In the Optimal Performance Workshop with Pumas 7, players learned to use biofeedback technology to visualize and understand how stress and focus affect their physiology during performance. Through real-time HRV and breathing exercises, athletes discovered how controlled breathing can regulate their heart rate, enhance recovery, and improve decision-making under pressure. By mastering these techniques, they gained greater awareness of the mind-body connection—learning to manage stress effectively and maintain peak performance on the field.
“Entrar en ‘la zona’ es lograr un estado psíquico y físico óptimo, donde fisiológicamente todos los sistemas del cuerpo trabajan en sintonía para lograr un objetivo, con un estado mental activo, positivo, focalizado (de máxima concentración) y resiliente”, explica a LA NACION María Bruce, una médica argentina que colaboró en el entrenamiento de atletas olímpicos en Roma y actualmente tiene un consultorio de biofeedback en Manhattan, Estados Unidos. La tecnología de biofeedback permite recopilar y monitorear datos fisiológicos que dan una indicación del nivel interno de estrés, y la capacidad de nuestro cuerpo de autorregularse. En atletas, entrar en este estado conlleva –entre otras cosas– lograr un mayor foco, una mayor coordinación visual motora y una mayor precisión en el deporte que se practique. “Lo bueno del biofeedback es que la persona puede ver en la pantalla de su celular o en un monitor cómo su organismo se ajusta (mal, bien, o de manera ideal) a situaciones de estrés, entonces el trabajo psicológico se vuelve un poco más objetivo y menos abstracto, porque la persona tiene evidencia concreta para aprender y entender cómo optimizar su funcionamiento, y ver que lo que está haciendo tiene un efecto positivo”, cuenta Bruce, que forma parte de la consultora Optimal Performance.
I had a client who was struggling with PTSD symptoms after the 9/11 attacks,” Maria Bruce, a psychotherapist with a Master’s Degree in Mental Health from NYU, told VICE Impact. “She was experiencing panic attacks, and was terrified of using public transportation to the point that she avoided them entirely.”
Bruce went on to explain that the client had nightmares, and lived in fear, and even stopped doing activities she once enjoyed because they thought something bad might happen. The client, it turns out, had been misdiagnosed for years, because her perception of the attacks had not been considered.
Focus on what’s already working, not what’s dysfunctional. Know that there are systems in place that can help you, even if your family will not.
“Prepare a list of symptoms, like how you are feeling, if you’re having sleeping or concentration problems, etc., to make your case of why you think you need help,” Bruce advises. “You can also look into online therapy. There are a few free or less expensive online therapy platforms that use a trained ’peer specialist‘ model, like iPrevail.”
María Bruce es una médica argentina que ha estudiado mucho sobre salud mental. Ella se capacitó en el exterior
para convertirse en una psicoterapeuta
con licencia en Nueva York, ciudad (icónica respecto al consumo) desde la cual habló con Musa Argentina. ¿Temas que tratamos? Cómo se modifica nuestro ánimo cuando salimos de compras, qué efectos negativos puede tener esto, qué diferencia a las mujeres de los hombres en el consumo y otros temas que ella misma trata en Mujeres de Nueva York, el programa de Más Chic del cual es parte desde el lunes 3 de abril.
In general, cultural notions and habits condition how we think and act in ways we are not always conscious about,” said Dr. Maria Bruce. “In some cultures, seeing a therapist or asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness or a source of shame, so people utilize the coping tools they see others frequently using in their surroundings, and not always take the time to analyze if they are actually positive or effective for them.”
“Following your dreams” is easier said than done. Knowing who you want to be, or what you want to do in life, is not always a clear or easy path. Most importantly, if you really want to achieve your dreams, it is up to you to actively work towards making them happen.
“Wishful thinking” might strengthen your desire, but will not get you closer to fulfilling those dreams, unless you are also examining and evaluating options to make them happen.
You might have problems trusting future partners. There are plenty of reasons to have some trust issues after a breakup, but if you were blindsided by your last one, Bruce says you might take that betrayal and fear into your future relationships. Bruce explains, “If you were head over heels over someone that seemed to reciprocate your feeling, and all of a sudden that person decides to break up with you, it is not unlikely that you might feel betrayed and blindsided. This can generate trust issues, as you might become overly guarded and afraid to open up, using this as a defense mechanism not to be hurt again.”
Who can help out? “The famous saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is very true,” says therapist Maria Bruce, LMHC, NCC, founder of Thanks You Made My Day and Maria Bruce Wellness.
If you’ve ever woken up five years after you broke up with your ex and realized that idiot was still affecting you, it’s normal to wonder why that is. You haven’t seen each other in years and yet, good or bad, you can’t get him out of your head. Cosmopolitan.com spoke with Maria Bruce, LMHC, NCC, and founder of Maria Bruce Wellness, to help figure out the weird ways your breakups can still affect you years later.
