Neurofeedback Therapy

WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK?

Neurofeedback is a treatment that directly teaches the brain to function in a healthier, more efficient way. It takes advantage of neuroplasticity – our brain’s ability to create new connections and continually rewire itself and change based on our experiences and choices. It is a powerful alternative to psychotropic medications, as there are very limited potential side effects (and even those are reversible), and once the brain is trained to self-regulate the effects hold over time. Unlike medications, the symptoms do not return when the training stops.

WHAT CONDITIONS CAN IT HELP?

Because the brain determines our experience of most mental, emotional and physical sensations, neurofeedback is an effective therapy for an almost limitless number of conditions. This includes:

  • ADD / ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Addiction
  • Attachment Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Depression
  • Learning Disorders
  • Mood Disorders
  • Peak Performance Training
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Tourette’s Syndrome
  • Trauma / PTSD

 

Neurofeedback is an incredibly powerful therapy in and of itself, and depending on the issue, may be the sole intervention required. However, many issues – especially those that have been longstanding – benefit from additional support and counseling, which will be incorporated into each session. For example, if someone has struggled with addiction for years, it will important that we also spend time talking about recovery skills; even if cravings are diminished, it is likely that there are habits that have been established that will increase the risk of relapse if they are not addressed.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Neurofeedback is completely non-invasive modality. During training, electrodes are placed on the scalp at training sites correlated to the condition being treated. The electrodes do not input anything to the brain; they simply record the brain activity at that site and feed it back to the computer. As you play a game or watch a movie (you can choose your method!) you will receive both auditory and visual feedback that lets your brain know it is doing what we want it to do, and it will try and replicate that pattern to keep the game moving or the film playing. From the client perspective, it is a fairly passive experience! You don’t necessarily need to “do” anything but relax and allow your brain to learn. Because it is such a direct form of biofeedback, it largely bypasses the mind.