What is neurofeedback like?

It’s like a mirror….

I was all smiles as I thanked the therapist and left her office.  I was calm, I felt relaxed, and I found myself humming my fave song!  All that to say that I felt great!  I had been experiencing a lot of stress due to a very demanding new job and found I wasn’t sleeping well. 

Stress and sleep deprivation can affect brain functioning, mood, behaviour and relationships which can, in turn, increase stress and make a good night’s sleep even more elusive!  So when I heard about neurofeedback and that it might help, I was curious, and started wondering “what is neurofeedback like?”

As I did my research, I learned that neurofeedback gives the brain and nervous system a chance to be more effective, resilient and calm.  Neurofeedback collects information on brain functioning, provides that information back to the brain and it can adjust itself accordingly.  It’s similar to how we fix ourselves up when we look in a mirror.  Imagine getting dressed in the morning in the dark so as not to waken your partner.  As you go downstairs you turn on the light and look in the mirror.  Upon seeing your reflection, you see you’ve got a hair bump, you’ve missed a button on your shirt and your socks don’t match. Based on what you are now aware of, you start to make some changes. You smooth your hair, redo the buttons and find a matching pair of socks.   Neurofeedback acts like a mirror for your brain so it can see how it’s functioning and then self-correct. 

I don’t know if I can convey to just how difficult this was for me to believe.

I am a therapist and have been so for decades.  I have seen countless individuals, couples and families make positive changes through important conversations, making lifestyle changes, developing important skills and healing from their pasts during therapy sessions.  Could it be that brain training, without any therapeutic conversations, could be helpful too? 

As I came to understand how neurofeedback worked, I discovered how the brain can adjust and improve.  The brain has an amazing capacity to improve itself when given appropriate feedback.   People with sleep issues, stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, brain injury, and PTSD have reported improved functioning and feeling better after regular neurofeedback sessions.

The more I learned, the more hopeful I was that neurofeedback could help me.  If my brain was calmer, perhaps I could handle stress better and sleep well.  I talked with a therapist who offered neurofeedback, and she let me know that in the first appointment there’d be an initial assessment and I could have my first session of brain training.  She added that, in general, people begin to see improvement in 5-6  sessions.  We booked an appointment and, even though I’m a therapist, I was a bit nervous as the day approached.  During the first visit the therapist asked why I was seeking neurofeedback and took the time to understand my situation. 

After the discussion, I moved into a comfortable chair, she put some sensors on my ears and just above my ears, and I put on some headphones.   As I leaned back into the chair, relaxing music began and I watched a light show on the monitor in front of me.  I recall doing some belly breathing and I briefly fell asleep but woke before the music stopped.  I asked the therapist why there were brief “gaps” in the music and was told that’s when the feedback is being provided. 

I was impressed by the technology, the ease of the experience and the reverence for the brain’s capacity to self-adjust.  As I mentioned, I felt great as I left that first session and I slept better that night! 

I continued to go for neurofeedback twice per week for the first month and then once a week for a few months afterwards.  Although the changes were incremental, my sleep continued to improve and I dealt with stress better and better over time.  

Based on my research, my own experience and the experience of others, I eventually took the additional training required, and am excited to share that I am now able to offer neurofeedback services in Langley at Panorama Wellness Group.  If you feel it could be helpful to you, please contact us for information about how to get started.