By Clare Albright

If you have heard about neurofeedback therapy and what it can do to help solve problems related to brain function, such as ADHD, or ‘’attention deficit hyperactivity disorder'’, epilepsy, anxiety, or any other issue you are dealing with, you may have heard the suggestion that you do a brain mapping session before you start neurofeedback treatment. There are a few reasons you might want to consider a brain mapping, or Quantitative EEG session.

Quantitative EEG uses the same type of equipment that is used for neurofeedback sessions. The QEEG device will simply read your brain’’s signals to gather information about how your brain is working. Most of the time, a QEEG session will involve your doing a few different things that cause your brain to function in different ways. You might read aloud or complete math problems in your head, or you may simply have a conversation. Your brain waves will send out signals that the technician can read on the display.

What do these signals tell the technician? Well, they reveal certain patterns, from which the technician can tell how your brain is working. For instance, the can brain produce something called sleep spindles, which are a particular EEG pattern that is produced when you are asleep. If your brain is putting out these sleep spindles when you are awake, that can indicate a problem.

Another thing that technicians can read in your QEEG is whether you have a problem with epilepsy. In fact, if you are considering neurofeedback as a solution to your epilepsy or other types of seizure problems, you may want to have a QEEG done before you begin the process. The brain map from these sessions can help target your therapy and make it more effective.

Brain mapping can tell experienced technicians many details that will help with your therapy. In fact, it can reveal important information about your health, like whether you are sleep deprived. Your brain patterns can reveal much about how your brain works, and having a QEEG brain map done before you begin neurofeedback treatment can be very helpful to your therapist.

However, you should be aware that a QEEG is not always essential to the success of your neurofeedback treatment. A qualified therapist may be able to evaluate your brain function in ways that are less expensive than a QEEG, which can cost anywhere from $650 to $2,000 per session.

Ask the therapist or clinician you are considering whether they feel that your issue warrants a QEEG. If the cost is not a concern for you, or if you have a serious condition that calls for a preliminary assessment, such as a seizure disorder or traumatic brain injury, you might want to proceed with the brain mapping procedure.

About The Author

For more information about Neurofeedback, go to http://www.NeurofeedbackBook.com Dr. Clare Albright is a psychologist (CA License PSY11660) and a Neurofeedback practitioner and can be reached at (949)454-0996

By Clare Albright

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have quite a track record. Millions of young people and adults alike know the frustration and anguish that can go hand in hand with having ADD or ADHD. Many are becoming increasingly frustrated as they search for solutions that do not involve heavy medications with unknown long-term side effects.

Happily, neurofeedback, or ‘’biofeedback for the brain'’, has a track record of its own; several studies have found that eight out of ten, or eighty percent, of those with ADD/ADHD who are treated with biofeedback for the brain are able to leave the aggravating symptoms behind for the long haul with just thirty to forty sessions in most cases. Not only that, but many participants in these studies also experienced a significant increase in IQ.

For the person who has suffered with ADD/ADHD for years, can you imagine how exciting it would be for them to wake up and experience each day as they had always suspected others around them did, but because of the way their brain was functioning, those days had always been just beyond their reach?

What is a neurofeedback session like? If you have ever found having a barber or beautician combing your hair or brushing your scalp to be a relaxing experience, then you have some idea of how preparation for a neurofeedback session feels. Your scalp is rich with nerve endings, and most people find it very soothing and comforting when someone is gently touching their head and scalp.

Why would someone need to touch your head? Very thin leads that conduct and transmit the electrical energy from your brain will be placed in various locations on your scalp. A special gel is used to comfortably hold the leads in place. Many therapists will warm the gel before touching it to your skin. After the leads are attached, your brain waves will be picked up and translated into something you can see on a computer screen, hear as some kind of sound, or feel through a vibration.

You will then use your brain waves to do activities such as make an object on the screen move, play a DVD, or cause a sound to become louder or softer when your brain is sending the right signals. Your therapist can help you learn to access the desired brain waves to accomplish this. Your brain perceives these activities as a reward, and after several sessions, it may naturally fall into these wavelengths. Once the use of these patterns has become habitual, you may notice a decrease in ADD and ADHD symptoms, until they are finally erased completely and are nothing but a memory.

In my practice, I have watched the self-esteem of many ADD/ADHD patients blossom with the realization that the way they had lived before will now be a thing of the past because of this wonderful and life-changing technology.

About The Author

For more information about Neurofeedback, go to http://www.NeurofeedbackBook.com Dr. Clare Albright is a psychologist (CA License PSY11660) and a Neurofeedback practitioner and can be reached at (949)454-0996