Brain wave patterns are changeable. Each state of mind, or state of arousal, looks different. You may be alert or distracted, relaxed or tense, positive or negative. You know how you feel, but what you don’t know is how it looks—that is, on the inside of your brain. What if you did know? And what’s more, what if you could do something about it? How would it work?

Just as the doctor places a stethoscope on your chest to detect a heartbeat, the Neurofeedback practitioner places sensors on your head to detect brain wave signals. Then, a computer transforms those signals into graphics and sound. The action on the computer corresponds to the action in your brain directly beneath the sensors.

Let’s say a trainee wants to learn how to be alert instead of distracted. Every time the brain moves into an alert state the trainee hears a beep and sees graphics move on the computer screen. Whereas, every time the brain moves into a distracted state the beeping and graphics stop. Amazingly, the brain wants the action and sound to continue. It wants to be rewarded. It’s as simple as that. Within a few sessions the trainee gains a heightened awareness of mental drifting. Within 6-10 sessions most trainees start to pay attention for longer periods of time—even during boring tasks in the classroom or at work.

Regardless of the problem or goal, the results are the same: self-regulation skills are learned; greater mental and emotional control is achieved; nerve pathways are both exercised and strengthened. Young and old alike can easily master training. No computer skills are needed.