What is EEG Neurofeedback?

If you are struggling with mental health symptoms, or physical symptoms related to some medical conditions (e.g., chronic pain, chemical sensitivities, headaches, IBS), it is likely that your brain has adopted a set of unhelpful habits in how it functions. These unhelpful habits are likely reflected in your brainwave activity, or EEG. 

For example, a classic ADD pattern usually involves excessive theta activity at the front of the brain. In many cases, anxiety is associated with excessive beta activity and deficient alpha activity. And some forms of depression are associated with an asymmetry of alpha wave production when comparing the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

EEG Neurofeedback, sometimes referred to as neurotherapy, is a form of brain training that provides a symptomatic brain with real-time information about how to behave differently by producing different sets of frequencies. Through an initial evaluation, comprising symptom checklists, an interview, and some form of brain mapping, we can determine the brain patterns that are likely contributing to your symptoms. Based on this information, we can develop a training plan that, when implemented with regular neurofeedback training sessions, can reduce dysfunctional brainwave activity and enhance optimal activity instead. 

Over the course of training, we assess progress each session to determine if any changes to the training plan are needed. Because neurofeedback is a process of learning for the brain (i.e., rather than a treatment for the brain), we expect the positive changes that occur to be permanent.

What is a Brain Map?

A brain map is an assessment tool used for the purposes of neurofeedback. There are different forms of brain maps, each with their own strengths and limitations. The gold standard in the field of neurofeedback is the QEEG. A QEEG takes measurements at 19 sites on the head, each corresponding to a specific brain region. This information can then be compared to a normative database that helps us determine how your brain functions relative to healthy norms. With this information we can make decisions about how to enhance your brain’s activity by training it to this norm. 

It is important to note that a QEEG is not necessary to implement neurofeedback. A training plan can be developed based on research-supported protocols that are selected to match your symptom profile. Other times only a few measurements at a handful of sites on the head are needed to develop the training plan.

What Type of Neurofeedback Will Work Best for Me?

I offer a number of different Neurofeedback approaches in my Petaluma office and would be happy to discuss with you which approach might be best suited for your needs. In some cases, a combination of approaches works best, alongside other modalities like Bioregulation Therapy or Biofeedback.