I love to learn. I began college with the hopes of becoming a social worker. My mother was a social worker and marriage and family therapist. She influenced me as she talked about and I participated in professional experiences with her. I earned my MSW and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy and that work has been very satisfying to me. In 2012, I was trained in neurofeedback and opened my private practice. I offer neurofeedback (using Cygnet software), Heartmath, ART, and Alpha Stim, in addition to traditional talk therapies. I work with children, adults, married couples, and families and I understand how the distress of one family member can affect the wellbeing of other family members.
I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers, and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. I was a member of the former National Stepfamily Association. I taught the Divorce Education Class, required by Utah’s State, for a few years. I was in the group of professionals Governor Levitt commissioned to be trained to teach PREP, “a research-based approach to teaching couples how to communicate effectively, work as a team to solve problems, manage conflict without damaging closeness, and preserve and enhance love, commitment and friendship.” I also served on the Governor’s Commission for Premarital Education.
In addition to the experiences described above, I have had a career-long interest in the connection between mind and body. My dissertation addressed Premenstrual Syndrome and the Marital Relationship. The results of my research were published in The American Journal of Family Therapy, Summer, 1992.
I have also had personal experiences with the power of the mind-body connection and integrative healthcare. In 1999, my friend and I were injured by a hit and run driver, while on our morning walk. During my recovery, I benefitted from both medical and alternative health care approaches to wellness. Both then and now, I favor non-invasive forms of care.
My best teachers are my family members. I have been happily married for almost three decades. I have three stepchildren, who have been part of my married life from the beginning. All of my five children have been taught relationship information based on principles of The Arbinger Foundation. Together, four of them completed formal training with Arbinger, for their personal and professional advancement. That accomplishment pleases me greatly! I also have some lively grandchildren, and look forward to having their number increase.
About Rebecca’s Practice
All Minds Neurofeedback is a solo practice managed by Rebecca Ryser, Ph.D. I began this practice in 2012, after completing neurofeedback training, and I chose the name due to my enthusiasm for neurofeedback. I bring a rich background of therapeutic training and experience to my practice. I completed an MSW at the University of Utah, and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at Brigham Young University. I have practiced in a variety of professional settings. My training is in traditional talk therapy and I have added neurofeedback, ART, Heartmath and other modalities to my practice. A client’s improvement process is catered to meet their unique needs. I believe that in regards to people, there is no such thing as normal, only unique.
As a marriage and family therapist, I believe it is possible to know each of us better through the background of our relationships with others. Therefore, my approach to clinical work is from a relationship perspective. I have learned that many mind-body issues have a root in attachments and relationships. Processing emotions can bring relief. People behave better when they feel better. I admire the people I work with, as described by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
I like a collaborative relationship with clients. I invite them to be curious, and together my client and I form a team. Their body communicates to us with symptoms and I adjust the recovery process to alleviate those symptoms. The unfolding healing process is delightful to witness. With neurofeedback and ART, traumas do not need to be talked about in detail, because they are manifest in physical symptoms and visual imagery. My office is a comfortable, home-like environment. Clients can recline in a lazyboy or a relax-the-back chair as they do their work. They often tell me they leave feeling better than when they came, yawning and stretching as they go. A variety of techniques can address the symptoms/sensations and increase calming. At this website, I’ve included a tab titled, “Ideas for Client’s Personal Research” to empower my clients, so they’re more informed.
