Heart Rate Variability

I attended a training titled: “Using heart rate coherence and variability as indicators of well-being” at the ATRA conference this morning.

It was presented by Diane Groff, Ed.D., LRT/CTRS.
I’m a big fan of this and I have attended similar trainings at nearly every ATRA conference I’ve attended: Annual in Kansas City, Mid-year in D.C. area, Annual in Minneapolis, and today’s session.

I’ve decided that I must start using this with the patients who I serve in my own practice.
Diana had shown data from cancer survivors that showed why the Heart rate coherence and heart rate variability are important to well-being.

I think this is wonderful!

I provide services for children who have had explosive physical and verbal outbursts. I think this equipment could be a great pro-active tool for teaching the child how to self-regulate her (or his) emotions.

We, recreational therapists can have a strong impact in regards to emotions.

Naturally, people experience a wide-range of emotions. All people feel anxious, stressed, angry, or sad from time to time. Recreational Therapists can apply “Choice Theory” when working with clients to help teach them that they can decide how long they want to stay in a certain emotional state.

There are techniques that can help a person to move into more balanced states.

The basic techniques taught during this session include:
a.) Deep-breathing (in through the nose and out through the mouth)
b.) Focus on heart (as in breathing out of your heart area)
c.) Focus on a time (and actually feeling) love and appreciation.

The computer monitor had showed the measurements on the screen with a volunteer.

Diane Groff had first got a baseline to show where the volunteer is on a normal basis. She then asked some very difficult math and history questions to purposely stress the volunteer. The monitor showed dramatic changes on the screen immediately as the volunteer was trying to solve these. Diane said that with enough practice a person could learn to control their HRT and HRC so they would not respond in a negative way. It takes some practice.

There is a company called the Institute of HeartMath that had several products that measure heart rate coherence (HRC) and heart rate variability.

There web-site is:
http://www.heartmath.org

I plan to order their hand-held device for both personal and professional use.

I hope to teach the children who I provide services for to learn how to self-regulate their emotions so they can be in a more calmer state so they’re better able to solve difficult situations in non-violent methods.

Diane gave a list with many resources, including: book and articles.

There are two books that I want to read:

1.) "The Coherent Heart: Heart-brain interactions" by R. McCraty, M. Atkinson, D. Tomasion, and R. T. Bradley.

2.) The appreciative heart: the psychophysiology of positive emotions and optimal functioning" by R. McCrary and D. Childre