Train Your Nervous System to Perform Under Pressure
HRV training improves performance. We can teach you how to access that ability—on demand.
This Training Is For You…
…if you're an athlete:
Facing significant pre-race anxiety
Navigating chronic stress
Recovering from injury
Looking to improve the health of your nervous system
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback gives you a research-backed tool to strengthen your body's natural ability to self-regulate.
Dr. Erin Ayala, a licensed psychologist and certified mental performance consultant currently pursuing BCIA biofeedback certification, offers personalized HRV training to help you build resilience, reduce anxiety, and improve performance.
When Your Nervous System Gets Stuck
You know the signs:
Your heart races before a big race or presentation, and you can't calm down
You lie awake at night, mind spinning, unable to shut off
Anxiety shows up at the worst times—right when you need to be at your best
You recover slowly from hard training, always feeling on edge
Chronic pain or digestive issues that won't respond to other treatments
Your autonomic nervous system—the part that controls your heart rate, breathing, and stress response—has become dysregulated.
Pushing through doesn't work. Telling yourself to "just relax" doesn't work. Your nervous system needs training.
The Solution: Biofeedback / HRV Training
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures the variation in time between your heartbeats. Think of it as your nervous system's flexibility—its ability to shift smoothly between activation (the stress response) and recovery (the relaxation response).
Higher HRV indicates a nervous system that can adapt. Lower HRV suggests your system is stuck, often in a state of chronic stress or exhaustion.
HRV biofeedback training strengthens this adaptability. Using real-time physiological data, you learn to activate your body's natural regulation mechanisms through controlled breathing at your personalized resonance frequency.
The training is measurable, evidence-based, and backed by rigorous research.
What makes Skadi's approach effective:
Athlete-centered expertise: Dr. Ayala is a licensed psychologist, certified mental performance consultant (CMPC), and endurance athlete who understands the demands of high-performance sport and life
Evidence-based methodology: Training protocols grounded in peer-reviewed research, with large effect sizes for anxiety, stress resilience, and performance enhancement
Personalized assessment: Your resonance frequency (optimal breathing rate) is unique to you—we measure it precisely using physiological testing
Clear expectations: Skill-building through consistent daily practice produces measurable results.
The Session Breakdown
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Your first session establishes your baseline and reveals how your nervous system currently responds to stress.
What happens:
Stress & Relaxation Profile: We measure your physiological responses (heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, skin conductance) during baseline rest, standardized stressors, and recovery periods
Baseline HRV measurement: Establish your current HRV levels
Education: Learn about your autonomic nervous system and how HRV biofeedback works
Home practice assignment: Begin daily morning HRV tracking
You'll leave knowing:
How your nervous system responds to stress
Your baseline HRV and physiological patterns
What you'll track at home between sessions
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We introduce the foundational breathing skills that prepare you for resonance frequency training.
What happens:
Review home HRV tracking data: Identify patterns from your first week
Teach diaphragmatic breathing: Learn low, slow belly breathing with real-time biofeedback
Introduce slow breathing progression: Practice reducing breathing rate from 10 to 6 breaths per minute
CO2 tolerance education: Understand why slowing your breath feels uncomfortable initially
Home practice:
Continue daily HRV tracking
Practice diaphragmatic breathing 10 minutes, 2x daily
Gradually slow breathing rate (10 → 8 → 6 bpm over the week)
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We identify YOUR unique resonance frequency—the precise breathing rate that maximizes YOUR HRV.
What happens:
RF assessment: Breathe at 6 different rates (7, 6.5, 6, 5.5, 5, 4.5 breaths per minute) for 1.5-2 minutes each while we measure your HRV
Identify your RF: Analyze which rate produces your highest HRV and best heart rate-breath synchrony
Practice RF breathing with biofeedback: Learn to breathe at your personal RF using visual feedback
Wean from pacer: Practice finding your RF rhythm without relying on external pacing
Home practice:
RF breathing at YOUR rate: 10-15 minutes daily (building from 5 minutes initially)
Continue daily HRV tracking
Use breathing pacer app as needed, but practice without it regularly
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Ongoing sessions refine your technique and teach you to apply RF breathing in real-world situations.
What happens :
Monitor progress: Review your HRV improvements and daily practice data
Refine technique: Practice RF breathing with biofeedback, increase duration to 20 minutes daily
Troubleshoot challenges: Address barriers to practice, adjust breathing rate if needed
Teach applications:
Pre-performance breathing (before races, presentations, high-pressure events)
Real-time state shifting (2-5 minute resets when stressed)
HRV guided training decisions (using morning HRV to adjust workout intensity)
Advanced skills: Combine RF breathing with mindfulness, practice during mild stressors
By session 6, you will:
Breathe at your RF autonomously (without pacer)
Apply RF breathing strategically before/during stressful situations
Use morning HRV data to guide daily decisions
Have a sustainable home practice routine (20 minutes daily)
Maintenance After Session 6
Periodic check-ins (monthly or as needed) to:
Monitor long-term HRV trends
Refine applications for specific goals
Maintain accountability and motivation
Address new challenges as they arise
What to Expect: Active Skill-Building
HRV biofeedback works when you practice consistently.
Research shows measurable improvements after 4-6 weeks of consistent daily training. That means:
10-20 minutes per day, every day (building gradually from 10 to 20 minutes)
Patience as your nervous system adapts
Commitment to the process even when progress feels slow
Most clients follow a structured 12-week protocol to build sustainable skills and see optimal results
HRV training is active skill-building—like learning an instrument or building strength. You practice daily, and your nervous system adapts.
The outcome: measurable, lasting improvements in your body's ability to regulate stress, anxiety, and recovery through neurocardiac training that strengthens the connection between your heart and brain.
Who HRV Training Helps
Why Train With Dr. Erin Ayala
Licensed Psychologist (PhD, LP)
Dr. Ayala holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and is licensed to practice in 42+ states via PSYPACT. She brings deep expertise in mental health, performance psychology, and the science of behavior change.
Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC)
As a certified sport psychology professional, Dr. Ayala specializes in helping athletes and performers optimize their mental game. She understands the unique demands of competition and high-pressure situations.
Pursuing BCIA Biofeedback Certification
Dr. Ayala is currently completing requirements for Board Certification in Biofeedback from the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), the gold standard in biofeedback training and practice.
Athlete Who Gets It
As an endurance athlete herself, Dr. Ayala knows firsthand what it feels like to battle pre-race anxiety, navigate injury recovery, and push through difficult training. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work.
Evidence-Based Practice
Skadi Sport Psychology grounds all services in peer-reviewed research. HRV biofeedback has decades of scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness.
Available Virtually & In-Person
Train from anywhere via secure telehealth, or schedule in-person sessions in Minneapolis. HRV training adapts to your location and schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Generic breathing exercises use one-size-fits-all instructions (often 5-6 breaths per minute). HRV biofeedback identifies your unique resonance frequency through physiological testing, then uses real-time feedback to train your nervous system at that precise rate. You get personalized training, measurable results, and continuous data showing your progress.
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For your sessions with Dr. Ayala, she provides all necessary biofeedback equipment. For home practice, you'll need an HRV tracking app (most are free or low-cost) and a compatible heart rate monitor or smartphone. Dr. Ayala will help you select appropriate tools based on your needs and budget.
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Research shows measurable HRV improvements after 4-6 weeks of consistent daily practice (10-20 minutes per day, building gradually). Many people report subjective improvements—better sleep, reduced anxiety, faster recovery—within 2-3 weeks. The standard protocol is 12 weeks to build sustainable skills and achieve optimal baseline HRV increases of 20-40%. Your nervous system needs time to adapt, just like building muscle or cardiovascular fitness.
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HRV biofeedback training may be covered under your mental health benefits, depending on your specific plan and diagnosis. Dr. Ayala can provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. Contact your insurance provider to verify coverage, or plan to pay out-of-pocket at $250 per session.
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Skepticism is welcome. HRV biofeedback works through measurable physiological mechanisms—you'll see your heart rate variability change in real time as you adjust your breathing. The research base is extensive, with meta-analyses showing large effect sizes for anxiety and stress reduction. Start with a free consultation to ask questions and determine if this approach aligns with your goals.
Ready to Strengthen Your Nervous System?
HRV training builds a nervous system that can handle stress.
When you train your body's natural regulation mechanisms, you gain:
✅ Faster recovery from stress and hard training
✅ Better sleep and reduced anxiety
✅ Improved performance under pressure
✅ A tangible skill you can use anywhere, anytime
HRV training requires consistent practice—10-20 minutes daily, building gradually over 12 weeks. The research is clear: biofeedback produces measurable, lasting improvements in nervous system function for those who commit to the work.
Start with a free 15-minute consultation to:
Learn whether HRV training is right for your goals
Ask questions about the process and time commitment
Understand what to expect from training
Determine if Dr. Ayala is the right fit for you