How to Choose a Neurofeedback Center

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Choosing the right neurofeedback center is important. Just as you would look for a specialist doctor to treat a specific physical ailment, your selection process should be just as rigorous when you seek help to train your brain. Finding the right place to help you improve your day-to-day life can have remarkable positive effects, especially if you are dealing with issues like anxiety, ADHD, ASD, and other conditions that impact brain function.

Neurofeedback training cannot be conducted by just anybody. So it’s vital to ensure that the center you have in mind will be fit for the job. More than anything else, it should be able to provide the most suitable, evidence-based treatments for your unique needs. Professional certification, the latest equipment, detailed evaluation, and effective treatment protocols are all important considerations. And choosing wisely can make a real difference when it comes to training your brain! 

Whether you’re seeking effective strategies to overcome obstacles to learning, recovering from illness, or dealing with a lifelong condition or neurological difference, NeuroZone can help! Speech-language pathologist Erin Badour, CCC-SLP, is accredited by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), with specialized training in testing and treatment protocols. And with her help, you can make your life easier with tailored evaluation, therapy, and ongoing cognition improvement programs. Call your nearest location at the number below, or fill out a form to book your free initial consultation at NeuroZone!

Playa del Rey: (310) 821-3640

Santa Monica:  (310) 821-3640

Redondo Beach: (424) 247-8193

What is Neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback is a treatment technique that trains the brain to function more efficiently. It’s a type of biofeedback – a series of processes that can help you to improve aspects of your physical and mental health. By measuring brain waves, instruments provide individuals with a feedback signal. Neurofeedback therapy can involve providing audio and/or video stimuli to promote positive feedback for desirable brain activities or negative feedback for undesirable brain activities. (1) The training protocol could be something as simple and fun as an interactive computer game!

How Neurofeedback Works

  • An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures brain activity using sensors attached to different areas of the scalp.
  • As data is recorded, an advanced computer program provides real-time data analysis, known as Brain Mapping.
  • The computer produces positive or negative audio-visual feedback to the individual.
  • The brain learns over time from the audiovisual feedback it receives to encourage or discourage specific cognition habits.

There are many different types of evaluation, and an equally large number of treatment protocols, each designed with different goals. Many of these focus on collecting data about one or two specific brainwave types. By measuring brainwave activity, this testing can assess brain function in specific areas like attention span, working memory, auditory processing, speech and language ability, and more!

Conditions We Treat

At NeuroZone, we use state-of-the-art technology to provide neurofeedback therapy for many conditions, including the following.

COVID-19 & Brain Health

As COVID-19 has been studied in more detail, scientists have discovered more about its devastating long-term effects. And although not everyone will deal with these problems, many across the country will face the prospect of lifelong changes in brain function. Therefore, neurofeedback centers should be well-equipped to deal with the new neurological problems people face to make their day-to-day lives easier and less stressful. 

Long-term COVID-19-related symptoms can include fatigue, depression, weakened upper and lower limb strength, and even disrupted blood supply to the brain. In fact, a recent Lancet study confirmed that the risk of developing neurological issues after getting COVID-19 was higher than any other respiratory infections up to two years after their initial exposure. (4)

Has COVID-19 changed your brain? Find out more about Post-COVID brain fog treatment at NeuroZone.

Professional BCIA Credentials

A neurofeedback center should have qualified individuals at the helm. They must be able to evaluate a client’s needs and choose the best neurofeedback protocols to address them. The BCIA has been the professional accreditation body for neurofeedback therapy credentials for over 30 years, and is a leading organization in evidence-based brain training. 

Formerly known as the Biofeedback Association of America, the organization has been at the forefront of biofeedback research and education since 1981. Now offering training internationally, the BCIA’s board of directors are clinicians, researchers, and experienced educators in the biofeedback field. And to conduct neurofeedback testing and therapies on the ground, clinicians must have a master’s-level education or higher in clinical psychology, speech-language pathology, counseling, family therapy, or related profession. 

Comprehensive Intake/Evaluation

Erin understands that people living in and around Los Angeles come from many different backgrounds. Each of her clients brings with them unique life experiences, unique differences, and unique difficulties. And their neurofeedback treatment should reflect this. 

Brain Mapping & Assessments at NeuroZone

Customized neurofeedback treatment involves getting as much information as possible at the very beginning. And that’s why NeuroZone conducts rigorous testing to assess their needs before a suitable treatment protocol is created. 

Get started with NeuroZone by booking your free personal consultation.

Science-Informed Treatment

A neurofeedback center should always offer evidence-based brain training backed by scientific research. EEG-based neurofeedback is the most commonly-used approach as it is cost-effective, non-invasive, and easy to use. (2) Each treatment protocol at NeuroZone has undergone peer-reviewed clinical testing and an extensive list of research papers on its effectiveness can be found in the Neurofeedback Bibliography. This document was created by Harvard Medical School Professor and Pediatric Neurologist Frank H. Duffy, M.D., who stated that “neurofeedback therapy should “play a major therapeutic role in many difficult areas.”

Integrated Brain Systems Program

The brain is intricate and interconnected! And when one area has problems, it may have an effect on other areas. One person may have several issues that are all linked in some way. That’s why we aim to treat the root cause of the problem, rather than the symptoms alone.  

Learn more about customizable neurofeedback training by reading about the Integrated Brain Systems approach at NeuroZone!

Cutting-Edge Equipment

A neurofeedback center should have the tools to assess and treat clients. And the only way to help clients see significant improvements in brain function is by using the most current, accurate equipment available. 

Sessions involve the non-invasive placement of electrodes at specific points around the scalp to measure activity in different areas of the brain. Computer equipment is calibrated to collect and digitize brainwave data to produce the correct neurofeedback for the client.

Brain Waves and Their Function (3)

The brainwaves below are most dominant in the following states. Their frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz). The faster the wave, the higher its frequency, meaning gamma brain waves are the fastest, and delta waves are the slowest.

  • Gamma (30Hz~100Hz): Motor function, higher cognition, peak performance.
  • Beta (12Hz~30Hz): Waking state, concentration, planning/stopping movement.
  • Alpha (7.5Hz~12Hz): Relaxation, light meditation, creative thought.
  • Theta (4Hz~7.5Hz): Deep meditation, light sleep, memory recall, fantasy.
  • Delta (0.1Hz~4Hz): Deep, dreamless, healing sleep, unconscious.

Explore Meditative Neurofeedback Therapy and Alpha-Theta Treatment at Neurozone.

Erin Badour CCC-SLP

Erin Badour is a licensed speech-language pathologist, or SLP. She received her certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the national credentialing association for speech-language pathology. 

SLPs devote their professional lives to the study and treatment of communication disorders and delays, and the conditions that cause them. And as well as having a thorough understanding of the brain, they have extensive knowledge of specific conditions that affect communication such as ADHD, ASD, concussion (traumatic brain injury/TBI), and other neurological differences that cause day-to-day issues with brain function.

Certificate of Clinical Competence

SLPs receive rigorous training to assess, evaluate, and treat delays and deficits in speech and language. This is granted as a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) only after completion of a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology, a year-long clinical fellowship, and a passing Praxis examination score. Many SLPs like Erin take things a step further, using their knowledge and training to acquire specialized qualifications, including the administering of neurofeedback training!

What do NeuroZone clients say about their treatment experiences with Erin? Find out here!

Services at NeuroZone

At NeuroZone, we’ll thoroughly assess your needs and listen to your concerns during your consultation. Once Erin has determined the most beneficial treatment protocols for you, she will draw up your personalized treatment plan and schedule your first session. She will also give you an estimate as to how many sessions you are likely to need to see lasting, long-term improvements in brain function.

Browse the full list of NeuroZone services.

Cost of Neurofeedback Training in Santa Monica, CA

The cost of your neurofeedback treatment will depend on what you want to achieve, and how long that will take. Erin will be happy to provide an estimate on your first visit to our Santa Monica, Playa del Rey, or Redondo beach location. Call your nearest NeuroZone neurofeedback center below to book!

Playa del Rey: (310) 821-3640

Santa Monica:  (310) 821-3640

Redondo Beach: (424) 247-8193

FAQ

What is a neurofeedback center?

A neurofeedback center is an office-based location that provides neurofeedback training. Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that trains the brain to adopt new, more effective habits through positive or negative feedback. Neurofeedback protocols can help with a wide range of conditions including ADHD, anxiety, concussion, and problems with day-to-day brain function.

Is neurofeedback training covered by insurance?

Neurofeedback training is growing in popularity, so some health insurance plans now cover it for specific medical and psychological conditions. Contact your health insurance provider for more information about neurofeedback coverage.

References

  1. Marzbani H, Marateb H, Mansourian M. Methodological Note: Neurofeedback: A Comprehensive Review on System Design, Methodology and Clinical Applications. Basic and Clinical Neuroscience Journal. 2016;7(2). doi:10.15412/j.bcn.03070208
  2. Orndorff-Plunkett F, Singh F, Aragón OR, Pineda JA. Assessing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Training in the Context of Clinical and Social Neuroscience. Brain Sciences. 2017;7(8):95. doi:10.3390/brainsci70800955.
  3. Srimaharaj W, Chaisricharoen R, Chaising S, Sittiprapaporn P. Classification of human brain attention focused on meditation, effected by L-theanine acid in Oolong tea. 2018 International Conference on Digital Arts, Media and Technology (ICDAMT). Published online February 2018. doi:10.1109/icdamt.2018.8376536
  4. Taquet M, Sillett R, Zhu L, et al. Neurological and psychiatric risk trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 2-year retrospective cohort studies including 1 284 437 patients. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;0(0). doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(22)00260-7