People often ask me whether they are a good candidate for neurofeedback. Brain training is not a medical treatment, so it’s not like filtering out whether you’re a good candidate for something like Lasik, for example. Instead, it’s more a matter of attitude. If you’re thinking about trying brain training, consider these seven signs that it might work well for you.
1. You can attend consistently over time. Training the brain is akin to training the rest of the body in that you can’t just go every now and then and expect results. If you’re willing to come to regular appointments, neurofeedback is likely to work well for you. Conversely, I’ve had to turn away people whose travel schedules meant that they couldn’t attend regularly. For them, it’s a waste of time and money.
2. You’re willing to provide feedback. Neurofeedback is not about a practitioner waving a magic wand. Rather, it’s about trainer and trainee working together to achieve a mutual goal. For this to happen, people who do brain training must be willing to provide feedback to the person managing their training.
3. Your thyroid is under control. Neurofeedback “sticks” the way learning any new skill sticks in the brain. Some things, however, impede this process, and unregulated thyroid disorders top the list. If you want to do neurofeedback and know your thyroid is wonky, it’s preferable to start working with a physician first to be sure that your thyroid is under control.
4. You are ready to let go of any addictions to drugs or alcohol. Neurofeedback is a gentle teaching tool and can be undone by leaving a session and going home to get high. Talk to a practitioner about your drug or alcohol usage and how it might affect training sessions.
5. You are taking other steps to improve your health. Some of my clients with the best outcomes have been those who most of the other things they need to do to take care of themselves: they try to create good sleep habits, improve their nutrition, see their physician if needed, get counseling if needed, and do other bodywork in the form of acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, or cranial sacral work, if needed. This doesn’t mean you need to be perfect in every way; it simply means you must be open to the idea that neurofeedback does not occur in a vacuum.
6. You follow your doctor’s instructions. Those who consult with and follow their treating physician’s advice tend to have better outcomes because their overall health improves.
7. You are fed up with the status quo and are ready for change. The number of people who are not really ready for change but give lip service to the idea of feeling different is surprising. I’m never quite sure whether it’s fear of the unknown or fear of spending time and money on something they know little about and so are skeptical, but most of my former clients will tell you that taking that leap of faith was worth it. If you are ready to optimize your functioning in life and are prepared for changes, then neurofeedback may be right for you.
That’s really all there is to it. If you are interested in learning about how neurofeedback works, give me a call.