We use a specific type of Neurofeedback called NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback which is an advanced form of Brain Training Technology. It is a non-invasive method grounded in decades of evidence-based clinical research that allows the brain to restore healthy mental processes and achieve life changing results.
Neurofeedback is a very relaxing experience and no effort is required on your part, you can simply relax, read a book, snooze or draw and let the Neurofeedback technology do the work for you. It’s an experience to look forward to, not to be daunted by. We are passionate about educating and empowering our clients and believe that being informed is the first positive step you can take on your Neurofeedback journey.
To learn more about NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Brain Training in Australia book in for a Discovery Call (15 mins, free, by phone) with a member of our team. Discover how Neurofeedback can help you, how it works and what to expect before you come for your first appointment.
Brain training involves exercises designed to enhance specific cognitive functions, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
Purpose:
Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, is a type of biofeedback that uses real-time monitoring of brain activity to teach self-regulation of brain function.
Neurofeedback involves placing electrodes on the scalp to measure brainwave activity. This data is then processed by a computer and presented back to the user through visual, auditory, or tactile feedback. The goal is for the user to learn to modulate their brainwave patterns to achieve desired mental states, such as reduced anxiety or improved attention.
It is a potentially helpful tool for some individuals, especially when traditional treatments have not been fully effective.
Integrating Neurofeedback Brain Training with Cognitive Therapy
While brain training and cognitive therapy have different primary goals, they can be complementary. For instance:
Brain Training involves exercises designed to improve specific cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
Cognitive Therapy, a component of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), focuses on identifying and changing maladaptive thought patterns that negatively influence behaviour and emotions.
So, Brain training focuses on cognitive enhancement, cognitive therapy addresses mental health issues, and combining both can offer a well-rounded approach to improving overall cognitive and emotional health.
Key differences between Brain Training and Cognitive Therapy:
Below are some common emotional regulation and processing ability challenges that Neurofeedback Brain Training can help:
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Neurofeedback is an advanced form of Brain Training Technology that utilises real-time displays of brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG) to teach self-regulation of brain function. It detects inconsistency and abrupt changes in the electrical activity of your brain that undermine optional functioning and informs the brain of these sudden shifts through interruptions in the sound you are listening to. This refocuses your brain's attention on the present moment and allows your brain activity to self-correct naturally.
For clients wishing to access our Neurofeedback Brain Training services, a formal diagnosis or QEEG Brain Scan is not required before training with us. The specific technology that we used is approved Wellbeing Technology, so it is considered Training as opposed to Treatment. Neurofeedback focuses on the source, not just the symptoms: train your brain to its optimal state with our natural, relaxing, non-invasive approach. Other providers may use different Neurofeedback technologies which require brain scans beforehand, so it is an important question to ask.
Neurofeedback is a journey, not a destination. It is an ongoing well-being support technology integrated with other supports, i.e. counselling, psychological therapy, psychotherapy, occupational therapy, medication, etc. Neurofeedback Brain Training is based on decades of clinical research and neuroscience, demonstrating client symptoms and overall well-being changes. While everybody's presentation and biological make-up is different, you may find it useful to reflect on the latest report on the system we use, which illustrates the results of Neurofeedback Brain Training per presentation type, based on almost three million hours of use internationally.
We only work with qualified mental health practitioners. Each clinician on our team is a Qualified Health Practitioner who is Certified to work with Neurofeedback Technology.
That means that your well-being support journey is supported by a mental health professional who can then integrate other therapies as necessary or required to provide you with the best possible mental health support.
When you work with a member of our team, you can rest assured that they are Qualified, certified, and knowledgeable in your area of mental health concern. We service all locations across Australia by providing Neurofeedback device rental systems for home or professional use.
Practical Tips for Combining Brain Training and Cognitive Therapy:
No, definitely not. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a nontraditional form of psychotherapy originally developed to reprocess memories and treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, phobias, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, sexual dysfunction, and stress caused by chronic disease. Neurofeedback is a distinct modality that utilises advanced technology, specifically an EEG, to measure brain activity and provide real-time monitoring of brain-signaling patterns, thereby correcting neuronal miscommunications.
No, definitely not. Electric Shock Therapy or Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure which involves stimulating the brain and inducing a seizure on the patient which can only be administered by a medical practitioner (usually a psychiatrist) and an anaesthetist in a hospital environment. The Advanced Neurofeedback systems which we use at does not stimulate the brain, and there is no electrical current going into the brain. Instead, it is a natural way of training the brain through the process of Neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reorganise itself and to create new neural networks, in other words, create different ways of thinking. The average human brain has 100 million neurons and each neuron has as many as 7000 synaptic connections to other neurons. While the method we use is Neurofeedback, the process by which the changes occur is through Neuroplasticity. What is happening when we put the EEG Sensors on the scalp, is that the system is measuring the summation of cortical, or electrical activity in the brain. The auditory interruptions or feedback provided is picking up on an existing stress response, inefficiency or instability in the brain. These changes are made through the processes of neuroplasticity. We don't want to tell the brain what to do or to stimulate it in any way, and there is no preconceived notion of how your brain should be performing. Instead we want the brain to form its own pathways and it does so naturally, gently and safely through neuroplasticity.
Neurofeedback is a highly effective way to regulate brain function and it is very rare that clients do not progress or not experience changes. However, if you find your training is not progressing as desired after 6 sessions, we can look at whatever external factors (intrinsic constraints or stressors) may be interrupting your progress. These may include things like a baby in the house, starting a new job, and difficulties with different personalities at work – and we may implement other strategies to assist.
Before The Session: Avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee and sugars immediately before your session along with alcohol & illicit drugs. We also recommend you avoid eating a large meal an hour or so prior otherwise you may be energetically lethargic during the session. Besides this there really is nothing else you need to do other than come along to gain the benefits of Neurofeedback training.
During The Session: With Neurofeedback there is simply no need to control your thoughts, emotions, concentrate, think of anything in particular, or do anything else to make it work better. By the time you have consciously registered the interruption in the music your brain has already responded to it. So there is nothing you need do or can do during the session that will improve outcomes, other than be as you usually are. You can simply recline and enjoy the peacefulness of the session. This is why training with Neurofeedback results in such powerful and long-lasting outcomes: The whole brain and mind are involved - not just the conscious mind.
After The Session: It is fine to return to your normal activities, where you will notice the improvements. It is recommended, if you can, to avoid inappropriately stressful environments immediately after your session so that you can allow the training benefits to progress and continue to develop.
No. We only use Neurofeedback Brain Training technology. Your brain or cortical activity is measured using an EEG and this provide real-time information as to how the brain is performing i.e if it is in stress response or producing some form of turbulence. When a stress response, or turbulence occurs, you hear glitches, or static in the music. The process works through your brain detecting these glitches or static. There is no special music - it's just regular enjoyable relaxation music.
No. We only use Neurofeedback Brain Training technology. Your brain or cortical activity is measured using an EEG and this provide real-time information as to how the brain is performing i.e if it is in stress response or producing some form of turbulence. When a stress response, or turbulence occurs, you hear glitches, or static in the music. The process works through your brain detecting these glitches or static. There is no special music - it's just regular enjoyable relaxation music.
If you are on medication for a disorder, there may be come a time when you need less medication. This can be shown by side effects from the medication or, more surprisingly, by the sudden reappearance of the symptoms for which you are taking medication. Of course, all medication decisions will be handled by your physician, so please let him/her know about your Neurofeedback Brain Training and any medication affects you are having. Please continue to follow your physician’s advice and treatment for your medical issues.
Occupational Therapy with integrated neurofeedback brain training is like learning how to read or swim - once you know how, you can’t not know, although you may get rusty. However, your brain is living tissue and can be disrupted by stress, chemicals, hormonal changes, anaesthesia, head injury, or another challenge.
We cannot guarantee your personal response to Neurofeedback Brain Training or its outcome; however, based on International Clinical Studies using over three million hours of the exact same technology that we use, we can make some predictions. While the majority of clients enjoy notable changes to their presentation in the first couple of sessions, each person’s journey and their results will vary – because your brain determines the changes and adjustments it makes, not the system. Some people experience dramatic shifts and growth very quickly, while others are slower in how they change. It’s possible you will perceive little or no effect, even though subtle changes may be occurring at a deeper level and outside your conscious awareness. Progress can be variable – it often doesn’t follow a straight path forward. This is normal. It can go up and down, but we do like to see a general trend in the desired direction. Even though we may show you graphs in the first sessions so you can appreciate the work your brain is doing, in the end it is always how you are coping and progressing in your life that is most important. Becoming self-aware is the best way to determine your progress.
International Clinical Studies based on over three million hours of experience with the specific Neurofeedback systems that we use, we can make some predictions. Clinical studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of Neurofeedback across a large variety of presentations, so the good thing is you do not have to take it on faith and trust that it will help you — you will know pretty quickly when it is helping you. Your dedicated Neurofeedback Practitioner can talk you through these studies to put your mind at ease if you like. If you see any changes at all, even if it not yet what you are looking for, or even if it is something you don’t want or expect, it is always helpful and important to share with us because it tells us that your brain is responding to the information which the Neurofeedback is providing.
Nothing! Your dedicated Neurofeedback Practitioner will run the session for you. You are seated in a nice comfortable and relaxing reclining armchair. Your session will start off with a short 10 minute consultation with your Neurofeedback Practitioner, who will then proceed to connect you to the EEG system. This involves the Neurofeedback Practitioner placing sensors at various places on your scalp so that we can read your brain activity.
Many clients feel the positive effects of Neurofeedback from their very first session, as the changes can be felt between sessions and before the full change has ‘settled in.’ Very often the change people experience with Neurofeedback is remarkably effortless and seamless. The challenge with this is to notice the changes that are happening. The process is so simple and easy that as changes occur, you may even be tempted to attribute these improvements to something else you are doing. When clients have been used to an effort/reward system of growth and healing, they often find it hard to accept that it really can be this easy. As clients transition to optimal brain functionality, it is often that they don’t remember accurately what it was like when they came in at the Initial Consultation. This is why after every session we track your progress, and every 10 sessions we measure your overall progress since your first session. This process of seamless change is why it is important to monitor any changes, no matter how subtle, in the areas in which you hope to see improvement occurring. But not all change is seamless, and some people may have feelings that are less comfortable, such as feeling more open, vulnerable, raw, reactive or tearful. Sometimes, it is not that they feel more of these emotions, but instead are becoming more aware of their feelings. As you progress through your Brain Training Program, you may still be experiencing the same symptoms, but are they less frequent and of a lesser intensity. You may find you can cope better with the symptoms now, that your reactiveness level is lowered and you are less stressed and anxious even though the symptoms persist? Another effect is that some of the people in your environment (family members, workmates, friends) can be challenged by the changes in you, as you become clearer around your needs. There can be bodily shifts too. As your brain becomes more finely tuned, the negative effects of some of our bad habits become harder to ignore, like drinking too much or not getting enough sleep. Your tolerance for alcohol may reduce, so the same amount of alcohol will feel like more, so please adjust accordingly. This is relevant for all artificial stimulants – e.g. coffee, sugar etc.
Neurofeedback is Brain Training and, like any training, it is repetition that gets the skills in place and then establishes resiliency and long lasting outcomes. Thus it becomes important to carry the improvements across from one session to the next. Most people achieve this with one session per week at the beginning, with a decrease in frequency towards the end of training. If you wish for a faster and easier outcome then two sessions per week are optimal. However, it is important to say that we have had many clients who have achieved very good outcomes with fortnightly sessions or less. This includes fly in fly out mining workers who are training a few days in a row once every three weeks or less. In addition, we have clients who are on the move and will do daily or twice daily sessions for a week or so with the benefits flowing on over time post Neurofeedback training. In short, any frequency of training is better than none and we can work out an individual program to suit your lifestyle and budget.
One of the features of Neurofeedback is that it is very safe because the person is able to change at their own rate without any forcing of the process. In addition, everyone is starting from a different place with a different history and they are coming for different reasons. Some achieve their desired outcome in ten sessions. Most require between ten and twenty sessions, with some requiring more. Remember, you do not need to do ten or twenty sessions to experience benefits as this will be evident within the first few sessions. Neurofeedback is not a quick fix; it is a program that allows your brain and central nervous system to release old habits and re-train itself in a healthier form which takes time and commitment on your part in the form of regular sessions. The total number of sessions required differs from person to person and we will monitor your specific needs. Your dedicated Neurofeedback Practitioner will be able to recommend your Brain Training Program specific to you, depending on your presentation at Initial Consultation.
Rest assured, we have carefully chosen and invested in the most advanced Neurofeedback Technology available on the market today as it allows for limited side effects. Any effects felt during a session or soon after are a response by your central nervous system to the challenge of training. Although the sessions may feel relaxing, your brain is actually working very hard. Neurofeedback is like going to a gym for the brain. Once you start training, old patterns are stirred up and challenged, which may cause some discomfort for a short time until the brain and central nervous system learn to release and rebalance naturally and with ease. For example, you may experience any of the following symptoms: tiredness, sleep disruption the night of your session, headache (due to dehydration), sleeping during the session, awareness of discomfort in the body often associated with old injuries or yawning after your session. These effects, if they occur, are temporary and usually disappear in the hours following the session and generally stop appearing after a few sessions as the central nervous system becomes stronger, more flexible and more resilient. Please feel free to contact your dedicated Neurofeedback Practitioner to discuss anything that concerns you along the way. Neurofeedback is merely providing information that your brain uses to do its own organising, so even if symptoms do increase and are stirred up for a short time, it is a question of comfort while the brain adjusts itself, not safety.
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