FAQs ABOUT NEUROFEEDBACK

What is neurofeedback?

Let’s start with what neurofeedback is NOT.  Neurofeedback is NOT electrical stimulation or shock of the brain. As a matter of fact, with neurofeedback, nothing ever goes to or in your brain. Neurofeedback is a powerful technology that uses the brain’s reward system to teach and practice optimal performance for long-term or permanent change. This is accomplished by using visual or auditory feedback cues when your brain does what it is supposed to. Through training, you can unlock the cognitive potential you didn’t even know you had and achieve long-awaited goals and dreams.

How does it work?

Our neurofeedback program reads the rapid brain signals that happen at the speed of milliseconds allowing it to accurately sync what happens in the brain and in the environment at the same time. When our software detects changes in brain waves it creates a micro-interruption in the music, which you may notice as a skipping record sound. Why interrupt the music? It signals to you to pay attention to what’s going on. Through the training, you are learning to use better information, and present moment information, rather than staying stuck in your habitual patterns. You are learning to shift the way the brain produces and distributes its electrical energy.

Why should I use neurofeedback?

There are several benefits of neurofeedback training, both for the brain and body, including stress reduction, improvement of sleep patterns, better focus, heightened mental clarity, and enhanced cognitive performance. Our Grey Matters specialists and clients have used neurofeedback to address physical, emotional, and cognitive disturbances with great success. These fall into a few general categories:

• Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Challenges

  When stress is reduced, people experience a happier, healthier version of themselves. Adults and children who have used Grey Matters neurofeedback have reported reduced negative symptoms typically associated with conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADD/ADHD, migraines, concussion trauma, and other physical and neurological issues.

• General Wellness

  Neurofeedback encourages an overall positive mental outlook and a deeper understanding of the mind/body connection. For those looking to enhance their daily health and wellness, neurofeedback training can be an excellent supplement to a healthy diet and exercise routine, helping patients achieve mindfulness-based stress reduction.

• Peak Performance

  Many professional athletes and executives use neurofeedback to provide that much needed mental edge which often results in championships – on and off the field. When competitors are separated by 100ths of a second, the improved mental focus and physical performance neurofeedback provides can mean all the difference between winning and losing. The good news is you don’t have to be a pro athlete or executive to enjoy the benefits of neurofeedback. If you simply want to improve mental performance and develop your attention and focusing skills, neurofeedback treatment may be the right choice for you.

• Improved Academic Performance

  Because it helps improve concentration and increase focus, students often use neurofeedback as an important tool to improve their performance in school. Unlike so-called “smart drugs” or neuro-enhancing pharmaceuticals, neurofeedback is 100% drug-free and has no known neurofeedback side effects (apart from improving your sleep!). Neurofeedback is one of the greatest ways to improve memory and concentration and can be a great tool to help train your mind to focus.

What happens in a session?

When training your brain at Grey Matters, sensors are placed on your scalp which read electrical signals or brainwaves coming from your brain. Nothing goes back to your brain through the sensors. You sit comfortably in our dimly lit training rooms while soft background music (think spa-like) is playing. You have the option to have a footstool, blanket, and eye mask. You are given headphones to listen to the training music during the brain training session. The music is the platform for feedback. The design of the brain is that we use auditory sense perception 24/7 to notice changes in our environment. Neurofeedback was designed to use our brain’s natural way of noticing changes.

How often should I do neurofeedback?

The number of sessions of neurofeedback that you will need is personal to your goals and the life factors that influence your health and well-being. This will be discussed in your brain mapping review session. Almost everyone will notice changes within the first 10 sessions.  Across the board, an average of 25-40 sessions are needed to change the stinkin’ thinkin’ for good. If you have multiple diagnoses or are on psychological medications, this can take more time.

At Grey Matters, we believe neurofeedback is like riding a bike.  You could get on once a week or even once a month, but how quickly do you think you’d learn to ride the bike at that pace?  It might take a while.  But what if you got on several times a week?  You’d be pedaling that bike on your own in no time! We want to teach you to ride that bike quickly, therefore we will schedule 2-3 sessions a week. You could be done and off enjoying your new way of life in just a few weeks!  Pedal, baby, pedal!

Why is maintenance important?

Just like riding a bike, once you learn to do it, you don’t forget.  But, if you haven’t ridden your bike in say 10 years, could you still ride without your hands? Probably not. This is why maintenance is important. When we repeatedly do something we keep the “muscle memory”. We recommend 1x a month of neurofeedback maintenance once you leave our initial program. We have an easy subscription plan available for this and will discuss it with you toward the end of your initial program. You put in the work. You are a star. Stay a star.

How much do neurofeedback services cost?

Our neurofeedback training and gut health packages are designed to fit the needs of just about anyone with an easy pay-as-you-go option or specially priced individual and family package options.  Depending on the results of your Brain Map, Gi Map, and hair analysis for food intolerances (yes, we take gut health seriously here!), options will be presented to you.

Currently, our brain maps are $499  which includes the initial consultation and qEEG Brain Map.

Just want to chat? We offer consultations only (no testing) for $150. If you choose to move forward with scheduling testing on the same day, we will apply this $150 toward that testing.

We do not accept insurance, but you can use FSA or  HSA funds to train your brain and heal your gut. Financing options are available.