Neurofeedback has become known in addiction treatment as “The Great Equalizer”. An up and coming means of non-invasively changing the brain has been creating quite a stir in the mental healh community lately. Many clinicians refer to this holistic approach as a means for the brain to learn to function more efficiently.
Originally used for solutions for ADHD, the American Pediatric Society has endorsed neurofeedback for use along with psychotherapy in the treatment of ADHD in children. Amazingly, some children (and adults as well) have been able to reduce their ADHD medications after multiple neurofeedback sessions. “It’s like riding a bike”, says Chris Massman, MFTi, CDS, a well known therapist who specializes in addiction treatment in the San Fernando Valley. Chris indicates that she commonly works with neuorfeedback in her practice and explains her successes with clients. “Once the brain has been trained, it never forgets!” Chris went on to say, “The good news is that almost any brain, regardless of its level of function, can be trained to function better! In vast majority of my clients, the actual outcome exceeds the prior expectations.”
Current trends for addiction treatment centers implement treatment to include neurofeedback as part of their program. Not only used to treat addictions and ADHD, many therapists in private practice are also using neuorfeedback to treat issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, sleep disorders, headaches and more. With the calming function of neuorfeedback, clients are able to access the executive functions in the executive center of the brain and respond to life more thoughtfully rather than with emotion and impulse, more or less a better self-regulation.
Originally know as biofeedback, neurofeedback is a means of showing the brain its own action from moment to moment. By rewarding the brain to change its own activity to more appropriate patterns, the gradual learning process begins. Neurofeedback is based on electrical brain activity measured by EEG. Simply stated, Neurofeedback is biofeedback applied to the brain directly. The training allows the nervous system to function better.
So who can say what science has in store for us, as we learn more and more about the brain? What a remarkable muscle, to be able to obtain better mental health. In fact, one practitioner’s biofeedback office has a sign in it which says, “We expect miracles. If none occur, something has gone wrong!”
What remains a miracle is really the unbelievable capacity of our own brains!
Originally used for solutions for ADHD, the American Pediatric Society has endorsed neurofeedback for use along with psychotherapy in the treatment of ADHD in children. Amazingly, some children (and adults as well) have been able to reduce their ADHD medications after multiple neurofeedback sessions. “It’s like riding a bike”, says Chris Massman, MFTi, CDS, a well known therapist who specializes in addiction treatment in the San Fernando Valley. Chris indicates that she commonly works with neuorfeedback in her practice and explains her successes with clients. “Once the brain has been trained, it never forgets!” Chris went on to say, “The good news is that almost any brain, regardless of its level of function, can be trained to function better! In vast majority of my clients, the actual outcome exceeds the prior expectations.”
Current trends for addiction treatment centers implement treatment to include neurofeedback as part of their program. Not only used to treat addictions and ADHD, many therapists in private practice are also using neuorfeedback to treat issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, sleep disorders, headaches and more. With the calming function of neuorfeedback, clients are able to access the executive functions in the executive center of the brain and respond to life more thoughtfully rather than with emotion and impulse, more or less a better self-regulation.
Originally know as biofeedback, neurofeedback is a means of showing the brain its own action from moment to moment. By rewarding the brain to change its own activity to more appropriate patterns, the gradual learning process begins. Neurofeedback is based on electrical brain activity measured by EEG. Simply stated, Neurofeedback is biofeedback applied to the brain directly. The training allows the nervous system to function better.
So who can say what science has in store for us, as we learn more and more about the brain? What a remarkable muscle, to be able to obtain better mental health. In fact, one practitioner’s biofeedback office has a sign in it which says, “We expect miracles. If none occur, something has gone wrong!”
What remains a miracle is really the unbelievable capacity of our own brains!
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