Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive form of brain training that uses real-time EEG feedback to help you become better at regulating your own brain activity.

It can be particularly appealing if you struggle with focus, mental restlessness, emotional overwhelm or feeling constantly “switched on” - especially when insight alone has not changed how your nervous system responds.

Unliketalking therapy, neurofeedback does not require you to analyse your thoughts ortalk through difficult experiences during the training itself. Instead, itworks by giving your brain immediate information about its own activity,allowing it to practise regulation through repeated feedback.

‍

What can neurofeedback help with?

Neurofeedback has been researched across a range of difficulties involving attention and regulation, including:

ADHD and attention difficulties • distractibility • mental overactivity • sustained attention • stress and heightened arousal • emotional regulation • trauma and PTSD • difficulty settling after stress

ADHD is one of the most extensively researched applications of neurofeedback, with dozens of randomised controlled trials now published.

Research findings vary according to the type of neurofeedback used and how outcomes are measured, but studies have reported improvements in areas including sustained attention, processing speed and aspects of executive functioning.

A large recent meta-analysis bringing together 38 randomised controlled trials and 2,472 participants with ADHD found a small significant improvement when studies using established standard neurofeedback protocols were analysed separately. It also found a significant improvement in processing speed.

Another meta-analysis of 14 randomised trials found that EEG neurofeedback produced significant improvements in laboratory measures ofsustained attention compared with control conditions. Research specifically examining theta/beta neurofeedback has also found benefits for attention inchildren with ADHD, including advantages over waiting-list and physical-activity controls.

This does not mean that everyone responds in the same way, or that neurofeedback replaces established ADHD treatment. It does mean that there is a substantial research base suggesting that attention and self-regulation are meaningful targets for neurofeedback training.

How does it work?

During a session, small sensors are placed gently on your scalp to measure electrical brain activity through EEG.

Nothing is put into your brain and no electrical stimulation is delivered. The equipment simply reads what your brain is already doing.

You then watch a screen or listen to sounds while the neurofeedback system responds to changes in your brain activity.

When your brain moves towards the pattern being trained, it receives immediate feedback. Through repetition, the brain can gradually learn to recognise and reproduce particular patterns of activity more efficiently.

You can think of it as practising a skill rather than receiving a passive treatment.

Just as repeatedly practising a physical movement makes it easier for the body to reproduce, neurofeedback gives the brain repeated opportunities to practise regulation.

Neurofeedback alongside therapy

Neurofeedback can be used on its own or alongside psychological therapy.

For some people, regulating the nervous system first makes psychological work easier. When the brain is constantly operating in a state of alarm, overload or distraction, thinking differently is not always enough.

Combining neurofeedback with therapy allows us to work from both directions: exploring the meaning of your experiences psychologically while also helping your nervous system practise different ways of responding.

Is neurofeedback right for me?

Neurofeedback may be worth exploring if you feel that your brain is often working against you rather than with you - whether that shows up as difficulty focusing, constant mental activity, emotional reactivity or finding it difficult to settle after stress.

Every brain is different, and neurofeedback is not a guaranteed treatment or the right approach for everyone. We can discuss what you are experiencing, what you would like to change and whether neurofeedback is an appropriate option for you.

Book an initial consultation to find out whether neurofeedback could form part of your treatment plan.