Neurofeedback – Holistic Healing

The astonishing scientific breakthrough of learning to direct your own brainwave activity through neurofeedback or brain biofeedback is no less than a miracle in its own right. The human brain can repair itself to an extent where it can restore to health conditions as severe as migraines, depression, anxiety disorders, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, post concussive syndrome, insomnia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, rapid cycling bipolar disorder, alcoholism, eating disorders and much more. Neurofeedback is used to retrain the mind and to fix problem behaviors and mend brain waves that cause such and similar signs and symptoms.

Neurofeedback is a completely non-invasive, safe and harmless procedure. A therapist attaches electrodes to a patient’s scalp, which are held in place by a water-soluble gel. These electrodes conduct the current coming from the patient’s brain into an EEG device, which will transmit this information onto a computer screen. No input goes into the brain; the machine simply reads the electrical energy coming from the brain.

The Miracle of Neurofeedback: Unlike medicines, there are virtually no significant side-effects to the procedure. Some patients have reported feeling a bit tired after a neurofeedback session. Body language expert and author of, ‘The Productivity Epiphany’, Vincent Harris, reports that he just felt tired after his first session, but that he was back to normal after taking a nap. Positive results from neurofeedback therapy have been demonstrated in numerous case studies. These results are often long-lasting because neurofeedback changes the way the brain works. In the case of ADHD, for example, several studies have found that 8 out of 10 or 80% of those with ADD or ADHD when treated with neurofeedback therapy are able to leave the infuriating symptoms behind for many years, only after having undergone 30 to 40 sessions. Clinical psychologist, Dr Claire Albright, in her book, ‘Transforming Your Life with Brain Biofeedback’, writes that young children and adults can fall in love with the experience of neurofeedback therapy after their first couple of minutes of neurofeedback training for the simple reason that it is as enjoyable as it is effective. A number of computer -based “neurofeedback” software are targeted at children who are “attention challenged.” CyberLearning and Imagine Neuro Solutions sell competitive systems for improving attention, while Posit, Scientific Learning (SCIL), and Wild Devine, have developed training systems for “mental sharpness”, dyslexia, and over-all emotional well-being. Such neurofeedback software teach the brain the skill of self-regulation. CyberLearning’s Smart BrainGames system is built on NASA technology that used video games and neurofeedback to train pilots to stay alert during long flights and calm during emergencies.

Neurofeedback and Stress: In order to reduce feelings of stress it is necessary to change the way our brain responds to stress. If one’s brain is over-sensitive or reactive to stress it will have difficulty “winding” down after a taxing day. In a sense, stressed brains have difficulty in recovering from stressful events. Neurofeedback directly addresses this imbalance by training the brain to enter particular “neural” states which are conducive to relaxation and recovery. When we close our eyes, our brain tends to produce alpha waves. It is essentially a recovery stage where the brain is recharging its energy. When we open our eyes, the alpha waves diminish, which is called alpha blocking. However, people who are stressed, nervous, fearful and anxious about the future, often fail to enter this recovery stage. In essence, their brains cannot recharge, which over a prolonged period of time, may lead to exhaustion and eventually to burn-out.

Neurofeedback for Peak Performance: Neurofeedback is also used for performance enhancement. The essence of neurofeedback training is learning the links between physical behavior or internal attitudes, and quality of brain functioning through use of feedback of EEG parameters. The experience gained this way allows more intentional managing of mind operation and further and efficient allocation of its resources to meet specific needs. The purpose is greater usage of the potential of one’s own mind, in order to act more effectively, to obtain more achievements, and to improve the quality of life. Results depend on the type of training and the quality of equipment employed. The most frequently listed benefits are improved concentration, improved attention, better decision- making, reduced number of errors, shorter response time, enhanced creativity, better memory, accelerated learning, augmented immunity to stress, increased productivity ,lowered susceptibility to “burning out”, quicker and deeper relaxation, better mind/body integration, enhanced well-being, and reduced anxiety. Alive by Somatic Visions gives us a collection of fun and engaging software game-like-exercises and tools designed to help build skills that will improve mental and physical performance. Alive, Biofeedback coaching for Wild Divine uses biofeedback technology which has been proven effective in helping people achieve better mental agility and performance besides reducing stress in physically and emotionally demanding situations.