If you have read about neurofeedback and come away more confused than when you started, you are not alone. Most explanations are written for practitioners rather than for the person sitting in the chair. Here is the version we give clients over a cup of tea.
Your brain runs on electrical activity
Every thought, movement and feeling involves electrical signalling between brain cells. That activity has rhythms, and those rhythms shift depending on whether you are focused, resting, stressed or asleep.
A healthy brain moves between those states easily. Stress, injury, illness and long periods of overload can make the switching less efficient, so the brain gets stuck in patterns that were useful once and are not useful now.
LENS holds up a mirror
During a session, small sensors are placed on the scalp. The system reads what your brain is currently doing and sends back an extremely low intensity signal that matches that activity.
That is really all it is. A mirror. The brain notices its own pattern and, given the chance, tends to move towards something more efficient. You do not have to do anything while it happens.
Why the signal is so small
People are often surprised by how gentle it is. The signal is many times weaker than what a mobile phone emits. There is no zap, no buzz and usually no sensation at all.
The point is not to force anything. It is to give the brain information it can act on.
What a visit actually looks like
You arrive, sit down and talk with your practitioner about how the week has gone. Sensors go on. The signal runs for a few seconds at each location. The whole thing usually takes 10 to 20 minutes including set up, and then you carry on with your day.
Some people feel calm afterwards. Some feel a little tired. Some feel nothing in the moment and notice a change later in the week, often in their sleep.
Is it right for everyone?
No, and we would rather say that up front. Some people respond quickly, some slowly, and a small number do not respond much at all. That is why we offer a free consultation and review progress openly as we go.