What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback is a solid, evidence based option for those who don’t want medication and for those whose medications are not completely effective.
EEG Biofeedback, aka Neurofeedback Brain-training uses a computer-brain interface to listen to the brain's electrical activity, brain-waves, and provide information to the brain through the eyes and ears to help it to better manage it's own electrical activity.
While the majority of our clients come because they have already tried other approaches and still find themselves suffering, a small but growing number of clients come to our center as a first option. This group of individuals is very clear –- they don’t want medications, or they don’t want their children on medications. They want an effective, evidence based treatment that doesn’t require meds.
Neurofeedback has proven itself to be a predictable, effective therapy backed by approximately 50 years of research. It is being practiced by several thousand clinicians nation-wide.
Even though Neurofeedback is a consistently, effective approach, it isn’t a quick fix. We are not attempting to mask symptoms, we are literally teaching the brain how to function more efficiently. It involves a learning process. Learning takes time and repetition is needed in order to really maintain what is learned. That said, compared to all other therapies we have seen, it works remarkably quickly:
- Brain-trainee's begin to experience symptom relief within 3-5 sessions
- Brain-training workouts = 2-3 times per week
- Each session improves brain-function progressively
- 80-85% symptom relief in 30-sessions
- Brain continues to improve after training ends
In a very large percentage of our clients, core symptoms are reduced significantly and sometimes completely with Neurofeedback Brain-Training. However, learning occurs at various rates for different people. The degree of brain-dysregulation can play a factor in a person’s response rate. Some people quit too early. They find relief and then stop having sessions before the learning has really had a chance to take hold. Old patterns need to be replaced by new patterns, which involves practice.
Even individuals who have solidly learned healthier brainwave patterns and have moved on in their lives, may want to occasionally come back for a tune up, particularly during or after a period of unusual stress.
If a client doesn’t progress fast enough with Neurofeedback, we usually make a referral to another health care professional. We like to make sure we rule out other possible medical or metabolic issues that might be interfering with the brain’s response.