Neurofeedback Therapy Insights

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How does NFB differ from talk therapy?

How much does NFB cost?

How long do the effects of NFB last?

Are there any side effects for NFB?

How do I prepare for NFB?

Is NFB covered by insurance?

How is NFB tailored to me? OR treat my brain specifically?

How does NFB differ from talk therapy?

Talk therapy can be very effective with its use of cognitive and relational interventions. Talk therapy is what one might see in a move of television show: A therapist is in a soft leather chair sitting across from them in another chair, talking through and processing events, patterns, and emotions. Talk therapy focuses on lived experiences and the relationships between therapist and client is the most powerful factor. 

Although a relationship is very important between neurofeedback provider and patient, it is a much more passive process than talk therapy. Neurofeedback training sessions are rather easy. We call them ‘training’ sessions, since the patient will be sitting chair with sensors on their scalp, as the technician uses the equipment to ‘train’ the brain to develop the more adaptive neural pathways. The patient gets to watch a show or a movie of their choice, or listen to music, depending on the training. During this time, as the screen is flashing and the sound is chirping, stimuli that trains the brain to fire differently in order to receive the ‘reward’ of a clear show or sound coming through. Essentially, it’s as easy as watching TV, while the brain is busy learning how to function healthier. Learn about neurofeedback therapy.

How much does NFB cost?  

There are a couple of things to consider while budgeting for neurofeedback. We recommend calling around to ask different providers how much they charge for brain maps and how much they charge for each training session. 

The brain map is a diagnostic tool that shows us what the brain is doing in an exact location. Neurofeedback providers use this very important tool to fully understand what is causing your discomfort, where in the brain the irregularities live, and what protocols will treat the problem. The brain map is a pre and post treatment assessment, so most practitioners will have you pay for two maps. At iAmClinic, our first map is roughly $550, about half the cost of industry standards. We charge less for an optional second brain map if you should choose to have one down through the course of your treatment. Learn more about the Pros and cons of using insurance for therapy!

The training sessions are ~45-55 minute sessions that we recommend patients make space for weekly, or ideally even two times a week. Typically you will pay $150 for the training session, but at iAmClinic, our sessions are $80 and we offer packages to allow even more savings. 

How long do the effects of NFB last?

We are pleased to see in the research, in our personal lives, and in the lives of our clients that the effects of neurofeedback are generally permanent. There are some outlying factors like concussions, substance abuse, or strokes that can affect the brain. But by and large, the effects of neurofeedback will turn on and never turn off.

Are there any side effects for NFB?

Generally speaking, you should not experience any side-effects from QEEG neurofeedback. The brain map gives us so much detail that we are very precise to target the right area of the brain with the right protocol. The only side-effect that you should feel is feeling better.

How do I prepare for NFB?

Neurofeedback is a very easy process. The only thing you need to do is track what medicines you might be taking, what time you took them, and be sure to get a good night’s sleep. Just like preparing for a good workout, we want your brain fully rested for its training sessions.

Is NFB covered by insurance?

Just like any other service and service providers, neurofeedback is only covered by practitioners that are on insurance panels. At iAmClinic, we do not bill insurances directly, but we do provide an insurance reimbursement invoice so that—if your insurance covers neurofeedback—they can reimburse you directly. You are able to use health savings account (HSA) cards to purchase neurofeedback packages, as long as it is in accordance to your own insurance plan.

How is NFB tailored to me? OR treat my brain specifically?

Some Neurofeedback providers base their protocols on nothing but your symptoms. Others will create their protocols solely on the brain map. At iAmClinic, we combine both. We track your symptoms and ensure that what we see in the brain map correlates with your experiences. We then customize the protocol to treat very specific areas in the brain. With these practices in use, we are sure to create a treatment plan that is going to bring relief for your brain, body, and life.

If you have any additional questions, we’re here to help.

Neurofeedback trains the brain. And because the brain controls the entire body, it is fair to assume that neurofeedback can influence the brain to control the entire body more healthily. 

You can think of the brain’s electrical amplitude like the volume on your phone and the electrical currents like the different instruments of the song to which you’re listening. In this hypothetical situation, let’s pretend like the bass is way too loud, the drums are too soft and you can hardly hear the guitar. A sound master would lower the bass, allowing it to appropriately play in the background, but with a presence that can be felt, while turning up the drums and guitar. Neurofeedback, in this scenario, turns the volume (amplitude) down for the frequencies of the brain that are too strong, and trains them up for those that are too thin.

Neurofeedback Treatment Research

Interestingly, neurofeedback has been heavily researched since the 1929s. One milestone came in 1960, when researchers found that the limbic system—which was previously thought to have been completely independent and self-governing—was trainable. This discovery led researchers to empirically prove that neurofeedback could train even the unconscious systems that keep us alive.

Since this profound discovery was made, research has proven that neurofeedback can treat even the most treatment-resistant subtypes of anxiety and depression. It can also be used to treat:

1. Trauma, including:
      -PTSD
      -Hypervigilance
      -Attachment trauma
      -Lack of emotional regulation
2. ADHD
3. Panic attacks
4. Insomnia and other sleep disorders
5. Obsessive thinking and rumination
6. Compulsive patterns (e.g., excessive hand-washing or compulsive sexuality)
7. Seizures
8. Eating disorders
9. Blocks to peak performance
10. Substance abuse patterns
11. Thrill-seeking and/or risky behavioral patterns
12. Tics
13. Autism

Again, because neurofeedback trains the organ that controls the entire body, its capabilities are far-reaching and powerful.

We have yet to understand many things about the body, brain, and how neurofeedback can continue to grow as a treatment modality. As we learn how to apply neurofeedback to more and more systems in the body, we are thankful to have seen a lot of success in treating and ameliorating the ailments listed above, as well as many others. Learn about neurofeedback FAQS here!

If you are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We have knowledgeable staff who can answer all of your questions.

Sources: Technical Foundations of Neurofeedback by Thomas F. Collura – Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), London and New York

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The Simple Answer

What makes the brain’s electricity function improperly?

The Simple Answer:

Neurofeedback is an easy way to treat some of the most challenging diagnoses.

The brain is in charge of controlling, regulating, and managing both the physical body and psychological mind. From controlling how you smile, interpreting body language, processing emotions, and continuing to breathe, the brain is very busy making sure everything runs correctly. I think it is fascinating that electricity in the brain is responsible for calculating the formula 2+2=4 and that it initiates reminders, like stopping for my dry cleaning on the way home. 

You can think of electricity in the brain as though it is both a language and a snow plow. In some instances, the brain uses electrical pulses, circuits, and patterns to communicate a message from one part of the brain to another and even from the brain to another part of the body. For other functions, the brain uses electricity to push hormones to their necessary places, like a snow plow making sure snow is moved to the right spot. Needless to say, the brain’s electricity is the language used to empower the mother boards of our hard drives. Look at nuerofeedback FAQS here!

What makes the brain’s electricity function improperly?  

Electrical dysfunctions or deficiencies in the brain can result from a variety of factors: 1) genetic disposition for low or high levels of electrical amplitude (volume) in the brain, 2) traumatic brain injuries or concussions, or 3) emotional trauma. All of these influences on the brain will disrupt the optimal electrical activity in the brain.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive and drugless modality that trains the brain. We place sensors on the scalp that send information to a sophisticated software system. The software collects the brain’s activity, all the while you are watching a movie of your choosing, like The Titanic or Home Alone II.

In neurofeedback, we use the information from an EEG, much like that used to monitor a pregnant mother’s contractions or to observe an athlete’s heart on a treadmill. The EEG sensors placed on strategic sites of your scalp collect data and feed it to our computer. The software takes that data and translates into workable cues for the movie screen. While the person sits in a chair with the sensors on their scalp enjoying the movie, the software is busy making sense of the information it receives. As the brain fires in optimal ways, the movie fills the television and the sound is nice and crisp, thus rewarding the brain for good behavior. As the brain defaults to its old patterns, it is discouraged by a shrinking movie screen and sound that fades into static. Learn about neurofeedback treatment.

Neurofeedback is a training process, much like going to the gym to build muscle. The individual training session is about 45 minutes, while the duration of neurofeedback training depends on your brain map.

Before we start training the brain, we have to know what’s wrong and in which areas of the brain. Thankfully, we can map all of the brain’s activity, giving us the ability to diagnose any problems, even down to a tiny 5 millimeter spot deep into the brain’s cortex. The brain map tells us just where we need to focus and for how long. In other words, the brain map tells us which sites we need to train and how many training sessions we’ll need to train your brain into tip-top shape.

Neurofeedback has been successful in treating some of the most treatment-resistant diagnoses out there. If you find yourself battling a challenging symptom or diagnosis, please know there is help.

If you have questions, we’re here to help.