FAQs

Neurofeedback strengthens, calms, stabilizes and restores the brain. Just like the muscles in your body, your brain needs training too. The overall goal of neurofeedback is to improve neurological flexibility. The brain is optimally supposed to shift easily between states, from sleep, to relaxation, to calm alert, and to high alert when necessary. Once your brain is “trained,” it can then shift on its own (as opposed to being “stuck” in a state of anxiety, anger, depression, etc. Dr. Daniel Amen, a well-known psychiatrist often seen on PBS, has written many books on the brain. He specializes in brain SPECT scans and recommends Neuro-Conditioning as themost ideal treatment option for brain health and healing. Amen says that “a healthy brain tends to be: focused, happy, relaxed, loving, and effective while an unhealthy brain tends to be distracted, sad, anxious, angry, and not as effective.” We ALL want a healthy body and brain.

Sleep Issues Headaches/Migraines Attention Deficit /ADHD Concussion Recovery Depression Anxiety Anger and Rage Overall Mood PTSD Bipolar Sensory Integration Low Motivation Peak Performance Energy Addiction And much more…

In 1968, Dr. Barry Sterman, a neuroscientist at UCLA medical school, proved that cats in his lab could be trained to make more EEG activity at 12-15 Hz frequencies. Sterman used the same cats for a NASA contract to investigate whether rocket fuel could cause seizure activity. The cats were exposed to a volatile fuel called hydrazine. Half of the cats seized in a predictable dose response curve. The other half of the cats (those who had increased 12-15Hz brainwaves in the last experiment) had no seizures. It was an unexpected outcome. After additional research, neurofeedback was tried on a woman working in Sterman’s lab, who suffered from uncontrollable seizures. She was trained at 12-15 Hz along the sensory motor strip. The training had the same inhibitory effect that it did on the cats and the woman subsequently qualified for a California driver’s license. These events launched the field of neurofeedback.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is the measurement of electrical patterns at the surface of the scalp which reflect cortical activity (brainwaves). A Quantitative EEG (qEEG) is the analysis of the digitized EEG, also referred to as “Brain Mapping.” A 19-channel cap is placed onto the head of the client and electrode gel is placed into each one of the holes for accurate and concise frequencies to be obtained. The client then relaxes for 20 minutes (10 minutes with eyes open and 10 minutes with eyes closed) while EEG data is collected and recorded. This data is then processed into visual images that reflect the clients unique patterns of cortical activity and can be used by experts as a clinical tool to evaluate brain function, identify areas of the brain where there is too little or too much activity, and areas that are not coordinating their activity the best they could. This brain map helps us choose where to go and what to do first. We also take a comprehensive assessment of reported symptoms. With this quantitative and qualitative information, treatment protocols are determined.

A Special EEG monitor and software are installed on two computers. As the client watches a game or movie, they will get visual and/or auditory feedback based on their brain’s activity and whether they are meeting the parameters set in their specific protocol. It is a research proven operant conditioning reward based system. Neurofeedback provides an opportunity for people to practice and reinforce healthy brain patterns and create new neuropathways so the brain can function optimally.

In general, the results are permanent. Once the brain has been properly trained, brainwaves like to stay where they are. After a client’s brain has gone through our neuro-conditioning program, results seem to stick. Should there be a head injury, extreme stress, a serious disease, etc., occasionally an additional 5-10 “booster sessions” might be recommended in order to remind the brain where its sweet spot is.

Yes, we start many clients while on medication. After a number of sessions, a reduction in medication dosage is usually implemented (under the supervision of your physician). Our clients on medication begin to have symptoms of overmedication, therefore as their brain gets healthy they are no longer in need of the same amount of medication. For example: A 42 year old mom had been on four medications for years to treat depression. After 40 sessions of neuro-conditioing, she was only using one medication at the lowest dose.

Training requires a minimum of two sessions per week during the early stages of the program. After a certain number of sessions, as advised by your neuro-therapist, clients can sometimes taper their sessions off until they finish the program. Most clients need approximately 40 sessions depending on progress to fully complete treatment.

Neurofeedback is recognized as a Level 1, Best Supported Treatment for ADHD by the American Academy of Pediatrics. “In my 38 years of practice, I have never seen any treatment that comes close to producing the results that Neurofeedback offers…I have seen results achieved in days and weeks that previously took months and years to achieve, using the best methods previously known to us.” – Jack Woodward, MD, Psychiatrist, North Carolina “It is wonderful to see children and adults learn to regulate their brainwaves using neurofeedback. This is the most exciting thing I have done in my career as a psychologist. Neurofeedback empowers people to make changes and achieve things that were just not possible for them before.” – Lynda Thompson, PHD, The A.D.D. Book, Canada “If any medication had demonstrated such a wide spectrum of efficacy (as neurofeedback), it would be universally accepted and widely used.” – Frank Duffy, MD, Neurologist, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School