This is similar to what happens when we take our cars to a mechanic. We do our best to describe the issues we’ve observed about our car’s performance. The mechanic takes that information, runs diagnostics, and then makes recommendations on repairs or enhancements to help optimize the car’s performance so that it meets our needs.

 

Like the mechanic, a neurofeedback practitioner assesses a person’s daily experiences to help determine what is interfering with achieving our goals and performing at our best. That information combined with EEG readings helps to get a picture of whether our brains are under or over-aroused. Brain or nervous system arousal refers to flexibility in neural activity to adjust to what we are doing at any given moment (whether that’s completing a task, paying attention to something, communicating, playing a sport, or sleeping). We use neurofeedback to develop more flexibility and stability of the EEG so that we can approach our daily lives with more energy, clarity, focus, and emotional regulation. 

 

The way we help the brain learn new patterns is by rewarding it with a stimulus when our brains successfully increase or decrease certain activities. Neurofeedback training sessions involve getting visual or audio feedback when our brain achieves the desired activity as measured by real-time data via EEG. Common “rewards” to the brain include tones playing, or advancing in a game on screen. The more our brains are rewarded in training sessions, the more they are conditioned to experience optimal activity in our day-to-day lives. This happens through the process of neuroplasticity, which occurs when we learn new things.

 

Neurofeedback is a research-supported neurotherapy with studies showing positive outcomes in several areas including ADHD, mood disorders, seizure disorders, addictions, and PTSD. In addition, it can be useful in optimizing performance for individuals without any diagnosis. Changes tend to be most robust and persistent when initial training sessions are frequent and grouped close together. Repetition is highly important for learning any new skill. If someone is learning to play an instrument,t for example, they are likely to see their skill improve quickly when they practice several times a week rather than having big gaps between practicing. Training the brain is the same concept and it is recommended that training sessions occur twice a week initially. Over time, training sessions can be spread out into weekly and infrequent maintenance sessions. For most conditions, initial progress can be observed within a few sessions. Overall progress is not guaranteed for everyone and the amount of training sessions necessary is different for everyone. It is recommended that a minimum of 10-15 training sessions be completed to make and stabilize new patterns.