Myosymmetries

Myosymmetries Assessment & treatment of brain related issues, such as concussion, depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD,

Myosymmetries aims to improve health & wellness in our clients, and enhance both physical & mental performance. Unique in Calgary, we utilize sEMG (surface electromyography) to assess muscle dysfunction and qEEG (quantitative electroencephalogy) to assess the brain and its present state of functioning. sEMG and qEEG results, in combination with a written symptom checklist, provide a comprehensive assessment and treatment of a variety of conditions. These conditions, among others, include:

➢ Post-Concussion
➢ Closed Head Injury
➢ ADD/ADHD
➢ Myofacial Pain
➢ Fibromyalgia
➢ Chronic Pain
➢ Depression
➢ Anxiety
➢ Performance Anxiety

Our former Director, Dr. Stuart Donaldson, Ph.D., BCIA(SF), ABDA, passed away in the Spring of 2020. He left behind a legacy that is practiced by our team at Myosymmetries to this day. Many of our team members have spent years working and training with Dr. Donaldson, and other highly regarded professionals in the field of Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. Myosymmetries provides knowledgeable and supportive client care through the use of objective and concrete data. Since opening in 1985, over 8000 patients have been seen for a wide variety of issues associated with brain injury and dysfunction. We continue to strive for excellence in successful client care and to expand public knowledge of biofeedback services.

This perspective suggests that when you pursue something deeply purposeful and enjoyable—like a hobby—self-improvement o...
12/12/2025

This perspective suggests that when you pursue something deeply purposeful and enjoyable—like a hobby—self-improvement occurs naturally as a side effect.

Give yourself the breathing room to start and commit to a hobby you love. Don't force yourself into a mold; let your passions shape you!


12/10/2025

The Invisible "Second Shift":
Masking: Years of intensely studying and imitating neurotypical social fluency (practicing eye contact, scripting conversations) to avoid confusion or irritation. This is emotionally and cognitively exhausting.

Executive Function Tax: Manually operating tasks like planning, prioritizing, and organizing that others do on autopilot. It's like living life on hard mode.

Social Decoding Labour: Every interaction requires conscious analysis: Was that sarcasm? Did I talk too much? Have I offended someone?

The exhaustion doesn't come from the official workload, but from the invisible work of masking.


The core message is often: "If I am not lovable for who I am, I will have to make people admire me for what I do."The Cy...
12/04/2025

The core message is often: "If I am not lovable for who I am, I will have to make people admire me for what I do."

The Cycle of the False Self:
The Wound: Feeling deeply flawed, unlovable, and experiencing early emotional neglect.

The Solution: Creating an extraordinary public persona while burying the "true self" deep inside. This creates a painful split between the private life (of shame and secrecy) and the public facade (of entitlement and success).

The Trap: This adaptation leads to overwhelming feelings of being fake, unseen, and ultimately, a profound emptiness that the addiction is trying to anesthetize.

Healing requires a profound inner journey: slowing down, introspection, and connecting with the vulnerable, authentic self. By choosing reflection over defense, it is possible to shed the armor and find genuine self-worth and spirit.

Ditch the Perfection, Embrace the 'Good-Enough' Holiday! 🎄🧘‍♀️The holidays bring joy, but let's be real—they bring stres...
12/01/2025

Ditch the Perfection, Embrace the 'Good-Enough' Holiday! 🎄🧘‍♀️
The holidays bring joy, but let's be real—they bring stress, too! You don't need a "perfect Christmas" to protect your mental health. In fact, letting go of the ideal is the key!

5 Steps to a Calmer Holiday:
Embrace "Good-Enough": Stop striving for the flawless, idealized Christmas. Removing the pressure of perfectionism instantly reduces stress.

Protect Your Alone Time: Schedule small moments of solitude—a quiet walk, reading, or just a few minutes of reflection—to restore your emotional balance.

Simplify, Don't Add: When overwhelmed, resist the urge to add more commitments. Focus on what truly matters to create breathing room.

Connect Authentically: Prioritize small, meaningful interactions that truly ground you over exhausting large gatherings.

Live in the Moment: Practice mindful awareness. Letting go of the holiday "narrative" allows you to appreciate the ordinary, nourishing moments as they happen.

Remember: Despite the stress, studies show psychiatric hospital admissions actually decrease during the holidays! You have the framework and community to support you. Focus on calm, not chaos!

A new study analyzing data from over 500,000 people suggests:The "Protective Effect" Disappears: When researchers accoun...
11/27/2025

A new study analyzing data from over 500,000 people suggests:

The "Protective Effect" Disappears: When researchers accounted for biases (like people quitting drinking due to poor health), the supposed protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the brain went away.

Higher Risk, No Protection: Instead, increasing alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of dementia, even if the negative effect for moderate drinkers was small.

The Bottom Line: Alcohol is likely not helping your brain, and it may be hurting it, even in moderation.

If you enjoy a drink, do it because you truly enjoy it, not because you think it's a health habit!

Today, November 11th, we pause to observe Remembrance Day.We honour the brave men and women who have served, fought, and...
11/11/2025

Today, November 11th, we pause to observe Remembrance Day.

We honour the brave men and women who have served, fought, and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and peace. Their courage and dedication will never be forgotten.

Take a moment today to reflect, remember, and say thank you.

We remember.

November's arrival brings earlier sunsets and colder days, a change that can really impact our mental health. Feeling ti...
11/10/2025

November's arrival brings earlier sunsets and colder days, a change that can really impact our mental health. Feeling tired, less motivated, or a dip in mood is a common response as daylight dwindles. 🌥️

The good news? You can proactively boost your well-being!

☀️ Seek the Sun: Maximize natural light! Dress warm and get outside, or open those curtains wide.

🏃‍♀️ Stay Active: Even indoor movement releases mood-boosting endorphins.

🍎 Eat Well: Fuel your body with healthy nutrients for sustained energy.

🫂 Stay Connected: Socializing reminds you you're not alone and provides comfort.

🧠 Power of Optimism: Train your perspective through gratitude and reframing negative thoughts—it builds resilience!

Don't go it alone. If you're struggling with seasonal challenges, seeking support is the best tip.

But what exactly is Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing) and why should you try it? It's mindful immersion in a natural environ...
11/05/2025

But what exactly is Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing) and why should you try it?
It's mindful immersion in a natural environment, and the benefits are incredible and science-backed:

Stress Reduction: It significantly lowers cortisol (your body's main stress hormone).

Immunity Boost: Trees release beneficial aromatic compounds (phytoncides) that have been shown to increase natural killer (NK) cells, which fight infection.

Mood Improvement: Spending time mindfully among the trees calms the nervous system, reducing anxiety and improving overall mood.

Lowered Blood Pressure: It helps the body shift into a state of rest and relaxation.

Take a few hours, disconnect your devices, and let the Inglewood Sanctuary be your natural reset button!

https://www.calgary.ca/parks/forest-bathing-inglewood-bird-sanctuary.html

The Science of Heart Connection:Feel-Good Chemicals: Heart-based interactions release beneficial chemicals throughout yo...
11/03/2025

The Science of Heart Connection:

Feel-Good Chemicals: Heart-based interactions release beneficial chemicals throughout your system.

Greater Joy: Studies show that strong connections lead to increased joy and life satisfaction.

Brain Synchrony: When you communicate with sincere care and deep listening, it can actually synchronize your brain patterns with others!

We often settle for surface-level interactions, which contributes to loneliness. To cultivate true connection, try extending warm-hearted feelings and intentional care to everyone you meet—from family to the person at the checkout counter.

Connecting from the heart allows for the humility and deep listening needed to truly understand each other, even when you don't agree. It's not just an altruistic notion—it's an intelligent, practical way to live better.

They're not just two separate organs—they profoundly influence each other, impacting your entire well-being!What the Sci...
10/30/2025

They're not just two separate organs—they profoundly influence each other, impacting your entire well-being!

What the Science Says:
Emotional Heartache is Real: Emotional distress can literally change the shape of your heart, a phenomenon known as "Broken Heart Syndrome" (Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy). Your heart physically reacts to severe emotional stress!

Stress & Your Heart: Chronic stress signals from your brain can lead to increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and a surge in cortisol, all contributing to cardiac issues.

The Autonomic Nervous System: This is the superhighway connecting your brain and heart. It includes your "fight-or-flight" (sympathetic) and "rest-and-digest" (parasympathetic) responses, primarily mediated by the vagus nerve.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV): This measure of beat-to-beat variation in your heart rate is a key indicator of your resilience and nervous system balance. Higher HRV usually means better stress management!

Understanding this powerful brain-heart dialogue means a holistic approach to health is essential. Nurturing your mind is just as critical as caring for your heart for optimal wellness.

10/28/2025

Most of us think oxygen is the only star of the breathing show, but Dr. Christopher Gilbert's work reveals a surprising truth: carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the master regulator of your health!

CO₂ is essential for maintaining your blood's critical pH balance (around 7.35). When this balance is thrown off—even subtly—it can cause a cascade of confusing symptoms.

The Hyperventilation Paradox
Hyperventilation isn't always the dramatic gasping you see in movies. It's often subtle overbreathing—exhaling more CO₂ than your body is producing. This leads to hypocapnia (low CO₂), which causes:

Constriction of blood vessels (making hands cold and pale).

Tingling in fingers and lips.

Most crucially: Reduced cerebral blood flow, affecting vision, memory, and judgment.

The paradox? People feel like they can't get enough air, but the feeling isn't due to a lack of oxygen; it's the disruption of the CO₂ balance.

The Psychosomatic Loop
Your breathing and emotions are constantly talking to each other.

Anxiety can trigger subtle hyperventilation.

The physical symptoms of hyperventilation (like chest tightness or dizziness) are then misinterpreted as signs of danger, which increases anxiety—creating a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle!

🛑 Rethink "Take a Deep Breath"
The common advice to "take a deep breath" often leads to massive inhalations that further deplete CO₂.

Instead, the key is "low and slow" breathing:

Focus on diaphragmatic movement (your belly).

Make your exhalation longer than your inhalation.

Aim for a pace of 8 to 10 breaths per minute at rest.

Learning to regulate your breathing is learning to regulate your nervous system. It's a precise, evidence-based skill!

It's a hot debate: Does more screen time pose hazards for kids? Recent studies suggest yes, particularly when it comes t...
10/23/2025

It's a hot debate: Does more screen time pose hazards for kids? Recent studies suggest yes, particularly when it comes to learning and sleep!

What the Research Shows:
Learning: Preteens who increased social media use over two years had more difficulty with reading, memory, and vocabulary. (JAMA, Oct 2025)

Emotions: Excessive screen use is linked to social and emotional difficulties. However, the link goes both ways—kids who are struggling emotionally may turn to screens more often. (Psychological Bulletin, May 2025)

Sleep: Teens (ages 11-13) who use phones or tablets before bed get up to an hour less sleep nightly! This can impact everything from school alertness to health.

Let's focus on content quality, co-viewing, and setting boundaries to protect those growing brains!

Address

4723/1 Street SW Suite 260
Calgary, AB
T2G4Y8

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm

Telephone

+14032250900

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