Neurofeedback
Psychological interventions are often oriented towards addressing where an individual is at in terms of feelings, behaviour, or cognitive ability through talk therapy. Neurofeedback, on the other hand, is an intervention focused on the physiology of the brain, by addressing imbalances in its activity. For example, problems in the areas that control functions like language and memory may be linked to the diagnosis of ADHD, Autism Spectrum, or Learning Difficulties, to name a few.
Put simply, neuroplasticity is the capacity of the brain to heal itself by finding new neurological paths. Neurofeedback -often called biofeedback or neurotherapy- is the technique used to show the brain how to find and reinforce its own new path. Neurofeedback has existed and evolved for decades, with rapid technological advances improving our understanding of the brain functioning.
Core Concept: Neuroplasticity
The brain functions through complex electrical connections, which create different types of brainwaves that can be read in an Electroencephalogram (EEG). These brainwaves, however, can change through the creation of new neurological paths, which is a process called Neuroplasticity:
What is Neurofeedback?
This is a personalised therapy which gives moment-to-moment feedback about the body’s physiological parameters such as heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, temperature, muscle tension, and brain waves (EEG). Based on the individual’s brain map, a protocol is determined. This protocol works via a rewarding system, with the help of break-through technology. During this process, an individual will sit down comfortably while watching a movie or listening to music. When the person produces the desired brainwaves under the guidance of a clinician, the brain gets rewarded with a clearer image or better sound. Such system allows the brain to exercise itself in its newly created neural paths, resulting in it normalising its workings, in a process known as neuroplasticity. This treatment is natural, because all the work is completely done by the patient, without any input from the equipment, other than reading the brainwaves generated in the process. Neurotherapy is safe, non-invasive, pain-free, and medication-free.
Areas that we have a great deal of success in- either completely regulating the client or dramatically improving their functioning – include Traumatic Brain Injury, Autism, ADHD, Learning difficulties, Anxiety, Depression and especially Epilepsy. At Brain Care we strive to offer the best-practice neuromodulation and brain training methods. We achieve this by using internationally acclaimed protocols. As a principle, we only use scientifically validated assessments and interventions.
How is Neurofeedback performed?
A patient will sit comfortably and be presented with audio and/or visual stimuli, for example by watching a movie or listening to music, while connected to the equipment by a few electrodes. The signal produced by a patient will inform the clinician about the brain’s behaviour. This feedback will determine the quality of sound and/or image: a better quality means the right signals are being produced, and a lesser quality means the brain is utilising the old patterns that need to be changed. A clinician is trained to coach the client towards producing the desired signals.
Neurofeedback - Frequently Asked Questions
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You don’t need to do anything. These processes happen unconsciously and naturally, without any effort from your part. If you have any difficulties or feel tense about the display, your clinician will guide you towards being relaxed and just being focused on the movie. If this becomes stressful in any way, please talk to you clinician, who can then make the necessary adjustments to make you comfortable.
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The answer to both questions is no. There is often a misconception that small electrical impulses will be conducted towards your brain. This is NOT the case with Neurofeedback, just like it is not the case with qEEG Assessments either, because all the signals are transmitted from the individual to the equipment, and not the other way around. The changes in volume and image in the display only act as a reward system to encourage the production of the desired brainwaves, however all the work is completely done by the patient, so this is a non-invasive, pain-free therapy.
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Most patients report improvement in symptoms after 5 or 6 sessions, however each brain is unique, and so each journey is unique. The positive effects of neurofeedback are long-lasting, as demonstrated by science in many studies during recent decades. Stopping the sessions will more likely result in seeing no improvement on current symptoms, however stopping sessions is not harmful in any way.
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There are no known negative side effects to neurofeedback. Some patients may report feelings of tiredness or sleepiness after completing a session, but this is not harmful for the brain.
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Each client has an individual journey, and there are many medications which may affect people differently. Our clinicians will be able to speak to you about your personal circumstances.
Other Neuromodulation Therapies
As the brain improves so does the ability to learn. When the brain is able to learn more effectively, it can then catch up with things it has missed in the past. Speech therapists and OT’s tell us it makes their work a lot easier once their clients have finished Neurofeedback training. We often combine different Neuromodulation modalities, including Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, (TDCS), Audio Visual Entrainment (AVE), and Sound Therapy. These can be further combined with EMDR, Family Counselling, and support in the home and at school. Programs are designed and tailored for the individual and the family.
How Brain Care Can Help
Why Neurofeedback at Brain Care
We have been practicing neurofeedback for 17 years, and as part of our approach, we have maintained close relationships with several associations dedicated to the research and development of this therapy in Australasia. We also work with several of the world’s leading experts in this area, and the latest tools developed by available technology. Our most senior psychologist is an approved supervisor of Neurofeedback Practitioners in NSW, and has made several publications about the subject.
Our psychology clinic offers qEEG (Brain Mapping), Neurofeedback and Photobiomodulation in Tweed Heads, Gold Coast, and Northern NSW.