Neurofeedback

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Whole Brain Training uses neurofeedback to “train” your brain, helping it shift patterns that may be contributing to symptoms like anxiety, depression, ADD, sleep issues, or emotional overwhelm. I use the Brain-Trainer system, which is known for its personalized, whole-brain approach. Instead of focusing on isolated symptoms, we look at how your brain is functioning as a whole and create a training plan that supports your unique brain patterns.

This is not a one-size-fits-all method. We begin with a brain map (called a brain-based assessment or “Trainer’s Q”), which shows how different areas of your brain are communicating. From there, I create a customized training plan designed to help your brain work in a more balanced and efficient way.

Whole Brain Training can lead to lasting improvements in mood, focus, sleep, and emotional regulation. Many clients report feeling less reactive, more present, and better able to handle life’s ups and downs. Because we’re supporting the brain’s natural ability to change (called neuroplasticity), the shifts that happen can be long-lasting.

Clients who combine neurofeedback with talk therapy often find that they make deeper progress. When the nervous system is more regulated, it’s easier to explore thoughts, emotions, and patterns with more clarity and less overwhelm.

Neurofeedback is gentle, relaxing, and completely non-invasive. You’ll sit comfortably while sensors placed on your scalp and ears measure your brain’s activity. You’ll then watch visuals or listen to sounds that change in response to your brain’s activity in real time. This feedback helps your brain “learn” what patterns are more efficient and helps it move toward healthier functioning—without needing to consciously think about it.

Most people find sessions calming and even enjoyable. Over time, this training helps your brain do what it’s meant to do—more smoothly and with less effort.

In neurofeedback therapy, you become an active participant in retraining and optimizing your own brain—and it’s fun! Here’s how it works: First, a cap with sensors is placed on your head to measure the electrical activity in your brain. This will generate a report that shows which brain waves are in the healthy range and which ones are not. The neurofeedback therapy will address the latter ones. About twice a week, you will retrain brain wave imbalances while watching a movie or television program or playing a video game. For example, if you struggle with anxiety it will be helpful for you to generate more calming alpha waves. Each time you do, your brain will get a little reward on the screen, and when you shift back into a more anxious state, the feedback monitor and screen will let you know so you can make the mental adjustment to increase your alpha wave activity. With repetition, this process retrains you and your brain to manage your level of anxiety.

Although this brief description might sound complicated, the process is pretty simple and very engaging. Plus, you will learn how to interpret the real-time displays so that you can learn how to regulate your brain function. With practice, you will be able to replicate the patterns that are most helpful for your brain health.

The benefits of neurofeedback can be long-lasting. Because the brain has actually learned (or relearned) a more efficient way of functioning, with ongoing practice during and outside of the sessions it will continue to reinforce the new pathways even after neurofeedback therapy has ended.

Research confirms the effectiveness of neurofeedback as a therapy for many conditions. Here are some highlights from the wealth of science supporting it.

ADD/ADHD: A 2021 review published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found neurofeedback therapy helped improve impulse control, behavior, and focus in kids with ADHD.

Addictions: A study by scientists at UCLA found that neurofeedback improved abstinence rates in people with addictions.

Anxiety: The results of a 2021 study on people with generalized anxiety disorder revealed that neurofeedback helped them improve their emotional regulation and significantly lowered anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Depression: Recent research published in Psychological Medicine concluded from the self-reports of participants that neurofeedback, as an adjunctive therapy, was effective in lowering depressive symptoms.

Memory Issues: A 2021 study that assessed the efficacy of neurofeedback for memory loss associated with mild cognitive impairment saw significant improvements in memory that were sustained for at least one month after treatment.

PTSD: According to the results of a research study published in NeuroImage: Clinical, participants who had PTSD underwent 15-20 weeks of neurofeedback, and at the conclusion of treatment, 61% no longer met criteria for the disorder.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A published overview of the use of neurofeedback for people who have suffered a TBI suggests that it may help reduce symptoms related to attention, mood, and mindfulness while improving motivation for treatment.