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CenteredforLife.com What is Neurotherapy? What is Neurotherapy and Top 10 FAQ 1. What is Neurofeedback? Neurofeedback is biofeedback for the brain. The training tends to improve cognitive function, attention, mood, anxiety, and behavior. It helps quiet the mind. It is painless and generally has no side effects. 2. How is neurofeedback used clinically? Think of it as regulating central nervous system-related problems or “dysregulation”. It’s commonly used for a wide variety of conditions such as ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, autism, panic attacks, optimal performance, traumatic brain injury, seizures, and sleep problems, all without expensive and often ineffective drugs. Different problems are often trained differently. 3. How many sessions are needed? That’s like asking how many times you need to go to the gym before you get in shape? The answer is different for everyone. It could be 10 visits, or it could be 40. Treatment time will vary extensively by client. Typically due to brain development and plasticity the younger you are the shorter your treatment. The severity of your case will also be a factor. For example, Traumatic Brain Injury is a significantly longer process than ADHD. The goal is to complete enough brain training – enough learning – to ensure consistent and lasting benefits. 4. How often do you need to come for training? Once a week is typical. Three to four times a week can be helpful depending on your individual case (for example, for clients who come from out of town and want to maximize their treatment time). It would depend on your individual case and the recommendations made by your clinical Supervisor. 5. When do you stop the training? We recommend not stopping training the minute symptoms get better. It takes some time for the brain to learn a new habit. By continuing to train a few sessions after you’ve noticed consistent and reliable improvement, you turn the healthier patterns into a new brain habit. 6. How long before I notice changes from the training? Many people begin to notice changes within six sessions. In part, it depends upon the kind of improvements being tracked. On occasion, it can take longer than 10 sessions to note any signs of change. In a case like that, the client and clinician should discuss progress very closely. Sometimes the client doesn’t notice changes, but people close to them do. The changes you are likely to notice first may not be for the problems you started brain training. If this is the case, keep in mind any change is a good sign. This means the brain is responding. One of the challenges is that changes noted from training can be very subtle, particularly initially. Clinicians often watch sleep carefully because it’s easy for most people to notice, and it is often the first thing to change. 7. Do symptoms ever get worse with neurofeedback training? No clinician has reported symptoms getting worse over the long-term using neurofeedback. When you train the brain, the brain seems to work towards homeostasis. This tends to move symptoms towards normality, regardless of the training effect. 8. How long does the effect of training last? Research shows that once the problem is fixed it remains fixed provided that neurotherapy continues until the brainwave changes are stable. This is in sharp contrast to some other forms of symptom control such as the use of medication for conditions such as anxiety and depression in which discontinuation results in relapse often at exacerbated symptom intensity. The exception is for clients who wish to pursue peak or optimal performance training. Clients wishing to maintain optimal brain functioning may receive neurotherapy sessions on a continuous basis just as one does gym workouts on a continuous basis to maintain physical well-being. Elderly clients often receive periodic neurotherapy to mitigate age related declines in brain efficiency. 9. Can it be used while a patient is on medication? Clinicians report that more than half their neurofeedback clients start neurofeedback while taking one or more medications. After training for a while, it is often possible to reduce medication under appropriate supervision. We ask that clients refrain from taking stimulants or suppressants (including caffeine) for at least 2 hours before each session. 10. Who can do neurofeedback? Do you need a license? There are non certified or non licensed individuals with minimal or no training in neurofeedack obtaining equipment, then offering services to others. We, together with a large group of professionals in the field are very concerned that they are treating without a license. Source: Adapted from SwingleClinic.com
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CenteredforLife.com
What is EMDR?What is Neurotherapy?
What is Neurotherapy and Top 10 FAQ
1. What is Neurofeedback?Neurofeedback is biofeedback for the brain. Thetraining tends to improve cognitive function, attention,mood, anxiety, and behavior. It helps quiet the mind. Itis painless and generally has no side effects.
2. How is neurofeedback used clinically?Think of it as regulating central nervous system-relatedproblems or “dysregulation”. It’s commonly used for awide variety of conditions such as ADD, ADHD,depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, autism,panic attacks, optimal performance, traumatic braininjury, seizures, and sleep problems, all withoutexpensive and often ineffective drugs. Differentproblems are often trained differently.
3. How many sessions are needed? That’s like askinghow many times you need to go to the gym before youget in shape? The answer is different for everyone. Itcould be 10 visits, or it could be 40. Treatment timewill vary extensively by client. Typically due to braindevelopment and plasticity the younger you are theshorter your treatment. The severity of your case willalso be a factor. For example, Traumatic Brain Injury isa significantly longer process than ADHD. The goal is tocomplete enough brain training – enough learning – toensure consistent and lasting benefits.
4. How often do you need to come for training? Once aweek is typical. Three to four times a week can behelpful depending on your individual case (forexample, for clients who come from out of town andwant to maximize their treatment time). It woulddepend on your individual case and therecommendations made by your clinical Supervisor.
5. When do you stop the training? We recommend notstopping training the minute symptoms get better. Ittakes some time for the brain to learn a new habit. Bycontinuing to train a few sessions after you’ve noticedconsistent and reliable improvement, you turn thehealthier patterns into a new brain habit.
6. How long before I notice changes from the training?Many people begin to notice changes within sixsessions.
In part, it depends upon the kind of improvements being tracked. On occasion, it can take longer than 10 sessions to note any signs of change. In a case like that, the client and clinician should discuss progress very closely. Sometimes the client doesn’t notice changes, but people close to them do. The changes you are likely to notice first may not be for the problems you started brain training. If this is the case, keep in mind any change is a good sign. This means the brain is responding. One of the challenges is that changes noted from training can be very subtle, particularly initially. Clinicians often watch sleep carefully because it’s easy for most people to notice, and it is often the first thing to change.
7. Do symptoms ever get worse with neurofeedback training?No clinician has reported symptoms getting worse over thelong-term using neurofeedback. When you train the brain, thebrain seems to work towards homeostasis. This tends to movesymptoms towards normality, regardless of the trainingeffect.
8. How long does the effect of training last?Research shows that once the problem is fixed it remainsfixed provided that neurotherapy continues until thebrainwave changes are stable. This is in sharp contrast tosome other forms of symptom control such as the use ofmedication for conditions such as anxiety and depression inwhich discontinuation results in relapse often at exacerbatedsymptom intensity. The exception is for clients who wish topursue peak or optimal performance training. Clients wishingto maintain optimal brain functioning may receiveneurotherapy sessions on a continuous basis just as one doesgym workouts on a continuous basis to maintain physicalwell-being. Elderly clients often receive periodic neurotherapyto mitigate age related declines in brain efficiency.
9. Can it be used while a patient is on medication? Cliniciansreport that more than half their neurofeedback clients startneurofeedback while taking one or more medications. Aftertraining for a while, it is often possible to reduce medicationunder appropriate supervision. We ask that clients refrainfrom taking stimulants or suppressants (including caffeine) forat least 2 hours before each session.
10. Who can do neurofeedback? Do you need a license?There are non certified or non licensed individuals withminimal or no training in neurofeedack obtaining equipment,then offering services to others. We, together with a largegroup of professionals in the field are very concerned thatthey are treating without a license.
Source: Adapted from SwingleClinic.com
Cover Photo: Tim Brown Photography. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
What happens at a Neurotherapy Session?
A neurofeedback therapist runs the session; you recline in a comfortable chair while the sensor cap reads your brain activity. This activity animates brain-generated feedback in the form of a video, a game, or music.
One-to-one neurofeedback sessions are 40 to 45 minutes of actual training time (often shorter for children). Every few sessions, we do a fresh QEEG brain map to track, modify and adjust your training to ensure best results and up-to-date training.
Both our assessments and sessions are conducted at our offices at Centered for Life.
Dr. Neil Schulenburg has been with Centered for Life since 2006 as the first strategic partner in this organization. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NCC). He is also certified by EMDR International Association as an EMDR therapist. He is an honors graduate from the State University of New York at Potsdam and has a diploma in Christian Counseling from the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta. He received an MS in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Logos Christian College and Graduate School. He works with adolescents and adults providing both individual and couples therapy.
As an author, Dr. Schulenburg is published in the Journal of Neurotherapy and has written several psychological self-help books. These works are available both at the Centered for Life counseling center and on-line at www.neilschulenburg.com.
MEET OUR THERAPISTS
Debby Temmer, MA, LPC is the co-founder of CFL and is a Licensed Professional Counselor certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). She is an honors graduate from Cincinnati Christian University. Debby received advanced training in group therapy as well as marriage and family therapy. She has had the privilege of being trained by Larry Crabb in the area of spiritual direction, and soul care. She has also attended extensive training workshops on healing from depression, anxiety, and stress related issues. She has advanced training with Pia Mellody in regard to codependent behavior and significant abuse issues that began in peoples family of origin. Currently, Debby works with adults providing individual, couples and family therapy. She also enjoys investing in women and couples through weekend retreats, couples intensives and speaking at women’s events, which expedites their soul care. Debby has been in private practice since 2005 and is a member of the American Association for Christian Counselors. In 2016, Debby completed training in EMDR therapy and is certified in EMDR Therapy practice.
What is Neurotherapy?
Neurofeedback, also called neurotherapy or neurobiofeedback, is a type of biofeedback that uses real-time displays of brain activity—most commonly electroencephalography —to teach self-regulation of brain function.
Wikipedia
