What is Neurofeedback Treatment?

What is Neurofeedback Treatment page created 07-14-24 by Lucrezia Mangione, LCPC, NCC, BC-TMH, DCEP

Unlock Your Brain's Potential with Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a gentle, noninvasive, non-drug way to unleash the healing strength of your sensitive brain and nervous system. Neurofeedback Brain Training can positively impact your mental health by supporting the healthy functioning of your brain. It can improve your mental health wellness while you work towards your goals. In today's busy world, caring for your sensitive brain and nervous system is a powerful gift you can give yourself.

Neurofeedback is also known by other names, such as EEG Biofeedback, Biofeedback EEG, Brain training, EEG Brain Training, and Neurotherapy. Whatever the label, Neurofeedback is like having a helpful friend on your journey to feeling better and stronger mentally. Let’s dig in and learn about the basic answers to the question "What is Neurofeedback Treatment?"

What is Neurofeedback Treatment

Neurofeedback is a gentle way to train your brain with exercises that help your brain and nervous system work more smoothly and efficiently. Your brain loves to operate in a smooth, calm way. When it remembers how to do that, through the exercise provided through Neurofeedback, your brain grows stronger and becomes even better at what it does naturally.

Think about it like attending yoga classes. Your body is exercised by going through different postures. As a result, it becomes stronger and more flexible. Brain training does the same. For many highly sensitive and non-highly sensitive people, exercising their brain with Neurofeedback can positively impact their mood, focus, energy level, and sleep. It is worth sharing that it is not therapy or a treatment though it is often integrated into psychotherapy and counseling. It is considered “training” or “brain training” because it exercises your brain, impacting your mind and mental health in beneficial ways.

A story about how Neurofeedback works

Imagine your brain is like a soccer team. The different players on your soccer team represent various brain functions. Sometimes, these players get out of sync, leading to chaos on the field - like in your thoughts and feelings. Neurofeedback acts like a coach, guiding each player to work harmoniously, creating smooth and coordinated gameplay - like more precise, focused thoughts and improving mood.

For example, if you're anxious, the players run around wildly. The neurofeedback coach helps them calm down, find their positions, and play as a team, resulting in a more balanced and peaceful mind. Or, if you're feeling sad or depressed, the players are sluggish and not communicating well. The neurofeedback coach helps them find their energy, communicate better, and play as a team, resulting in a more balanced and uplifted state of mind.

And guess what? The coach knows what to do because you are the coach, too. In other words, you tell or “coach”  = your neurofeedback provider about your symptoms and health goals. And you'll have an ongoing conversation. In this way, your provider translates your "coaching" into a unique training program. It helps the soccer team of your brain work towards playing together so that they can take the shot and make the goal.

Is Neurofeedback safe?

Yes. Neurofeedback is gentle and safe, especially for sensitive people. It involves putting sensors on your head to listen to your brain's signals, like how a coach listens to you and helps you get better at a sport. And if you're taking medicine, it's okay—lots of people find that brain training can work well alongside their medicine. Of course, do share this info with your prescriber.

How often and how many neurofeedback sessions do I need to see results?

It depends on what you're trying to achieve for your mental health goals. To find out, you’ll need to receive a personalized assessment from a neurofeedback therapist. How many sessions over what period of time depends on your goals, underlying conditions and diagnosis. That is why the gold standard in receiving neurofeedback is with a licensed mental health provider. Neurofeedback is uniquely personalized to meet each sensitive client's needs.

Many clients start to experience changes in about 20 sessions. Thereafter, clients continue until they reach their desired goals. Here at Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc, In-office Neurofeedback brain training sessions for a client happen weekly, 1 to 2 times per week, within a 30-minute appointment or as a part of a longer holistic psychotherapy and counseling session. At-home sessions can last up to 25 minutes and range from 1 to 5 sessions per week.

As a general guideline and not a guarantee, Neurofeedback is short-term for most highly sensitive people, anywhere from 3 to 6 months, depending on how regularly you sit for a brain training session and whether that is in-office or at home. How many sessions vary from 20 to 35, while others may require additional time to meet their goals, 35 to 100 sessions. Receiving a personalized neuro assessment and chatting with a neurofeedback specialist will provide more clarity for making an informed choice and decision. Knowing up front how much time you need to commit to optimizing your brain's health is valuable. Speak to a provider to get more information specific to you. Schedule a call.

How much does neurofeedback therapy cost?

Understanding your investment in your mental health using Neurofeedback is essential to making an informed choice. Schedule a no-charge call to discuss your needs and explore your suitability for neurofeedback brain training. You’ll also receive information about our rates at Mind Body Well Therapy during the call.

Here’s general information about brain training session costs for 15 to 25-minute sessions, which vary depending on location. They range from:

• Connecticut, Maryland & Virginia rates range from $75 to $250
• Nationally: rates range from $65 to $250

Our commitment here is to walk alongside you so that you have options on your personalized path toward your mental health healing and self-discovery.

Is there scientific evidence supporting neurofeedback therapy?

Yes. Neurofeedback has been studied for a long time, since the 1960s, and biofeedback since 1954. Overall, the consensus is that it can support improving mood and energy, thinking more clearly, improving sleep, dealing with stress better, optimizing healthy cognitive brain function, and more. It also helps with peak performance in whatever profession or hobby you have. You can find many articles online about it, showing its efficacy and providing more extensive answers to the question, "What is neurofeedback treatment?"  Here's a deeper dive into the research on this page: Is Neurofeedback Therapy Evidence-Based

Take the Next Step:

Ready to try something new to feel better? You can set up a chat with Lucrezia Mangione, a neurofeedback provider, board-certified licensed counselor, and holistic therapist, who can explain more about Neurofeedback and how it might help you. Whether you're dealing with tough stuff like PTSD, anxiety, or depression or want to feel better overall, Neurofeedback could be a great option. Give her a call or send an email to get started on your journey to better mental health and wellness as a highly sensitive person.

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Lucrezia Mangione works to lift up anxious, highly sensitive women in discovering how to fine-tune their focus and attention, feel shielded from other people’s needs, and discover the strengths of being sensitive so that they stay steady amid the busyness, feel calm and more spacious, have more peace of mind to live and work on their own terms. Lucrezia Mangione is a board certified licensed professional counselor, board certified telemental health provider, neurofeedback trainer, KAP ketamine-assisted psychotherapy therapist and approved counselor supervisor. She is the owner of Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc, a private practice.