Neurofeedback helps regulate overstressed or under-active brains and is helpful with issues of focus and attention, behavioral issues, sleep concerns, headaches, and emotional issues. Neurofeedback helps the brain work better so that a person feels better.
This process gives your brain instantaneous feedback about its performance
during the training session. It is like your brain is looking at itself in a mirror and making adjustments accordingly. On a subconscious level it begins to “work out”
what it needs to do to make your computer screen active. It then begins to
produce more of the helpful type of brainwave patterns and less of those that
are correlated with the symptoms you wish to address. With practice, your brain
learns new patterns. Desirable neuronal pathways are strengthened and new
pathways may be created.
As your brain learns what it needs to do to make your computer screen active, the Practitioner gradually makes the goals a bit more difficult in order to challenge your brain to do even “better.” This is analogous to weight training workouts: as your muscles become accustomed to one weight, a little more is added until over time you build new muscle. With neurofeedback training, gradually your brain learns how to work at a more optimal level.
What Does the Training Do? Will I be "Cured"?
Neurofeedback helps the brain to function better, and better brain function
equals a happier, calmer, more productive life. Brain regulation issues do not
constitute a disease; therefore Neurofeedback is not a cure, simply a way of
helping you live more completely with fewer concerns.
Neurofeedback can be compared to physical fitness training – when a person exercises regularly, overall health, especially blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and energy levels improve. With Neurofeedback, focus, organization, mood and performance levels improve.
Yes. The Canadian Olympic team utilized Neurofeedback and other biofeedback techniques to improve their competitive edge in the 2009 Olympics as part of their project “Top Secret-Own The Podium”. It worked – they aced the Olympics. Neurofeedback helps athletes find and stay in the “zone” and avoid “choking” at crucial points in competition.
NASA uses Neurofeedback to train astronauts, the US Military uses it to train thier special forces and its used by many professional athletic teams as a way to give them an edge in competition.
In most instances once the brain has learned how to perform at its optimum level, it stays there and no further sessions are needed. Think about learning to ride a bicycle. Remember how difficult that was? Did you fall? And then, after a while, you didn’t even have to think about balancing anymore? At a subconscious level, your brain was sending messages to your muscles to do what they needed to do to keep you upright. Even if you haven’t ridden a bicycle in years, if you were to get on one today your brain would quickly remember what it is supposed to do to help you remain balanced.
This is what happens through Neurofeedback training. We train your brain to work in a way that will help keep you “balanced.” You will not need to concentrate consciously on what you need to do to “stay relaxed” (for example). Your brain will simply function the way it needs to, in order for you to be comfortable.
There are a few instances when we have observed that several “booster” sessions might be needed:
If the client has been involved in a long-term traumatic situation
(for example, an abusive relationship or a family member suffering from a
prolonged and difficult illness).
-If the client has undergone long-term medical help (such as chemotherapy).
We have had success working with clients with brain injuries and those suffering from many types of disabilities. Neurofeedback helps the brain become more efficient so that it works at its best capacity, whatever that capacity might be. If someone’s brain has been injured by a stroke or through surgery, the brain learns to “reroute” signals to create new neuronal pathways.
Neurofeedback works with learning disabilities as well. Brain regions
and networks involved with learning (such as word recognition, reading
comprehension, expressive language, etc.) can be strengthened, thus
improving performance.
For example, Neurofeedback is used to teach children with ADHD how to calm and concentrate. It is rated level 1 'Best Practice' intervention for ADHD by PracticeWise (the research body of the American Pediatric Association).