When someone asks me what they could be reading about neurofeedback, I am often stumped, because most of the books I have about neurofeedback are either how-to guides that are meant more for the practitioner than a lay person or they are basically advertisements for how great neurofeedback can be. Neither category is something I would recommend that my clients or their loved ones read. I could also suggest journal articles, though individual pieces of peer-reviewed literature aren’t always a helpful thing, either, unless one wants confidence that there really is a body of literature on the subject.

Instead, I prefer to suggest books that go to the foundational issues. For almost any reason for doing neurofeedback, for example, improving one’s nutritional status—and thereby, cell function—is going to be an excellent way to boost your results. Similarly, learning about trauma and its impact on the brain is going to be impactful in positive ways.

Here are a few of the books that I wish could be mandatory reading:

Brain Energy, by Christopher Palmer. Dr. Palmer is a Harvard-educated psychiatrist who is exploring psychiatry through the lens of metabolism and nutrition. He argues that metabolic dysfunction, especially among mitochondria, underlies most, if not all, mental illness. I believe that he is at the cutting edge of the field of mental wellness.

10% Human, by Alanna Collen. As the title suggests, our bodies are mostly made up of microbes. Collen explains how scientists are discovering that the bacteria and fungi in our body are not just hitchhikers, they actually have an impact on our metabolic functions. She explores everything from mental health to weight in this older but must-read book.

The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk. Dr. van der Kolk’s ground-breaking book explains for the average reader exactly how the body stores the impact of life trauma. He is a fan of neurofeedback and mentions it in this book. He also explores how meditation, participation in sports, and yoga can also be therapeutic.

The Myth of Normal, by Gabor Maté. Dr. Maté stands shoulders above the rest of the world in his knowledge and wisdom surrounding trauma and addiction. In this latest work, he seems to have poured everything he knows about the human body, how it becomes ill and recovers, and how structural problems in our society cause or contribute to human suffering. It’s almost 500 pages long, and every word is worth considering and savoring.

Spark, by John Ratey. Dr. Ratey has written many excellent books on the brain and brain health, but this one stands out to me due to its emphasis on improving brain function through exercise. Too often, we give lip service to the idea that movement is important, without following through. Dr. Ratey spells out through his studies exactly how vigorous aerobic exercise lifts students grades and well-being. I generally only recommend the first few chapters of this book, but those first three chapters are worth putting your hands on a copy.

There are also two books that ARE focused solely on neurofeedback. Here are two I like:

A Symphony in the Brain, by Jim Robbins.  This is the only book on neurofeedback that I know of that is not written by a practitioner with a vested interest in the publication. Because of changes in the field, even its second edition is a bit outdated, and it focuses on using the language of mental illness when mental health diagnoses do not align with electrical functions in the brain (a problem in the field of neurofeedback that is hard to escape without a paradigm shift). Despite all this, I think it’s still an excellent introduction to what neurofeedback is, its promise, and its roadblocks.

Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma, by Seburn Fisher. This book, written by a practitioner, is part how-to guide and part the story of Seburn’s own explorations in how to help people who have had significant trauma in their lives. Because of this, it is partly for the lay person but mostly for other practitioners. I include it here because it’s well-written, and because I’ve found that parents in particular like to dig deep when exploring whether to pursue neurofeedback for their children.

Of course, there are many more books that I like and would recommend, but these are the key titles that I wish every client I worked with had read or at least had familiarity with the concepts they contain. Except for a Symphony in the Brain, which I seem never to get back after I loan it to a client, I currently have each of these titles in my office library and am willing to share with clients.

And, if you are interested in reading one of the books about neurofeedback that practitioners have written, I have a list available under the resources tab of my website, here. I almost certainly have most of these titles in my office and ready to share, too.