What Is Neurofeedback Training?

Very simply stated, neurofeedback training is the process of clinically manipulating your central nervous system and brainwaves for your betterment.

Neurofeedback falls under the umbrella of biofeedback. Biofeedback is a method of gathering information from the body, such as skin temperature, pulse, and other bodily conditions to teach control of these normally involuntary bodily processes through operant conditioning.

Biofeedback employs some type of computer or monitoring device along with electronic sensors to gather information about what is going on with the body. Neurofeedback gathers information about specific brainwaves and the central nervous system and looks for dysregulation as it relates to the client's symptoms.

When one part of the brain is dysregulated, it is as though the more often beautiful concert of functioning is out of alignment. This misalignment creates symptoms. When your car is out of alignment, you have your mechanic put it back into alignment. With neurofeedback, this information comes from your neurofeedback specialist and once and assessment or evaluation has been done, neurofeedback methods can correct a specific area and/or dysregulation or just fine-tune the area.

This said, your brain is a powerful machine. You come by your brainwaves genetically from your parents. They may be optimal, or not. Additionally, many of us have suffered concussions, trauma, and TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injuries), which have injured the brain. As your brainwaves are created by millions of neurons firing in concert, an injury to your brain will change your brainwaves. Further, developmental or adult onset trauma can put an individual into a constant state of fight, flight, or freeze. Neurofeedback can calm the central nervous system and by in part the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and parasympathetic nervous system (freeze).

“Some people, after getting their car inspected, have the skills to go home and do their own repair work. So, too, with neurofeedback — some types of neurofeedback do not need experienced clinicians to help. However, just like you might have had a friend or neighbor who said they could fix your car only to make things worse, this too has been part of the history of neurofeedback. Some people have bought equipment without proper training or understanding of the brain and have made symptoms worse by not using the equipment properly.”

-- Diane Roberts Stoler Ed.D. 

The Resilient Brain