People often ask how it is that neurofeedback can detect brainwaves in order to train them. After all, the electricity in the brain is a faint signal and must make it through the skull to be located and measured.

Scientists have found several ways to measure. The oldest and most common are electrodes, as seen in this photo.  They are attached with a hypoallergenic paste that helps conduct the electrical signal.  My preference is the type with blue, disposable tips, but I’ve shown in the image what are called cup electrodes for comparison, and there are also flat electrodes about the same size as the cup electrodes.  I use electrodes almost all the time in my office, because the conductive paste can be cleaned up with soap and water or, as I use, rubbing alcohol.  The advantage of using electrodes is that after doing brain training, a person can leave the office and go on to another activity with no visible signs of having done brain training. This, I believe is a huge advantage for people trying to fit neurofeedback into a busy day.

People often use caps for measurement, as well.  One of my caps is shown in this second image. It fits snugly on the head, and the wires detect signal through a gel that is inserted into the white connectors. There also are caps that connect snugly under the chin and use saline for electrical conduction (not shown).  The advantage of caps is that they are fast to use when doing a brain map and measuring electrical activity at 20 sites on the head. The disadvantage is that the gel does not wash out, so one usually prefers to go home and shampoo. Although some, especially home trainers, prefer the cap because it does not require knowing how to locate training sites on the scalp, it tends to be messier and less comfortable. In addition, some children find the cap intimidating. I have a cap on hand for those who prefer it.

Are you learning from Brain Trainer video training but also wishing for in-person training and hands-on instruction and experience? Here is your chance!

Please join Master Trainers Erica Lyme and Tamera Siminow for a one-day workshop in Oakton, Virginia on Sunday, January 12^th from 9 am to 5 pm.

In our small-group environment of no more than seven students, you will:

• Conduct a brain map on a fellow classmate and have one performed on you.
• Learn at an introductory level how to interpret and apply the results of your mapping.
• Learn how to locate sites on the brain and use electrodes in lieu of a cap.
• Have ample time to ask questions and get started.

Prerequisites:  you must already have your equipment and have watched Brain Trainer University.  This workshop is open to both professional and lay trainers.

Cost:  $295

For more details or to enroll, please contact me at either Tamera@BrainShapeLLC.com or 703.728.6087.

The workshop location is a 30-minute drive from both Dulles and Reagan National Airports.  Multiple hotels are located within 10-15 minutes.

NOTE:  An extra, custom half-day is available on Monday for those who wish additional training time. Email us for more details.  And, if you prefer one-on-one training, that is available other times.  Just ask one of us!

ADDitude published an opinion piece about the efficacy of neurofeedback that is worth reading (click here).

One thing that the article does not point out is that studying neurofeedback and ADHD is complicated by the fact that there is no single electrical signature in the brain that can be used to diagnose ADHD.  Some with focus and attention problems have a slow left pre-frontal cortex of the sort that stimulant medication can help, and some with focus and attention problems do not have an especially slow pre-frontal cortex. This lack of correspondence between electrical brainwave patterns and specific diagnoses is one reason why brain training with the expectation of treating or curing a mental health diagnosis often undermines the reputation of neurofeedback.   It also complicates the process of creating proper methodologies for studying neurofeedback.

For more information and a sampling of peer-reviewed literature on neurofeedback, check out the resources tab of this website at https://brainshapeva.com/resources.

This morning, I was fortunate to get to host Peter Van Deusen of Brain Trainer International as he presented a webinar on trauma and neurofeedback. In it, he explains, in a way that we can all understand, how brain structure is affected in both physical and emotional trauma.  At almost exactly two hours long, this is a fairly long listen, but I invite you to grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage as well as paper and pen for taking a note or two so you can settle in and hear what he has to say.  The link is here.

I am not an employee of Brain Trainer International, but I am affiliated with them as one of their master trainers, so I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.  Feel free to reach out to me at Tamera@BrainShapeLLC.com.