guides you into the desired experience. Helpful Hint: If you are new to meditation or mindfulness, or if your stress levels are very high, you may find it helpful to start your practice with a visualization, such as: " Every time I breathe out, I feel a wave washing through me that is carrying away my stress or concerns". After a few minutes of a visualization like this, it is often easier to transition into a meditation or mindfulness mode.

What is Fake Biofeedback? If you follow the news, you may know there are unfortunately a range of unethical and/or fraudulent service providers in Canada. When it comes to biofeedback, sadly, it is no different. Real biofeedback is a learning process, in which you become empowered to better regulate your body's functioning. For example, someone with headaches might have muscle biofeedback monitors placed on the upper back and neck. Using this muscle feedback, she or he cou...ld learn how to keep the target muscles from tightening up while under stress or task challenges. When you look at fake biofeedback, it is easy to see the difference: "It works by scanning you much like a virus-scan ... [for] viruses, nutritional imbalances, allergies, abnormalities, hormone levels,toxins, enzymes and food sensitivities by measuring the body’s many energetic parameters such as pH, Electron Pressure, Impedance, Reactance, hydration, oxygenation etc...[can] find and address most if not all the psychological, emotional and physical stressors that are interfering and blocking your health. It can be used with just about any health condition". ( from the current website of a Registered Naturopath) This is fake biofeedback. This is framed as a treatment, not a learning process. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! I have always hoped that all those amazing things from Star Trek would eventually come true, and some of them have. But if a medical gizmo that could scan you for all those problems, I am sure every doctor's office would have it. Secondly, it still wouldn't be biofeedback. One last concern about fake biofeedback: the machine supposedly sends electrical frequencies back into your body to "rebalance" you. If true, there is really no way to know what the effect of this electrical stimulation may be. A bona fide biofeedback therapist will tell you that the biofeedback machines do not "put anything into you", they only take measurements of the specific biological process. I hope this post leaves you in a better position to advocate for yourself and make informed choices.

Free public lecture of interest to couples: "Love Actually: New Science to Enhance Communication and Closeness" Presented by: Dr. Jennifer Pringle, PhD When: Thursday, February 9, 2017 (7:00 pm 8:30 pm) Where: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, Lower level... Dr. Pringle will review the evidence-based principles of Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples (EFT) and the remedies for negative patterns in relationship communication. Learn practical strategies to slow down, communicate more effectively, and create more closeness in your love relationship.

Did you know that the average person has between 30,000 - 60,000 thoughts every day? And further, so the neuroscience researchers tell us, over 80% of those thoughts are negative ones? While negative thoughts can be powerful motivators, they can also cause stress, anxiety and boomerang results... making us feel worse and perform worse. I will never forget a study that was part of my early training, in which disabled children were being taught to walk independently.... One group of children was shown a video of their entire training session of that day. The second group was shown a video that had been carefully edited to remove their falls. They saw a video where they only succeeded all the time. This second group of children made much faster progress in learning to walk independently. What I get from that study, is that visualizing what we want sets us up for success. Rather than rehearsing a negative expectation, even if it may be "realistic", instead go for a positive expectation combined with a feeling or image of what it will feel like or look like. And remember, it takes time to train your brain! See more

For research-based advice on improving your mood, phrased in a cute and accessible magazine-type language, check out: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-neuroscience-researcher-re

History note for the day: the first biofeedback technology was discovered in 1849, when a scientist documented that human skin is electrically active. Then in 1879, European researchers made the connection that sweat activity was connected to emotional distress, and by 1889, a Russian scientist had developed a meter that could measure and display these changes. At that time, it was called a "galvanometer". Amazingly, Carl Jung was using this technology by 1906 as part of ...word association testing, to help access the subconscious. Today, the term Galvanic Skin Response has been replaced by the more modern term, "Electrodermal Activity". It continues to be used as part of assessments for stress and as part of lie detection procedures. Also, some psychotherapists use it during individual or couple therapy for the same reason Jung did: to identify emotionally charged material just under the surface. Watch out for the people at tables in public, offering to "test your stress level" with these devices, though. Most are not biofeedback practitioners, they are members of a cult trying to recruit new members!

If you find yourself hard hit after the death of a loved one, participating in a bereavement group can really help. Here is a new bereavement group offered at no cost to the community: A new bereavement group is meeting monthly, at the Unitarian Centre Hewitt Building, 949 West 49th at Oak. It meets monthly on the first Tuesday of the month, from 2 - 4 pm until June 7th. The group is open to all ages although it is sponsored by the Jewish Seniors Alliance. The next meeting ...will be March 1, for further information, please contact Charles Leibovitch or Grace Hann at 604-267-1555, or follow this link: http://jsalliance.org/event/bereavement-support-group/ See more

Free workshop of interest to the community, courtesy of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (regulates RCC's). "Workplace Harassment: What you need to know", Presenter: Claire Sutton, RCC, CEAP... When: Tuesday, Oct 13th, 2015 Where: Adler University 7th Flr - 1090 West Georgia Street (at Thurlow), Vancouver, V6E 3V7 Time: 7:00 8:30pm Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Let’s Talk About It. In recent months popular entertainers and politicians have been accused and charged with sexual harassment. The truth is that sexual harassment is happening on a daily basis in our blue collar, suits, and casual dressed workplaces. This presentation will highlight the definitions of harassment as well as the various types of sexual harassment. The consequences will be explored and the preventative steps underscored. ******************************************************************************************* If interested, I suggest you contact Claire Sutton to reserve a space, as sometimes these workshops fill up in advance. -https://clairesuttoncourses.com/events/#sthash.FX50yLbG.dpuf

Just a note that I will be on vacation until August 11. Feel free to leave a post anyway, I will respond when I return. Hope everyone is having a great summer.

Good news for cancer patients and their supporters: From the BC agency InspireHealth: thanks to the generosity of our donors, starting April 1st, 2015 we will be offering our services at no cost to cancer patients and their support people at all three of our Centres Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna and online. We are a team of family physicians, nutritionists, exercise therapists, and clinical counsellors with a special interest in cancer care. With our team approach, pati...ents are encouraged to create an individualized plan that improves their health in multiple areas such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, healthy communication, rekindling passion and joy in living, and their place in their community. Patients can engage with InspireHealth before, during and after standard cancer treatments. Our approach is non-pharmacological with a focus on lifestyle factors and self-care. Eligibility criteria: - A personal health number - A current or past cancer diagnosis Our services include individual consultations with: a medical doctor nutritionist exercise therapist and/or a clinical counsellor Classes include: cooking classes yoga exercise and fitness stress reduction and meditation small group discussions, and medical acupuncture for chemotherapy side effects We also offer online programs and telephone appointments for patients living remotely. Support people are welcome to participate in classes and programs free of charge. If you have any questions or require more information please contact: (604) 734-7125 or inspirehealth.ca

Regarding the meaning of suffering: I have heard often from the Buddhist world, that suffering results from attachments. Now I just came across a quote from musician Ferron that I find very intriguing: Suffering comes when we are not comfortable with our truths. Feel free to leave your comments and reactions.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get more out of life, or who is searching for a deeper meaning to life.