1st Consultation Meeting each other
We spend time together in conversation to get to the heart of your problem, which will enable us to facilitate your transformation process. We assess your concerns, medical history and other relevant history. It serves to:
- Assess your expectations and needs;
- Gain insight into your unique challenges and possible future interventions;
- Address previous interventions and obtain background relevant to your situation;
- Establish realistic expectations and time frames for the process;
- Discuss your role and responsibility for reaching goals successfully;
- Ascertain which intervention is a good fit for your personality and desired outcomes;
- Set-up a holistic support team if this is indicated.
The first session sets the compass point and direction for our journey together.
Assessment phase QEEG
- A cap with 19 embedded sensors is placed on your head to make a recording of the brain wave activity (measured in Hz) on all 19 channels (EEG);
- The raw EEG data is quantified to QEEG (quantified EEG) with mathematical calculations and processes;
- Numerical values are reflected in colour-coded brain map for easy reading. The nose on each head of the brain map indicates the front or anterior part of the brain. The labels above the heads, from left to right reflect the frequency band (Hz) of the head maps for that column. The brainwave frequency bands follow from left to right eg: Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta and High beta;
- The QEEG (brain map) is a visual representation of your brain’s ‘blueprint’. We can determine how far your brain wave activity differs from the norm by comparing it to the normed database;
- The statistical Bell curve is used for interpretation. It is colour-coded to correspond to the brain maps, which is also differentiated by colour. The middle 50% line represents the age-normed average. Normal brain activity falls within 1 standard deviation (SD) above or below this middle line (colour green). Brain activity considered to be less than normal falls within 2 SDs above or below this line, represented as yellow and blue, respectively. Red, dark blue and even orange coloured areas are considered to reflect abnormal electrical activity – they fall 3 or more SDs away from the normed average (middle line);
- Only the areas of under / over activity that are associated with your symptoms are targeted for neurofeedback training.
Feedback Consultation
Once the brain map (QEEG) is completed, we discuss your results. Together we make sense of how it relates to your symptoms and we set your personal goals for your training.
Neurofeedback Training (NFT)
NFT is an active training process. Similar to the process of becoming physically fit, it requires repetition to lead to behavioural changes. Sufficient entrainment leads to new conditioned behaviour. New, functional neural connections form that lead to brain-based behavioural change. Changes are enhanced by additional psychological interventions.
Sensors and Feedback
Sensors are attached to your scalp in the region identified by your brain map as being dysregulated. Sensors ‘read’ information and feed it back to you. Your brain wave activity is reflected on a computer screen while playing a computer game. When the desired brainwave activity is produced, your brain is rewarded with a bell sound. This reward is part of the behaviour modification program and is based on classical conditioning principles.
Frequency of Sessions
Twice per week is the standard mandatory minimum for neurofeedback training to keep the brain in an active state of learning and growth. Each session progressively builds on the previous one. Training can even be started at 3 times per week.
Duration and frequency depends on the complexity of your symptom presentation. Usually a minimum of 20 sessions is required to ensure that symptom reduction lasts. In more complex cases more sessions are needed to produce satisfying, long lasting results. Behaviour modification is a training program and requires 2 to 3 months of entrainment to become a conditioned pattern. Most clients’ report improvement in their well-being at the 6th to 7th session.