 |
Photo by Reed Hutchinson UCLA
Photgraphic Services
Beth Argus prepares Norma Ackerman for her session.
|
Biofeedback helps
stressed-out mellow out
BY WENDY SODERBURG
UCLA Today Staff
“There’s no place you need to go for
a while ... ”
A man’s dulcet tones drift in your ears as you recline on
a cushioned chair and breathe in cool, purified air. It’s
almost completely dark except for the tiny, colored lights on the
ceiling that flash in intricate patterns. Soft music calms you.
You’re not having a dream, although you’re so comfortable
you could easily doze off. You are in the Environ Biofeedback System,
an oval-shaped chamber designed to help you relax.
Located in Suite 380 of the UCLA Wilshire Center, the biofeedback
machine is part of a free, stress-management system offered by the
Staff and Faculty Counseling Center to employees. Using advanced
computer technology that incorporates shifting light patterns, color,
sound and even aroma to heighten relaxation and decrease stress
levels, the system helps participants build the self-awareness and
self-confidence needed to manage stress effectively.
“Our goal is to cater the program to each person,”
said counselor Beth Argus, who, along with the center’s co-director
Jorge Cherbosque, is trained to operate the system. “Staff
and faculty members make an appointment, then they meet with me
or with one of the other therapists for an initial assessment session.
We try to find out where the stress is coming from — is it
more physical, like upper-body tension? Or is it more emotional?
Everyone experiences stress in different ways.”
Based on the initial assessment, Argus chooses which tape to use
in the chamber. For example, the “Letting Go of Stress”
tape contains four different programs: “Muscle Tension Relaxation,”
“Autogenic Stress Relief,” “A Trip to the Beach”
and “Mental and Physical Relaxation.” Electrodes are
taped to the user’s fingers, wrists and face to measure body
temperature, emotions and body tension; at the end of the session,
the computer produces a printout that registers this information.
“Everyone’s lives are so busy, it’s the little
things they don’t have time for,” Argus said. “By
scheduling a biofeedback session, they’ve scheduled a relaxation
session for themselves.” To make an appointment, call (310)
794-0245.
|
