At the NeuroDevelopment Center, you have many options for bipolar treatment:

The primary form of bipolar treatment is medication. Many people do well with medical treatment, but relapses do occur, and some symptoms may remain. Often, patients will stop taking their medication, due to dissatisfaction with side effects. At the NeuroDevelopment Center, we will work with you to supplement your medical bipolar treatment so that you move forward in your life.

Individual therapy

Individual therapy can help you to come to terms with your condition, accept it, and move ahead. You can learn to recognize some of the ways that your symptoms negatively affect your life and find better ways to manage or cope.  It is usually helpful to learn to recognize early signs of an episode and how best to utilize support networks.

Family therapy

Bipolar disorder is tough on families, tough on marriages. Family therapy will not change the core symptoms of bipolar disorder. But you can learn how to recognize the mood problems and find better ways to respond so that there is less tension and disruption in family life.

HRV biofeedback

heart rate variability for bipolar treatmentYour heart beat is a great “stress-o-meter”. When you are stressed or “revved up” or in a negative emotional state, and your nervous system arousal is high, your heart beats in lockstep. The amount of time between heart beats changes very little. When you are calm and stable, and nervous system arousal is lower, the beat to beat interval becomes more flexible. Research has shown that adults with bipolar disorder have significantly reduced heart rate variability (HRV) . HRV biofeedback training provides an easy and very concrete way to learn how to reshape these heart rate rhythms for increased calm and stability. A simple sensor on your ear or finger picks up your heart beat. The computer analyzes the interval between heart beats. During HRV biofeedback sessions we will help you learn to relax your muscles and your mind, and learn to slow and regulate your breathing. Once you learn the techniques in sessions in our office, you can also use inexpensive software at home to build your ability to recognize when you are bothered and rapidly regain your calm. This image shows a session in progress, with the more regular signal on the right half of the top section showing increased HRV.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback, also called EEG biofeedback or neurotherapy, is a research proven way to help you improve your brain function through intensive brain training exercises. Although the research is in its earliest phases, many neurofeedback treatment centers, including the Neurodevelopment Center, have found that this bipolar treatment method can result is significant improvements in mood symptoms and emotional regulation and stability. Learn more. 

School Consultation

Kids with bipolar disorder can be hugely disruptive in the classroom. Many kids with bipolar disorder also have irregularities in the learning profile, which adds to the complexity in teaching them. Our psychologists can observe your child in school and sit down with his educational team to make a comprehensive plan to help your child learn, make and maintain friends, and develop his coping and self control skills. Sometimes we are engaged by the school, sometime by parents. Our goal is to help build a strong collaboration between parents, students, and staff.