Neurofeedback

At CP we believe that the most effective way to support our clients with various mental and general health challenges is through a multimodal approach. Hence, we have sort after and acquired the latest technology in brain training that is effective for a variety of challenges.

What is NeuroFeedback?

All brain activity (intellectual, emotional etc) is both bioelectric and biochemical. The brain communicates with itself and organizes activity through its constant creation of brain waves. It produces electrical currents in different wave frequencies (brainwaves) that travel along nerve pathways from one part of the brain to another, or from the brain to body parts and back again. Our mental or emotional state largely depends on which of these brain wave frequencies are predominant. For example, in order to concentrate on a task, parts of the brain must produce more high-frequency beta waves; to relax, the brain must produce more low-frequency theta waves. Hence the brain’s electrical activity plays a major role in how an individual functions. Incorrect/ unbalanced brain wave functioning result in various symptoms including adverse effects on concentration, learning ability, moods, sleep, and behaviour. When information about a persons own brain wave characteristics is made available to them, they can learn to change them.

How does Neurofeedback work?

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive form of direct brain training.  It is a type of biofeedback called EEG biofeedback. The International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) defines biofeedback as “a process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological activity for the purposes of improving health and performance.

When the brain is not functioning well, evidence of this often shows up on a QEEG . The QEEG identifies the brainwave patterns that need to be normalised.

Through the training process, subtle information on how a person's brain is operating is amplified and shown back to that person through a computer. In a typical assessment/training session, tiny electrodes that act as microphones are placed on the scalp to pick up brain-wave activity (No electricity goes into the brain – it is a painless, non-invasive process). Through these electrodes, a device measures electrical impulses in the brain, amplifies them and then records them. These impulses are divided into the different types of brain waves.  The brain wave information is then fed into a computer which translates its patterns into a user-friendly display on the screen - a program similar to a computer game with audio signals. The object is to try to manipulate what happens in the game on the screen by mind power alone, ie people learn to control the video display by achieving the desired mental state.

This learning strategy  is a form of operant conditioning  that rewards the brain for activity  in desired frequencies while discouraging activity at others. Gradually, the brain responds to the cues that it is being given, and a "learning" of new brain wave patterns takes place. By challenging the brain, as you challenge your body in physical exercise, we can help your brain learn to function better

Neurofeedback works due to the fact that the brain is amazingly adaptable.  Like it learns new things all the time, it can also learn to improve its own performance, if only it is given cues about what to change. By making information available to the brain about how it is functioning, through neurofeedback training and asking it to make adjustments, it can do so… and like with any other learning, the brain tends to retain the new skill.

Ultimately the goal of neurofeedback training is  to….

1.     "retrain the brain" so it gets in the habit of producing healthy brainwave patterns on its own thereafter

2.     Improve the brain’s  ability to regulate all bodily functions and to take care of itself

3.     Self-healing: training the brain to fix its own dysregulation

Benefits of Neurofeedback training:

•       Non-invasive

•       no negative side effects

•       the client is an active participant in the change process and is able to see in the moment how their brain is responding

•       practitioners are able to provide quantitative data on the change process and evidential information on how their client is changing, which is important for clients to see

•       attractive for clients for whom traditional forms of interventions are not appealing

•       effective for all ages

•       covers a wide range of conditions

•       can be useful for healthy brains to achieve peak performance

•       helps the brain to become more flexible, efficient and adaptable to future challenges

•       reduce symptoms quickly, allowing the therapist and client to better focus on broader psychological issues

•       Improved sleep

•       Greater alertness

•       Improve concentration

•       Manage emotions effectively and enhance mood

•       Useful for those whom for whom medication does not work

•       Safe during pregnancy

•       Can be effectively combined with medical intervention and other psychotherapeutic modalities as well as body work

•       Lasting effects

What challenges can Neurofeedback be useful for?

Neurofeedback has been used and researched since the 1960’s. Published clinical evidence exists for the effective management of various conditions including :

•       ADHD

•       Anxiety/OCD

•       Addiction

•       Depression

•       Learning Disabilities

•       Stress Management/PTSD

•       Sleep Disorders

Our Technology

At Counseling Perspective we have the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art, real-time brain imaging and training available that is able to record 19 channels of brain activity simultaneously,  the BrainMaster Freedom 20R (do you want to include a link to it here?  https://brainmaster.com/product/freedom-20r-series/). It is the latest technology that allows for easy and hassle free training. The Freedom 20R operates via Bluetooth so that there are no messy conductive gels required that need to be washed out of your hair -  our clients can easily fit their training sessions in between a busy work or school day.

The Freedom 20R uses a highly optimized combination of sensors, mechanics and electronics to eliminate unwanted artifacts for more accurate results.

BrainMaster not only offers the most cutting edge clinical assessment and training in the market but operates on research driven normative data bases.

How the process works

-       first the QEEG assessment,

-       feedback appointment to discuss results and training protocols then the training sessions,

-       20-30 min

-        twice a week

-       10 Z Score trainings