Schumacher Counseling and Wellness

What is Neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback is designed to focus on the central nervous system, the hub of all functions in the human body. This training is an effective alternative to deal with a variety of symptoms and improve brain functioning without the side effects of medication. Whether a problem is physical, mental, or emotional Neurofeedback training can help support the brain in the following ways:

• Wellness and personal growth
• Slowing down aging of the brain
• Increased athletic performance
• Enhanced academic performance
• Improvements with various cognitive, emotional or physical challenges such as:
  • ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Depression
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Learning difficulties
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Training Sessions

Sessions last approximately 40 minutes. During your session you will have sensors gently attached to your ears and head while you relax comfortably watching images that coincide with music on a screen. Much like an EKG or ECG, the training is simply reading the signal, and is non invasive. These EEG sensors "listen" to your brainwaves and then send information to an "amplifier" and then to the software on the computer.

The audio feedback is specifically engineered to inform the brain of unproductive brain patterns by creating brief interruptions in the music and visual display. These interuptions or pauses, signal the brain to make adjustments to restart the music, enabling the central nervous system to return to its own natural healthy rhythms from various states of turbulence and inefficiency. As the brain recovers from stressful patterns it is further trained to stay in a productive zone. Just like riding a bike, this learning stays with you and brings stability into daily life.

Typically training is performed once or twice a week and results are usually noticed after 6-8 sessions. Results generally increase over time with many people typically training for approximately 20 sessions. After the initial sessions, many people continue to check in monthly or bi-monthly to maintain optimum health.

How Neurofeedback Works

Neurofeedback is essentially a brain workout. It trains your brain to be more flexible and resilient. Without pushing it in any specific direction, the training interacts with your central nervous system in a way that improves neural plasticity. A flexible mind adapts and responds quicker to changes in the environment. This means that the brain would become more efficient and have the ability to move quickly through all states, such as hyper-focus, excitement, and relaxation. Often times, when a brain is stuck in an unhealthy pattern it loses its ability to move easily through these states.

This training can also help build brain resilience, or an increase in the central nervous systems ability to "bounce back" from a negative event. The destructive effect of nervousness, repetitive or self critical thinking is magnified in traumatic events, such as loss of a loved one, or physical or emotional trauma. Instead of staying stuck in negativity from these events, having a more resistant brain will quickly return to its normal baseline. Individuals who have a more resilient brain report feelings of greater happiness and enjoying a sense of peace more often.

Neurofeedback training often reduces or eliminates the need for psychotropic medications as you begin to self regulate your own EEG patterns. Though not a medical treatment for illness, many people have experienced relief from physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Similar to the benefits of exercise, neurofeedback training can be an important tool for brain health.

Overall, Clients report less stress and anxiety, more productive thought patterns, improved cognitive function and a calmer more peaceful state of mind.

Call me at 779-206-9210 or contact me for an appointment.

Juline Schumacher, MA LCPC - Schumacher Counseling and Wellness