Neurofeedback FAQs
Neurofeedback (general)
Some people find that neurofeedback sessions can make them temporarily tired, as is the case with any form of exercise. Others find it energising. It all depends on your baselines and goals.
Neurofeedback benefits tend to be different for each individual. With consistent training the new neuro-connections / pathways are integrated and become dominant over time. A healthy lifestyle does help to support the process.
Neurofeedback is not yet recognised by the NHS.
If you are located in the USA, Neurofeedback is covered by most US health insurance companies.
Any reductions in medication should be handled by your doctor. NEVER stop taking or alter your dosage of prescribed medications without consulting with the prescribing physician.
We don’t diagnose, nor is a diagnosis required to understand the problem. We map your brain, looking for areas of over or under-activity that correspond to your symptoms, and design a brain training programme to help you move forward.
For this reason, neurofeedback is better viewed as ‘personal training’ rather than a ‘treatment’; a way to shift your mind out of stuck patterns to relieve the corresponding symptoms. Nor is neurofeedback a ‘cure’ for these diagnosed conditions; we work toward symptom resolution by resolving the underlying imbalances.
Because neurofeedback is essentially structured exercises for your brain, the term ‘side effect’ isn’t applicable in the same sense as for medications. Unlike medication, nothing is put into the body or brain.
Neurofeedback brain training is teaching the brain into new positions. As such, some clients report feeling tired in the same way they do learning new skills. Others, feel more energised as their brain comes into better balance.
As with all holistic therapies, there can be a temporary amplification of old moods for those with emotional conditions or trauma before the difficulty passes away and the issue fades away.
Choosing healthier lifestyles supports the process. As does moderating alcohol and drug use.
Your therapist will give you personalised recommendation if needed.
Everyone is coming from a different place and everyone’s goals are different.
We prioritise your training to meet your goals, and you can expect to get a good degree of movement towards those goals.
The shifts are so organic to the brain that the way you feel and act seem perfectly natural – and it is, as you are acting more like yourself and less from automatic reactions. It doesn’t mean you won’t encounter life’s problems anymore, it just means you’ll handle them in a healthier way and the feelings won’t linger as before.
Typically, the more long standing the symptoms the more sessions are required. You can expect the gains to be cumulative over the course. Young brains tend to learn much faster than older ones, and a small issue shifts generally quicker than a big one.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF SESSIONS
The average number is 20 sessions which gives a good degree of symptom resolution. Occasionally people may continue with more if needed.
Our minimum is 12 sessions. This might be for a tune up or to help with newer issues.
As with learning any new skill, the effects are cumulative.
Most clients notice their first changes within the first six to eight sessions, however a minimum of a dozen sessions are recommended to ensure that the changes hold.
The Brain
Our brains are constantly being shaped by experience. Most of us have very different behaviours and thoughts today than we did 20 years ago. This shift is neuroplasticity in action; changes in brain structure and organisation as we experience, learn, and adapt.
An old dog can learn new tricks.
You can read more about Neuroplasticity on our blog.
Brainwaves are electrical impulses in the brain, and scientists measure them using an EEG (electroencephalogram). There are different types of brainwaves, each associated with different mental states.
You can read more about brainwaves on our blog.
LoRETA stands for Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography.
A QEEG brain map (or ‘Q’ for short) enables us to see how your brain is processing information and where there is over or under activity. We also look at how well the brain communicates with other areas of the brain.
You can find out more here
Yes we do.
All of our sessions are conducted at home. Assessments can be done in clinic.
If you are a professional looking to buy your own equipment rather than using one of ours, you can find more details here…
Brainworks has been operating full time since 2007 as Neurofeedback Specialists ; we are professionally trained and certified, with years of supervision and thousands of hours of experience behind us.
Our directors have invested in one-to-one trainings with some of the most experienced practitioners worldwide.
Our therapeutic team is led by Ingrid Valentin who is a clinical psychologist and integrative psychotherapist. She is Board Certified in Neurofeedback and a BCIA Neurofeedback Mentor.
The team comes from a range of professional qualified backgrounds, bringing a wide perspective to every case.
Neurofeedback helps your brain learn to focus and concentrate at will. This training helps strengthen your neural pathways and gain greater control over your mind.
ADDitude magazine published an interesting piece exploring this very question and noted that, while the studies to-date have not been fully blind studies, neurofeedback training has shown promise to help with some ADHD symptoms.
That being said, if you suspect you or your child has ADD or ADHD, your first step should be to consult with a doctor. You should also share your decision to try neurofeedback training as a complementary therapy with your doctor.
There are many different kinds of neurofeedback training, however at Brainworks Neurotherapy we use LoRETA neurofeedback with its detailed imaging and deep brain training.
This means we can be both specific on targeting dysregulated areas and working entire networks, such at the default mode or anxiety network.
Neurofeedback training is all about strengthening neural pathways and gaining more control over your mind, which people often feel results in a calmer and more stable experience.
There have been studies which have shown that neurofeedback can have a positive impact on those suffering from trauma, and can compliment any medicine and/or therapies recommended by your doctor or therapist.