Neurofeedback is a way to train your brain to work better and more efficiently. The brain’s key skill is self-regulation, or the ability to control its own functions. While we naturally learn self-regulation through our experiences, neurofeedback boosts this process. By showing the brain its own brainwave activity in real-time, it learns to improve how it regulates itself. This process is known as Endogenous Neuromodulation.
Many mental health issues are caused by disregulation, which means the brain struggles to coordinate its timing and frequency. Neurofeedback helps fix these problems by retraining the brain with the help of a skilled clinician who adjusts the training based on your specific needs.
Everyone deals with some level of brain disregulation due to life’s challenges. Neurofeedback offers a chance to overcome those limits and unlock your brain’s full potential. Activities like meditation, mindfulness, and physical exercise can help, but neurofeedback goes further by using modern knowledge of brain function and connectivity to improve self-regulation.
The benefits of neurofeedback last because it teaches your brain how to function better. For nearly 40 years, our organization has led the way in this field, helping over two million people in more than 40 countries. Our methods are backed by science and used by more than 10,000 clinicians worldwide. Neurofeedback is a proven tool to help your brain reach its full potential.
How Does Neurofeedback Work?
Neurofeedback uses sensors placed on your scalp to monitor your brainwave activity. It’s important to note that nothing is sent into your brain; this isn’t brain stimulation. Instead, your brain's signals are amplified and analyzed to focus on specific brainwave frequencies. The results are displayed through video games, sounds, or even vibrations. While you're engaged with a game or even just watching a movie, your brain is busy learning from the feedback it receives. You don't need to think about it actively—your brain learns independently.
Based on your specific needs and medical history, the clinician overseeing your neurofeedback session decides where to place the sensors and which brainwave frequencies to target. This personalized approach helps address the underlying issues, whether they involve attention problems, mood disorders, or cognitive challenges. The process is guided by how your brain responds, and adjustments are made to ensure the best results.
In the past, neurofeedback relied more on active participation from the trainee, but advances in technology now allow the brain to take the lead. Your brain’s natural intelligence guides the process, making the training more efficient and impactful. This is known as *Endogenous Neuromodulation*, where your brain is solely responsible for recognizing and responding to its own signals. There are no external rewards or prompts; the brain learns to regulate itself.
As your brain observes its own activity, it adjusts and improves over time through a feedback loop. Even though this happens without conscious thought, the effects are real and lasting. With each session, your brain fine-tunes its performance, leading to better self-regulation and improved mental function.
Although neurofeedback may seem passive—like watching a movie while your brain works—your feedback is crucial to the process. Your clinician relies on your reports of any changes or shifts you experience during or after the session. These insights help the clinician adjust the training for even better results. In cases where someone cannot provide feedback, family members or caregivers often assist by noticing changes in behavior or symptoms.
You might wonder how the brain "decides" what to do during this training. The brain is a self-organizing system, always predicting and adjusting to what’s happening in real-time. It’s constantly balancing what’s going on with its own projections of what should happen. This ongoing process drives the brain’s ability to regulate itself and improve its functions, which is the core of neurofeedback training.
In summary, neurofeedback taps into your brain's natural ability to heal and improve itself, making it a powerful tool for personal transformation. With the right guidance and continuous adjustments from your clinician, your brain can learn to function at its best—unlocking new potential and improving your quality of life.
