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By Mayo Clinic staffYou don't need special preparation for biofeedback.
To find a biofeedback therapist, start by asking your doctor or another health professional with knowledge of biofeedback therapy to recommend someone who has experience treating your condition. Many biofeedback therapists are licensed in another area of health care, such as nursing or physical therapy, and might work under the guidance of a doctor. But state laws regulating biofeedback practitioners vary. Some biofeedback therapists choose to become certified to show their extra training and experience in the practice.
Ask a potential biofeedback therapist questions before starting treatment, such as:
- Are you licensed, certified or registered?
- If you aren't licensed, are you working under the supervision of a licensed health care professional?
- What is your training and experience?
- Do you have experience providing feedback for my condition?
- How many biofeedback sessions do you think I'll need?
- What's the cost, and is it covered by health insurance?
- Can you provide a list of references?
- About biofeedback. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3441. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Find a practitioner. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3442. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Insurance coverage. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3338. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Selecting a complementary and alternative medicine practitioner. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions/practitioner.htm. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Waldman SD, et al., eds. Pain Management. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2006.
- Greenhalgh J, et al. The effects of biofeedback for the treatment of essential hypertension: A systematic review. Health Technology Assessment. 2009;13:1.
- Consumer alerts. Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. http://www.aapb.org/alerts.html. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Rakel D, et al. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007.
- Mullally WJ, et al. Efficacy of biofeedback in the treatment of migraine and tension type headaches. Pain Physician. 2009;12:1005.
- Overview of biofeedback. Biofeedback Certification Institute of America. http://www.bcia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3524. Accessed Oct. 16, 2012.
- Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
- AskMayoExpert. Biofeedback. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
- Herderschee R, et al. Feedback or biofeedback to augment pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence in women (review.) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/view/0/index.html. Accessed Oct. 24, 2012.
- Palsson OS, et al. Psychological treatments in functional gastrointestinal disorders: A primer for the gastroenterologist. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. In press. Accessed Oct. 24, 2012.
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