Frequently Asked Questions neurofeedback therapy neurotherapy

Our clinicians are trained to provide a variety of services including counseling, coaching, and neurofeedback.  In a typical counseling or coaching session, the full 45-50 minute appointment revolves around discussing issues and exploring options for solutions.  

Neurofeedback training appointments include about 20 minutes of discussing symptoms or other concerns and 15-20 minutes of neurofeedback training.  While neurofeedback appointments do include some therapy or coaching, there isn't enough time to explore issues as deeply or a thoroughly as would happen in a full counseling or coaching appointment. Many individuals choose work with both a counselor and a neurotherapist at the same time, although it is not required.  If you are unsure which service would be the best fit for you, feel free to schedule a free consultation with one of our clinicians to discuss your individual situation. 

Brainwaves are measured with sensors placed on the scalp. The electrical activity measured goes to an amplifier to enhance the signal to be processed by the computer. The computer filters the activity to separate the brainwaves (Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, HiBeta, etc..) in real-time. Then, using the EEG software, we set goals of what to learn to increase and/or decrease based on the Brain Mapping we have done. That information gets reflected back via a screen where your brain plays a “game” to learn when it is doing what we are asking it to do, or when it is not. By seeing what is happening on the screen the brain learns to do what it is asked more often, which starts to cause changes in the nervous system. This feedback loop continues throughout the training process.

Neurofeedback can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and improve performance in many areas of life. Neurofeedback can also help with reducing stress, obsessive thinking, eating issues, sleep problems, and chronic pain, among other symptoms.

Neurofeedback is effective with children, adolescents, and adults. Younger children need to be able to sit in a chair and look at a screen for about 10-15 minutes. Typically our youngest clients are between 4-5 years old.

 Every brain is different. Some people notice changes after the first session while other people may take up to 8-10 sessions to start noticing significant changes. Most people notice positive results after about 4-5 sessions.

Neurofeedback is highly effective for the symptoms listed above (see “What is neurofeedback good for?”). We ask that clients fill out a feedback form after every training session to track their progress. At the beginning of training, we create a list of goals and rate the severity of symptoms. Every 10 sessions we review the goal sheet to see what you have accomplished and what we need to focus on next.

The only way to know if neurofeedback will work for you is to try it. A minimum of 10 sessions is recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of neurofeedback.

Every brain is different. Some people are more sensitive to the impact of training than others. Some people feel more comfortable with slow and gradual changes while others want to go as quickly as possible. We will respect your preferences regarding the pace of training while also ensuring that we are proceeding thoughtfully. Most people start with at least 10-15 sessions to stabilize the brain. During this phase of training we will be learning about how sensitive your brain is and what protocol is the best fit for you. Next, if needed, we will begin targeting more specific areas. It is important to first focus on stability because certain protocols are stronger than others and it is important to proceed with some caution. It is common for people to train between 20-40 sessions with some people preferring to continue for longer. We often start with meeting twice per week and once the primary goals have been reached we can experiment with reducing sessions to once per week and continue to step down the frequency of sessions.

Neurofeedback will not change your personality. It might be helpful to think of it as a tool to help you be a better version of yourself. We specifically target the symptoms you want to change, such as being able to sleep better, feeling more relaxed, or being in a better mood. Reducing these unwanted symptoms will not change who you are.

Neurofeedback will gradually make changes to the brain over time with repeated training. The training is focused on improving your symptoms and if there are any negative effects we will change what we are doing in training. Neurofeedback will not cause side effects in the same way that a medication could, however there may be unexpected things that happen as a result of training. For example, if a client’s goal is to reduce symptoms of depression and they have been using alcohol to lift their mood, the client may find that they no longer need or want the alcohol as training progresses.

Every brain is different. Some people are more sensitive to the impact of training than others. Some people feel more comfortable with slow and gradual changes while others want to go as quickly as possible. We will respect your preferences regarding the pace of training while also ensuring that we are proceeding thoughtfully. Most people start with at least 10-15 sessions to stabilize the brain. During this phase of training we will be learning about how sensitive your brain is and what protocol is the best fit for you. Next, if needed, we will begin targeting more specific areas. It is important to first focus on stability because certain protocols are stronger than others and it is important to proceed with some caution. It is common for people to train between 20-40 sessions with some people preferring to continue for longer. We often start with meeting twice per week and once the primary goals have been reached we can experiment with reducing sessions to once per week and continue to step down the frequency of sessions.

Every brain is different. The changes from one session will not be permanent, however once a training has been repeated many times, the changes in the brain will likely “stick”. For some people the changes appear to be long lasting and other people choose to come in occasionally for a “booster” session as needed. 

Yes, you can take medications while doing neurofeedback. It is important to take into consideration that neurofeedback results in changes to the brain so being in contact with your medication provider is important in the event that you need to make changes to your dosage. For example, if you are taking medication to help you sleep and neurofeedback is improving your ability to stay asleep, you may find that you need less of your medication or can stop taking it all together.

According to research, neurofeedback results in a 75-90% reduction of symptoms.

Every insurance plan is different. Some plans will cover some neurofeedback or “biofeedback” sessions while others won’t. We do not bill insurance so if you’d like to seek reimbursement from your insurance provider please contact them directly.

Every brain is different. Some people meet their goals and do not need to come back. Other people need to come in for an occasional “booster” of neurofeedback or will come in due to a significant life stressor.

As you sit and look at the computer screen your brain will be rewarded for producing more and less of specific brain waves based on the protocol we have designed for you. Sitting still and focusing on the screen will help make the feedback from the software more accurate. For those who struggle to sit still, as training proceeds, we often see people have an easier time sitting in the chair for training. Doing your best is all that we ask!

Anything that helps with the learning process will help with training, such as eating and sleeping regularly

Please refer to our Fees section on our website to see our pricing options.