One of the questions I ask my Wellness coaching clients in the intake process is “how open are you to “woo woo” practices as long as they produce wanted results?” The answer choices range from “Totally open (if it works bring on the woo woo)” to “Not open (skip the woo woo and only suggest scientifically proven therapies)”.
The reason I ask this question is that as a holistic practitioner, I have many tools at my disposal, but I need to know what my clients are willing to try to solve their problems. If they come in with disbelief, they are likely to invoke self-fulfilling prophecies.
In my constant search for self-improvement and healing, I entertained many unconventional therapies. Let’s discuss three, previously considered woo woo therapies that are getting more scientific and medical research to back them up.
Here they are in order of highest to lowest cost.
1. Neurofeedback- ($$$) What is that? “Neurofeedback, also called EEG biofeedback, isa type of therapy that uses real-time displays of brainwave activity to teach your brain to regulate itself.”
I was fascinated by this therapy and had to try it for myself. The office visit is about 30 minutes, even though the therapy itself takes about 10 seconds. A practitioner puts probes on your skull and ears and “pings” your brain to record its brain waves. These waves are then immediately sent back to the brain. It acts like showing your brain a mirror. Upon seeing the mirror frequency, your brain “corrects”, or self regulates. I imagine it to be like looking in the mirror, seeing that you have a few hairs sticking up, and putting it back in place.
According to Dr. Wendling of Seattle NeuroLogic, 75% of patients see results in after just one session. Results include clearer cognition, better sleep, reduced stress, improved focus, enhanced performance, and stabilized moods. I personally went to see Dr. Wendling in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic to address stress. It was interesting and I definitely did “something”, however a bit on the expensive side. One 30 minutes session costs about $180 USD (as of this writing) but there is a discount when buying a package of sessions.
The efficacy and permanence are dependent on the individual and it is recommended to start with 20 sessions or more, so it’s not my go-to recommendation due to cost. However, it is totally worth trying out if you are interested.
2. Vibration therapy – ($$) Vibration or sometimes called “Touch therapy” is the process of sending a vibration to the body through the skin, which then sends a signal to your nervous system that you are safe.
One front running device that does this is the Apollo Neuro. Per their website, “The Apollo Neuro technology originated from Dr. David Rabin MD, PhD’s research at the University of Pittsburgh and is based on several decades of scientific research into vibration frequencies and how they impact the body. As a neuroscientist and psychiatrist, Dr. Dave has always been fascinated by consciousness and our inherent ability to heal ourselves from illness and injury.”
I was introduced to this device several years ago when it first came out as a therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I had just been diagnosed and was looking at new ways of addressing the symptoms. Since then, I have used my Apollo Neuro for everything from calming myself before an important presentation, to recovery from travel, to getting restful sleep.
I also recently used it to help my youngest child transition to a new bedtime routine. No more sitting in the room or tucking them back in half a dozen times. Yay! I’ve heard other clients call this product “a hug for your nervous system” and I fully agree. (No affiliation, just a happy customer)
3. Binaural Beats– ($) What the heck is that?! According to WebMD, Binaural beats are “ an illusion created by the brain when you listen to two tones with slightly different frequencies at the same time.” Your brain interprets only the difference in hertz (Hz) between the frequencies of the two tones. “For example, if you are listening to a 440 Hz tone with your left ear and a 444 Hz tone with your right ear, your brain recognizes it as a 4 Hz tone. When you listen to binaural beats, your brain activity matches the frequency set by the frequency of the beat. This is called the frequency-following effect. This means you can use binaural beats to entrain your brain to reach a certain mental state.
I discovered binaural beats way back in 2010 when I was looking at ways of increasing my speed of learning. Back then it wasn’t called binaural beats, but it was the same process of aligning your brain to certain frequencies for specific results. Below is a graphic that shows brain wave frequency and their effects (borrowed from sleepfoundation.org).
There are many effective therapies for stress, anxiety, and even PTSD. I invite my clients to try the traditional routes of therapy, but to also consider more unconventional or “woo woo” practices. My own therapist has a stance that practices that are considered woo woo but work, usually have a scientific reason that we simply have not discovered yet. One prime example is acupuncture. Practiced for thousands of years in Asia, this practice wasn’t accepted into our western medical philosophies until recently, and is now even covered by most health insurance in the U.S.
So, the next time you are struggling to heal, consider opening your mind to new possibilities with more unconventional therapies.
And as always, self-care isn’t selfish…it’s required!
Yvonne Lee-Hawkins is a stress strategist, writer, and holistic wellness coach. She has tried and tested countless health and wellness strategies to help her deal with the relentless pressures of her former high achieving corporate career and motherhood. When she is not working, she loves to go on adventures with her family, in the Pacific Northwest where they call home. You can find out more on her website, or follow her on LinkedIn, Medium, or Instagram.