As in any field, it is important to keep up-to-date with what is happening in the world of neurofeedback. I found the opinions expressed by one of the more famous names in the field during a recent podcast to be interesting and worth sharing. If you, too, are interested in the science of what neurofeedback strives to achieve, follow this link to a conversastion with Jay Gunkelman, who has been reading and interpreting EEG measurements since the 1970s.

Now in semi-retirement, Jay points out things to listeners that us practitioners know well.  For example, he laments the fact that neurofeedback is more broadly known, more greatly accepted, and more researched overseas than in North America.  In addition, he points out the invalidity of the DSM (DSM stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and is what mental health care providers use to diagnose their patients and clients) and remarks upon how the DSM has little relationship to what is happening in the brain itself.  He talks about how, despite this invalidity, many institutions fight strongly against moving from symptom descriptions to brain function as a means of diagnosis. He also provides an entertaining history of the field.

Despite not being a neurofeedback practitioner himself, he is worth a listen.

The hour-long interview isn’t for everyone. It has some technical language and terminology that many will find boring. Not me, though. I appreciate learning from those who paved the way for us. And, I know several of my current and former clients will also want to hear what he has to say.

Again, you can find the podcast here.