York Biofeedback Centre Therapy FAQ

Q: How many sessions will I need?

This depends on the nature of the issues you're working on. Some people achieve what they want in as little as four or five sessions; others take more time.

Often in the beginning the sessions are weekly but become more spaced out later in the process.

Neurofeedback takes more sessions: at least ten, more likely twenty plus - however the sessions are usually shorter, reducing the costs. Neurofeedback sessions should be at least one a week.

Q: How much will my investment be?

Currently my rates are £47 per full-length session. A full session takes an hour or slightly over (I recommend you allow 1 hour and 15 minutes).

Neurofeedback sessions can be shorter and so cheaper at £27 for sessions up to half an hour.

Q: Do you offer concessionary rates to people on low income?

Yes - please contact me and we can discuss this.

Q: Do you offer evening and weekend appointments?

Yes, a limited number are available, but at an increased cost of £57 (weekend) and £52 (evening) for a full session.

Q: Can I practise biofeedback at home?

Yes. York Biofeedback Centre has some biofeedback instruments available for hire, explicitly for this purpose. One such instrument is the Freeze-Framer developed by the Heartmath Institute - it monitors and trains Heart Rate Variability. The rent is £5 per week.

If you wish to purchase your own instrument I can offer advise.

Q: What can I expect if I decide to embark on biofeedback therapy?

Usually the first couple of sessions are primarily given to assessment - beginning with the question, 'what would you like to achieve?' Ideally we look for positive and specific goals. If we don't know where we're going we aren't likely to get there. We also build up a detailed picture of the problem - the how of the problem rather than the why. We look at what actually happens in the contexts of the problem - both physically and mentally.

Part of the assessment is looking at physiology using biofeedback instruments. This is not a medical procedure or test. We're not trying to diagnose illness, rather we're looking for your individual style of responding to stress.

The sensors are attached to the skin but none of them are painful or uncomfortable.

The process is essentially about learning - initially, basic skills (e.g. in the area of emotional management) and then later, learning to apply these skills in real contexts. When you're learning anything, practice is crucial. An important element is your interest in and willingness to use and extend what you learn, outside of the sessions.