Neurofeedback
RETRAINING THE BRAIN TO HELP WITH HEALING
RETRAINING THE BRAIN TO HELP WITH HEALING
Trauma, addiction, and mental health issues can cause dysregulation in the brain. In our innovative Brain Center, patients utilize state-of-the-art equipment to aid in grounding and self-regulation so they are prepared to confront those deeper issues from a calmer place. This cutting-edge approach addresses the neuroscience of trauma by attempting to better regulate the limbic system in the brain, which allows for better integration and implementation of more traditional approaches incorporated in the treatment process.
Neurofeedback is the direct training of brain function, by which the brain learns to function more efficiently. Through this noninvasive exercise, we can observe your brain in action from moment to moment and then share that information with you to help improve your treatment experience. In neurofeedback, the brain is rewarded for changing its own activity to more appropriate patterns. Once we determine the level of the different brainwave frequencies, protocols are developed for training the brain to make more or less of specific frequencies. Neurofeedback is a gradual learning process, and it applies to any aspect of brain function that we can measure. The process can also be called “EEG biofeedback” because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG.
Neurofeedback may sound complex, but it is really just a method of self-regulation. It is simply biofeedback applied to the brain directly. Why does that matter in a treatment setting? Because self-regulation is a necessary part of good brain function. Self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better. Changing the EEG improves the self-regulation of brain waves and brain state. And when the brain works better, the individual functions better.
Neurofeedback can be used to address:
We apply electrodes to the scalp to observe brainwave activity. The signal is processed by a computer so we can see information about certain key brainwave frequencies. This information is presented to the person in the form of a visual display/video game. The person controls the video game with their brain, allowing them to view the ebb and flow of activity in real time and attempts to change the activity level to optimum ranges. This is done from the feedback process rewarding the brain for producing more of the desired levels of activity. The goal is to learn to shape brainwave activity to a more regulated pattern. The frequencies we target, and the specific location on the scalp, are specific to the conditions we are trying to address and specific to that individual.
Willow House at The Meadows utilizes cutting-edge therapies to help patients in our care achieve their goal of long-lasting recovery. Women are guided on their journey by examining the underlying causes of addiction and co-occurring disorders. The goal is for these individuals to gain the courage to face difficult issues, including grief and loss; heal from emotional trauma; and become accountable for their own feelings, behaviors, and recovery.