FAQs

How to get started with my Neurofeedback Sessions?

Your trainer, Nicoll Bacharach, is here to help you get started. Each session is personalized and tailored to each client, so before the start of your brain training, your trainer will talk with you one-on-one to answer your questions and determine what sort of training would be a good fit for you. Discussing what you hope to achieve will provide a better sense of what complaints and challenges have brought you into the office.

What to expect from a brain training session?

When you come for your first Neurofeedback session, you relax in a quiet and comfortable space. Your trainer will place special sensors on the scalp to read your brain wave patterns and feed them into the program’s software. Each training session is relaxing and enjoyable and typically lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. There are many exercises to participate in, but to exemplify, one of your sessions may prompt you to listen to music. At the same time, you also be given something to watch on a screen, as the screen’s brightness increases and decreases, or you may relax and close your eyes if you prefer. You will hear occasional changes in the music – this signal prompts your brain to “reset” and optimize itself.

You will most likely feel less stressed and more mentally clear at the end of a session. You will unlikely experience any negative after-effects as neurofeedback does not artificially “push” the brain in any specific direction and has no known side effects.

How many neurofeedback sessions are needed to see results?

The duration and approach to neurofeedback sessions are tailored to the client’s objectives and broadly categorized into two groups: those with short-term, specific change goals and those with long-term goals aimed at peak performance over their lifespan and anti-aging. Before starting, we will answer your questions one-on-one to determine how neurofeedback can help you achieve your goals.

Clients with short-term goals typically undergo neurofeedback for 2-3 months, focusing on symptom relief. It is possible for clients to feel noticeable improvements in stability after about 5 to 10 sessions. However, this isn’t always the case and depending on the problem in question it is normal for some clients not to see results until much later. Everyone is different, and some people’s problems can take longer to solve than others sometimes. Short-term training can be appropriate for significantly improving specific issues like executive functioning or performance anxiety. Keep in mind that short-term participation is less effective, and you may need to revisit training for a tune-up later.

Early studies have always pointed to neurofeedback being much more effective at giving long-term results when practiced consistently for longer periods of time. Clients with long-term goals seeking peak performance and anti-aging benefits often discover that our work offers more than just solutions to their initial concerns.

Long-term training typically consists of individuals with high-stress lifestyles, children facing prevalent stress or impairing mental conditions, or professionals desiring ongoing mental clarity and creativity. Recognizing the long-term benefits that come with long-term treatment plans is the key to unlocking the full value of neurofeedback.

Personalization is the backbone of brain training, and your trainer will establish an appropriate estimated timeline to determine whether consistent long-term or short-term sessions are right for you.

What are the drawbacks of neurofeedback?

The drawbacks of  neurofeedback, a completely non-invasive system, are more about treatment perception and process. Challenges here include delayed results, premature session termination due to unmet expectations or lack of commitment, and discomfort from newly-realized emotions previously numbed or dissociated, which might be mistakenly perceived as a worsening condition.

Does neurofeedback improve performance in athletes?

Neurofeedback training is increasingly being used in various sports, including golf and football, as a method to enhance athletes’ performance. This training focuses on exercising brain waves and has shown significant impact on physical fitness and sports performance.

In recent studies, neurofeedback has been found to influence numerous variables important for athletes. These include reducing stress levels, increasing self-control over physiological factors, enhancing behavioral efficiency, and improving reaction speed to stimuli. This type of training is commonly used in a variety of sports disciplines, such as judo, volleyball, and soccer, and has been the subject of systematic reviews and research studies.

Specifically in golf, neurofeedback training has been applied to tasks like golf putting. The training involves monitoring brain waves under various conditions and providing feedback to the athlete. This feedback aims to train the brain to adopt more relaxation-oriented patterns, which can help improve focus and calmness during sports performance.

Moreover, some athletes use neurofeedback training to enhance their sleep and physical recovery, indirectly benefiting their overall performance. The method has been adopted by athletes across various sports, from golf to football, indicating its versatility and perceived effectiveness.

Is Neurofeedback Approved By The FDA?

Approval by the FDA to make claims to treat specific medical conditions is done on a product-by-product basis. Some neurofeedback devices are approved as medical devices for the purpose of relaxation, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. If they are approved as medical devices, they must be administered by licensed healthcare providers. Other neurofeedback devices are designated as General Wellness Devices for general wellness and can be operated and purchased by consumers. Under this latter designation, the consumer does not need to be under the care of a healthcare provider to use the device.