Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
First, set up an initial appointment which is free. Before the initial appointment. we’ll ask that you fill out an online questionnaire that takes about 20 minutes. Christopher Antwine MS LPC, will review your questionnaire results with you, and then discuss your concerns, symptoms, and determine whether neurofeedback training may be appropriate for your unique situation. He will also answer all of your questions and give you the perspective of someone who has gone through the experience personally. If you decide to continue, the next appointment will be a brain map or qEEG, the evaluation used to set up a protocol to address the symptoms you are experiencing. From there, 30 minute neurofeedback training sessions are typically done twice a week for the protocol itself.
Do I need a brain map or qEEG?
Yes. If you are planning to take advantage of neurofeedback, an initial brain map or Quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG) is used as a kind of “fitness evaluation” and is analyzed so a personalized training protocol can be established. It involves wearing a cap with sensors and takes about 30 minutes. It measures and assesses the four types of brainwaves and compares it to a database of other brainmaps, so we can see what areas of your brain may be helped by bringing them into balance.
Initial Visit
Includes a thorough history, goal assessment and some basic psychological base-line testing.
Individual Neurofeedback Sessions
Typically begin with 2 sessions per week, 20-30mins and decrease as learning optimizes. Getting the first 10 sessions in fairly quickly optimizes learning and may reduce the overall number of sessions required.
How Can Neurofeedback Help Me?
As we like to say here at Elite Brain Performance, “If you have a brain, you can benefit from Neurofeedback!”
This is what we mean by Elite Brain Performance!
Neurofeedback is used to affect broad regulatory action of the brain, including mood, attention, self-regulation and self-control, sleep, energy, stress, and even migraines and seizures.
Neurofeedback also has outstanding success in treating age-related cognitive disorders, anxiety disorders, addiction, and symptoms of the autism spectrum.
We also use neurofeedback to trigger a deep relaxation (for creativity, or anxiety and overstimulation), or to exercise the brain for stability and increased metabolism.
How important is Diet?
While neurofeedback doesn't result in heavy breathing and sore muscles; it's a workout, never-the-less. Anyone involved in body-building understands the importance of nutrition on body performance. Similarly, anyone involved in brain-building needs also to consider the role of nutrition on brain performance. Can the brain build new connections and pathways on a junk-food and soda diet? Or, would it fare better with high-quality proteins and carbohydrates and pure water that are known to nourish and strengthen health? Did you know that 85% of your brain is composed of water? Something as simple as good hydration provides the lubricant for good brain health. If you decide to invest in neurofeedback treatment for optimum brain performance, it would be antithetical to your goals to neglect the building blocks of optimum brain health.
Will neurofeedback therapy change my personality?
No. Neurofeedback training sessions are designed to help your brain’s connections communicate more efficiently, and stay balanced. It can make you calmer, more resilient to stress, and more clear headed. It will not change your hobbies, interests, or who you are.
Will I notice a difference right away?
Most patients notice positive changes after 6-8 sessions, normally done over 3-4 weeks. Some patients have told us that they have noticed differences after the very first session.
How many sessions does it take for improvement?
The number of sessions varies from individual to individual. It also depends on what therapies we decide are best for you. Improvement is frequently noted after four or five sessions. On average, people need 25-30 sessions for optimal results, but some may need fewer sessions while others need more.
Will the benefits of Neurofeedback last
There have been multiple follow-up studies to answer this question. Follow-up research has been done on neurofeedback for ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and PTSD. The period of follow-up has ranged from six months to three years. All of them show that the gains from neurofeedback last over the period of follow-up. Several studies showed continued improvement after the training ended. However, much more follow-up research needs to be done, and over longer periods of time.
Please remember though that these results are averages. If on average the gains last, still there may be individuals within the group whose gains do not last. In practice, we have found that for some individuals, the benefits from neurofeedback have lasted. Others need occasional booster sessions, say three or four times a year. Some though have required ongoing training at home to maintain their improvement. This is usually with more severe and more chronic problems.
What are the risks of neurofeedback?
In over 50 years of usage, no long-term negative effects have ever been identified with neurofeedback training. Sometimes a person may notice a short-term increase in symptoms as the brain adjusts to a new pattern. This increase in symptoms usually goes away rapidly on its own or can be minimized easily by a trained clinician’s adjustment of the treatment protocol.
If neurofeedback can do so much, why haven't I heard about it before?
Neurofeedback is not yet taught in most medical schools or psychology graduate programs. Many professionals are therefore unaware of the power of this technique. One of our goals at the EEG Institute is to fill that gap by providing professionals with information and education in neurofeedback.
Do you take insurance?
Insurance coverage varies with each plan, although the majority of insurance plans in Oklahoma do not cover biofeedback or neurofeedback services, based on our experiences and the major insurance carrier medical policies. The biofeedback CPT Service code, 90901, is used when billing the neurofeedback services. We can provide receipts with all necessary information if you would like to request reimbursement from your insurance carrier and advocate for reimbursement of you or your family’s treatment. Payment is due at the time service.