5 Frequently Asked Questions About Neurofeedback

Mother asking questions about neurofeedback.

1. Is neurofeedback like shock therapy?
Absolutely not. Surprisingly, this is somewhat of a common question because electrodes are applied to the head at the beginning of each session. The electrodes are only used to read the client's brain activity; nothing gets transmitted out of them and into the head.

2. How much does neurofeedback cost and does insurance cover it?
Very few insurance companies cover neurofeedback. Therefore, the cost of neurofeedback is generally out of pocket. Costs can vary from center to center ranging from $60 to $120 per session. Some centers, such as Intralife Performance Center, does offer financing options. Do not let the price scare you away. In the long run, neurofeedback actually is more cost effective. There is a great article written by Dr. Corydon Hammond which discusses the costs of medication treatments versus neurofeedback. You can read the article here.

3. How many sessions of neurofeedback do I need?
This really depends on the person and their goals. When you first meet with a neurofeedback clinician he or she should give you an estimate of what they think you will need. Beware that it is only an estimate and that you may need more or less than the given number.

4. What kind of results should I expect?
80-85% of our clients had a successful experience and feel that neurofeedback was worth the investment! It is difficult to give a concrete answer because results will vary based on a client's reason for doing neurofeedback, the severity of the situation, and the goals of the client training.

5. How often should I come?
This question depends on the client's time and finances. It is recommended to come at least once a week; however, if you would like to get through training faster a client can as often as everyday.

If you have any other questions that you would like answered, post them below and I will be sure to address them.

A Woman's Story: Finding Help for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Woman who found help for anxiety and panic attacks.

"About two years ago my life completely changed unexpectedly and took me down a path I would have never expected. I had been preparing to leave for a service mission in Guatemala that would last 18 months. Prior to my departure date I had spent months getting ready to leave. I could not wait to go.

November 18th finally rolled around and I was off to what I thought was going to be my greatest adventure of my life. The first week was wonderful. I loved everything that I was learning and I also enjoyed the people around me. I remember thinking nothing could get better than this. Then the second week rolled around and everything changed. I woke up one morning and remember feeling different than usual but I did not think too much about it. Another few days went by and I noticed that I was having a difficult time sleeping. Then another few days passed and I began to feel dazed and overwhelmed. Almost anything brought me to tears. I also noticed by appetite was drastically decreasing. I could not help but to question if I was dying. I knew something was wrong.

I went to my program director and told him what was happening. He recommended I see a counselor. The counselor said to come back in a week and see how things go. In my heart I was really hoping that things would get better and it was just a bad couple of weeks; I was not ready to go home, I had just left. That week went by and things just got worse. My body was achy, my chest felt like it was going to explode, I started to lose weight, and my head was spinning. Four weeks after my "adventure of a life time" I was home.

I couldn't understand why this was happening to me. I literally had fallen apart in less then three weeks. I felt so out of control and confused.

In my search for relief I came to learn that I was experiencing an extreme anxiety/ panic attack with mild depression. Everything that I read recommended doing medication. I was fearful of doing that because I was in such bad shape that I thought if the medication given to me made things worse (because some do that) I would not be able to handle the pain of the anxiety and depression anymore. I had heard about neurofeedback through a neighbor so I thought I would try it before I did  medication.

During my training I went twice a week consistently for four months then I came in for maintenance here and there. The first month was rough. My symptoms continued to persist; however, overall the intensity of the anxiety was less. The second month became more manageable. I had so many symptoms going on that even when the neurofeedback would eliminate one symptom the others would become more apparent and I would struggle with those. Within the middle of the second month my depression was completely gone. The third month I was much more capable of controlling the anxiety instead of it controlling me. This allowed me to do things with friends and get out of the house a little more without the anxiety getting to me. Also by this point the majority of my symptoms were gone. By the end of the fourth month most everything was back to normal. Every once in awhile I would have a hard day or two but I was able to take control of them and break the cycle relatively fast.

Neurofeedback was not a quick fix. It took effort and time which made some days difficult. However, I feel it was the best treatment option for me. I did not want a band aid such as Zoloft, I wanted something that I believed really changed my brain. Through the neurofeedback process I learned so much about myself and how to control what my brain does. I believe the training will last me a lifetime and will prevent me from future panic attacks. It has now been almost two years since my experience and I still feel great!"

-Testimonial from 23 year old female

What is PTSD and How to Treat It

When people think of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) they often think of military men and women. Although these are people who commonly have this disorder, people can also have it after having a traumatizing experiences such as abuse, illness, or being in a car accident. According to helpguide.org, people who suffer from PTSD experience it differently, however, there tends to be three main symptoms:

1. Re-experiencing the traumatic event.
2. Avoiding Reminders of the event.
3. Increased anxiety and emotional arousal.

PTSD can be frightening and overwhelming. The great news is that there is an option that can treat it. That option is neurofeedback. Here is a video from EEG Info that discusses what PTSD is and how neurofeedback can be a source of healing. Enjoy! 

P.S. EEG Info has an organization called Homecoming for Veterans. It is a national outreach program to provide free neurofeedback training to veterans for the rehabilitation of PTSD. Check it out! http://www.homecoming4veterans.org/

This video is from EEG Info which can be found on EEGinfo.com. Thank you!

Help for ADD and ADHD: a Non-Medication Approach

"My child's teacher is constantly reporting that Timmy is struggling to focus and sit still during class. He tends to get distracted by other students which then disrupts class. When we have to do homework at home I have to constant remind Timmy to stay on task. This is out of control and now it's starting to negatively affect our family life." -Mother of 8 year old son

Can you relate to this story? Many parents are in this exact situation and are struggling to know how to help their child who is diagnosed with ADHD and ADD. Although medication such as Ritalin and Aderal can be effective for awhile, there often tends to be highly unwanted side affects such as loss of appetite, stunted growth (from loss of appetite), poor sleep habits, and development of a "zombie" like personality.

It's not uncommon for parents to see that after so many months or years of their child having these side effects that its not worth the few benefits they get from taking the medication. This invokes another quest by parents to find something that can help their child. This search leads to them to neurofeedback. This is a non-medication approach that majority of people who try it find extremely effective... and without the side effects. Here is a clip from EEGinfo to help you learn more about neurofeedback and how it can help ADD and ADHD.

If you have had any experiences with neurofeedback, please post them below to help others decide if it's right for them.

What is an EEG?

Picture of EEG used while doing neurofeedback

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Everybody has heard the term EEG before but few actually knows what it means and what it is used for. EEG stands for electroencephalography.  In simple terms it reads and records the electrical activity of your brain.

During neurofeedback (biofeedback) the practitioner will apply electrodes on specific parts of the scalp to target brain activity that controls certain behaviors or functions. Many EEGs used for testing potential problems require the use of dozens of electrodes to cover the scalp. However, while doing neurofeedback or biofeedback only a three to five electrodes are used. The electrodes will send the information it collects from your brain to the computer. Next, the computer receives the information and processes it onto the screen in the form of wavy lines. Some people get nervous prior to getting an EEG because of all the wires and equipment. This is not necessary; it's a simple, pain free process.  

An EEG may also be used to:

Diagnose epilepsy and various types of seizures.
Check for problems with dementia and confusion.
Find out if a person is dead or in a coma.
Study sleep disorders.

Check out www.intralifeperformance.com to watch a video of somebody being connected to an EEG.


Information used from webmd.com and wikipedia.org. Picture provided by EEGinfo.com. Thank you!

Mother's View on Four Children Training with Neurofeedback

Below are some comments we received from a mother this week with four children training with Neurofeedback:

Child 1: 9 year old son with ADHD and school disciplinary problems
Reason for training: Help him in school and with homework. Also to help calm him down.
Mother reports: “He is doing well in school and we have had a ton of improvement on his homework. He has calmed down but I am still hoping to see more improvement. He is easy to get to homework and does not struggle to focus anymore.  We tried a lot of discipline and positive reinforcement which helped some, but we still had major issues at school.  With Neuorfeedback he is doing really well at school now and I don’t feel like I have had to do anything.  I would recommend Neurofeedback because it works!”

Child 2: 5 year old son with ADHD
Reason for training: Help him calm down, listen more, and control his emotional outbursts.
Mother reports: “He has calmed down I have noticed this most while sitting at church. He still gets mad but it is not as intense and he will calm down easier and listen. I feel we can go more placed because we are not worried about his behavior.”

Child 3: 8 year old son
Reason for training: Help improve reading and spelling.
Mother reports: “He is almost 100% on his spelling now and is reading on or just above grade level.  It is so much easier and a lot less time consuming to read and do homework. He seems happier because he does well and it is easier to read.  We spent a lot of time on homework, and Neurofeedback seemed to take care of the problem overnight. He no longer struggles.”

Child 4: 6 year old daughter
Reason for training: Help her calm down and focus better
Mother reports: “She does seem a little calmer. She is not as pushy and talkative.”

Research Shows: Neurofeedback is an 'Evidence-Based' Treatment for ADHD

We thought we'd share a clip from a press release that was published in 2009. 

NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurofeedback - also called EEG Biofeedback - is a method used to train brain activity in order to normalize Brain function and treat psychiatric disorders. This treatment method has gained interest over the last 10 years, however the question whether this treatment should be regarded as an Evidence-Based treatment was unanswered until now. Tomorrow a study will be published in the scientific journal 'EEG and Clinical Neuroscience' demonstrating that Neurofeedback can indeed be regarded as an evidence-based treatment for Attention Deficit- / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Neurofeedback is a treatment where real-time feedback is provided for specific brain activity (most often EEG) in order to learn the brain to suppress or produce specific brain activity. This method was initially discovered for the treatment of Epilepsy and from 1976 investigated further for the treatment of ADHD. This technique has become more popular by clinicians worldwide, and is currently provided for the treatment of several disorders. Critics have often questioned the efficacy of Neurofeedback and whether it can be considered an Evidence Based treatment or not.

In collaboration with researchers from Tubingen University (Germany), Radboud University (Nijmegen, the Netherlands), Brainclinics and EEG Resource Institute a so-called meta-analysis was conducted on all published research about Neurofeedback treatment in ADHD. This meta-analysis included 15 studies and 1194 ADHD patients. Based on this study - which will be published in the July issue of EEG and Clinical Neuroscience - it could be concluded that Neurofeedback can indeed be considered an Evidence-Based treatment for ADHD. The results show that neurofeedback treatment has large and clinically significant effects on Impulsivity and Inattention and a modest improvement of Hyperactivity.

Neurofeedback Discounts?

Q - Do you ever run an introductory special like the one talked about on Studio 5?

A - Periodically we do offer "GroupIt" specials where new clients can try Neurofeedback at an introductory price.  However, they are not scheduled regularly.  The best way to find out about any specials is through email, so you'll want to make sure you join the email list by clicking on the "Get Email Updates" arrow at the top of the right column on this blog.  The specials are usually open to anyone who has not participated in GroupIt before.  Even existing clients can join in on a GroupIt special if they haven't in the past...so don't let waiting for a "special" hold you up if you're serious about trying Neurofeedback...you can still participate if and when we run the next GroupIt.

We also offer discounts for package deals which saves between $10-20 per session.

Help Without Medicating!

Watch Studio 5 Clip

Neurofeedback is for kids too! If you're like most parents, you want to help your child succeed in any way possible. If you feel you've tried methods that just aren't working, you should strongly consider unlocking your child's potential with this safe, non-invasive approach.

If you find that your child struggles more than most to learn concepts, comprehend subjects or reading, suffers from a lack of follow-through, forgets assignments, gets frustrated easily when tasked with certain assignments, or has a difficult time following instruction…this may finally be your solution!

The neurofeedback approach is fun for most children as they view cars racing, spaceships jetting through tunnels, or tailored sets of images just for them. It's very easy to do for children of all ages, for teens, and adults. All ages benefit from the approach.

"Neurofeedback has been a miracle! Two months ago we were considering adding additional medications for our 6 year old son, but now most of his concerning symptoms are gone! This has been the answer we've been searching for. My son is improving in school, with friends, and at home. But, most importantly, he is happy!" - Mother of 6 year old ADHD/Aspergers patient.

 

Q&A

What can Neurofeedback help?
Neurofeedback enhances peak performance as well as addresses problems of brain disregulation. To name a few areas, it can help the anxiety-depression spectrum, attention deficits, behavior disorders, various sleep disorders, headaches and migraines, PMS and emotional disturbances. It is also useful for organic brain conditions such as seizures, the autism spectrum, and cerebral palsy.

Who can benefit from Neurofeedback training?
Neurofeedback is for child and adult alike. Just as both benefit from physical exercise, both benefit from this non-invasive mental exercise. Studies have shown that those with a wide spectrum of conditions benefit from Neurofeedback. To include: ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, Aspergers, and more.

How long is the typical training program?
An average neurofeedback program runs 20-40 sessions at 45-50 min. per session. Some patients find they get the desired results sooner, and other patients working on multiple areas of functioning may need more sessions.

How is Neurofeedback done?
Sensors are attached to the scalp with EEG paste allowing a brain reading. The patient views a computer screen of games or scenes and the brain is rewarded as it trains and develops in the desired areas.