Developed by clinical psychologists, neurofeedback is a computer-aided training method that tracks your brain’s millisecond-by-millisecond electrical activity and uses your natural feedback system, auditory sense perception, to give your brain feedback that enables it to self-adjust and reset its frequency patterns. Neurofeedback has been around for several decades now, and the non-linear NeurOptimal system is considered by many to be the most highly-evolved form of neurofeedback available. It is safe, natural, non-invasive, and drug-free, and grounded in decades of evidence-based clinical research and neuroscience.

To use the system, while you relax, two tiny head sensors and three ear clips analyse your brain’s electrical activity. It does not input any electrical current - information is fed back to you by subtle interruptions in the music stream, which enables your brain to identify, resolve, and correct ineffective patterns, resulting in more balanced, regulated states of brainwave activity and nervous system function. With multiple sessions, your brain becomes better able to access this state.

Neurofeedback provides many benefits for the brain and body. After a set of neurofeedback sessions, clients report overall improved wellbeing including better mood, increased mental clarity, more restful sleep, more appropriate responses to situations, and feeling less stress. It is important to note that NeurOptimal® does not ‘treat’ any specific conditions because it is working on the central nervous system and brain as a whole system at once. It can therefore bring many changes and improvements across many areas, even those you weren’t expecting.

A dysregulated brain that is not functioning at its best is usually at the core of the types of things that neurofeedback can help with. If you are dealing with depression, insomnia, ADHD, Autism, or stress, it is a sign that your brain is not functioning optimally. By training your brain to become better regulated and function more efficiently, NeurOptimal® is able to help with:

• stress reduction and managing stress better

• promoting healthy sleep habits

• enhancing learning capacity

• becoming more flexible and resilient

• facilitating the return of veterans into home and work life

• peak performance and concentration enhancement

• feeling more calm and focussed

• academic and job enhancement

• preparation for testing - improved focus, attention and retention and reduction of test anxiety

• athletic and sports training

‘Many NeurOptimal® users report life changing results. Elite athletes have used NeurOptimal®, reporting improvement in their physical performance and mental stamina. Sufferers of sleeplessness report improved sleep. Veterans use it stating it helps relieve the extreme challenges they face returning home from a war zone. Mentally clouded individuals, due to injury or life circumstances, tell us how after using NeurOptimal® they’ve rediscovered clarity to an extent they and their loved ones once believed unattainable. Brain training with NeurOptimal® has helped improve the lives of children suffering from communication and social challenges, and general difficulties focusing in school. And many challenges stemming from stress commonly fall away when the brain is trained for optimal function.’

(from the NeurOptimal® website)

To use the system, while you relax, two tiny head sensors and three ear clips analyse your brain’s electrical activity. It does not input any electrical current - information is fed back to you by subtle interruptions in the music stream, which enables your brain to identify, resolve, and correct ineffective patterns, resulting in more balanced, regulated states of brainwave activity and nervous system function. With multiple sessions, your brain becomes better able to access this state.

NeurOptimal® neurofeedback system is safe for anyone to use, because nothing is being added to your brain.

NeurOptimal® is 100% non-invasive, and does not force brainwave or brain state changes, so it is highly unlikely you will feel any ill effects following a session.

Shifts in your mood, awareness, or energy level after brain training depends on the individual and can vary from session to session.

Sometimes people are unsettled by experiences due to the newness and unfamiliarity of the sensations. For example, for someone who is highly anxious, feeling more calm can feel unsettling at first because it is unfamiliar.

There are two generations of neurofeedback.

The first, linear or protocol-based neurofeedback, requires an initial brain map to assess brainwave functioning. The map is then used by an expert trainer to set protocols for brainwave changes.

Linear neurofeedback:

• Requires diagnosis and the use of treatment protocols

• Expertise is required throughout the intervention

• It pushes and pulls your brain, instructing it what to do

• It works with limited frequency bands, which can cause side effects

• It requires careful hook-up and extensive monitoring

The second generation is non-linear Dynamical™ NeurOptimal® neurofeedback.

The non-linear NeurOptimal system is considered by many to be the most highly-evolved form of neurofeedback available. Due to advancements in processing speed, the software is able to analyze the largest range of brainwave frequencies, (past 60 Hz) to capture the most information, and your brain uses the cues it is given to utilize its own capacity to shift brainwave patterns.

Non-linear neurofeedback:

• No diagnosis is necessary, all brains can benefit in spite of any diagnosis.

• It does not ‘tell the brain what to do’, it is training, not treatment, and does not involve protocols

• No monitoring is required, auto-navigation takes care of everything

• Training occurs outside of your conscious awareness

With NeurOptimal®, unlike linear systems, training is safe at any age, including young children.

Brain-based issues in children can include everything from anxiety and depression to learning disabilities and behavioural issues.

Neurofeedback is commonly used in young children for re-building health and wellness after concussions, being more calm and focused with improved school performance and emotional regulation, and to help sleep management.

Anyone with a brain will benefit from neurofeedback.

Stress, adverse experiences, chronic health issues, and challenging relationships can all affect the way your brain and nervous system perform.

NeurOptimal® helps your brain function at its best. The training is the same for everyone regardless of whether you are an elite athlete wanting to improve sporting performance, you are a child struggling with emotional dysregulation, or a business person not handling stress as well as you would like. The training doesn’t not treat specific symptoms, but upgrades your brain and central nervous system performance through better self-regulation, it can therefore bring many and varied improvements across your physical and mental functioning, even those you weren’t expecting.

That’s similar to asking how many times you need to go to the gym before you get in shape, or how long it takes to learn to read? The answer is different for everyone. It is a process, and you may need 10 visits, or you may need 40. Most people know within 6 sessions whether neurofeedback is going to work for them.

Everyone’s central nervous system is different, so it is not possible to predict exactly how your brain will respond to the information NeurOptimal® provides. But because people around the world have had over three million hours of experience with NeurOptimal®, we can make some predictions. You will know pretty quickly when it is helping you, and you don’t need to take it on faith, we have progress tracking tools to help you document your training.

The number of sessions depends partly upon your goals. If you are training to feel better quickly, you might decide after 10 - 12 sessions that you have made enough gains and stop. On the other hand, if you are looking for lasting changes for deeper issues, 20 - 30 sessions is a better ballpark. You can stop at any time and always pick it up again later if you so choose. After a period of initial training, you may continue with monthly sessions to give your brain a regular opportunity to ‘defrag’, or like many of us, just do a session when you feel you need it.

NeurOptimal® is a learning task, like learning to ride a bike or learning how to read, once your brain knows, it can’t ‘not know’, so the effects remain with you. But your brain is also living tissue, and it can get ‘knocked off’ by an injury, trauma, extreme stress, or other major life event. Underlying neurological issues or genetic vulnerabilities may also be factors.

Many clients’ results hold, and they seem not to need ‘maintenance’ sessions. For others, ongoing brain training may be appropriate. If this happens, a session or two can help you get back on track, working at your optimal efficiency.

Even if you come back many years later, your brain will recognise the NeurOptimal® process, will be reminded of the earlier shifts, and can find its way back much more quickly than the first time you did the training.

For instance, if you did a fairly complete initial training of 20 - 30 sessions, and then have a major challenge like an illness, the loss of a job or relationship, a head injury or anesthetic, your brain can quickly and efficiently use NeurOptimal® to re-organise itself and ‘find its way back’.

Dr. Joel Lubar at the University of Tennessee and others have done long-term follow-up on clients. Dr. Lubar says they’ve followed ADD clients who’ve sustained their improvements from neurofeedback for 10 - 20 years.

Published research on epilepsy 12 months after brain training shows the effects on epilepsy usually holds. Clinicians commonly report long-lasting changes. However, much more research in this area still needs to be performed.

We ask all clients, regardless of whether they are renting or training in-office, to fill out a checklist every 8 - 10 sessions.

This checklist is key because it helps you consider what areas you would like to improve, gives a numerical value to your goals and allows you to track your changes over time. Seeing the numbers change is a sign of progress! During the first 8 - 10 sessions, numbers typically drop by 3. For example, if ‘difficulty concentrating’ or ‘often worry’ starts at a value of 9, it is often reported to be a 6 after 10 sessions.

These reporting tools also improve self-awareness. One of our goals as neurofeedback coaches is to help clients notice how they are feeling. Noticing subtle changes helps you get ahead of your feelings, and maintain a sense of focus and calm.

Read the Home Rental Guide here.

Is any special training needed to use a home system?

No special training is needed when training with the NeurOptimal® neurofeedback system, as it is fully-automated and incredibly simple to use. Brain maps, a set protocol, and a diagnosis is not needed as the expertise is built in - the brain and the software will do all the work! The software's user-interface is simple to navigate, and you will be able to start to start a session with a few simple taps. All you do is place the sensors and start your session.

NeurOptimal® provides the information your brain needs moment by moment, automatically adjusting the level of difficulty and challenge through its exclusive auto-navigation feature. There is no need to worry about making mistakes, as the expertise is built in. You can be quickly up and running, and your sessions will not require up-front assessment or planning.

We provide a step-by-step manual and short how-to videos to make it easier for our renters. We will guide you, and answer any questions you may have, throughout the rental period.

How long should I rent it for?

The initial rental period is often one month and starts the day after you pick up or receive the system. It is due back (or to be shipped back) the day of your due date. The minimum rental period is one month but you can extend the rental if needed. Our neurofeedback trainers have noticed the best training results occur when people train consistently for 2 - 4 months. If you rent for two months, that would look like 3 sessions per week, for a total of 20 - 40 sessions. You can book for one month, and then choose to extend your rental.

Please note that we require you to let us know that you would like to extend your rental at least one week prior to the end of your original rental period. Payment for the extension is also required one week before the end of the original rental period.

Do we accept private health insurance?

No. We do not accept private health insurance. We accept credit cards, cash, and PayPal.

How long does it take to get the home system rental?

First come, first served! If your online reservation and contract has been submitted and there is no wait, it takes about 2 - 3 business days for shipping, depending where you are located. If there is a wait list for a rental, a deposit and signed contract will get you on the wait list.

When is payment for my rental due?

The first month's payment is due 24hr prior pick up/shipment. We won't send the invoice until you have filled out the contract and have confirmed you are ready to rent. Pay as you go and extend as long as you wish - you only pay for the first month's rental to start with.

How many sessions should I run per week?

We usually recommend three sessions per week per trainee, though you can train every day if you so wish, as neurofeedback training is 100% non-invasive. The minimum we recommend is twice per week when renting because through the training you are learning a new way of decision making and, like learning a new language, the more frequently the brain practices, the faster we learn.

If I do 30 sessions in 30 days will that have the same effect as 30 sessions over 3 months?

While your brain will learn a lot about itself if you train every day for a month, the value of spreading the training over 3 months is that it gives you time to shift your behaviour and thought patterns time to adapt.

Do I need to watch the screen at all during the sessions, or can I read a book during the sessions?

You do not need to watch the screen while in session. The NeurOptimal® System is a fully automated neurofeedback system and does not require you to watch the training screen (called G-force) though some people like to. Yes, you can read a book. It's also OK to talk, meditate, look at your phone, ipad, Kindle or computer (just keep the sound on mute or very low on the other device). If feeling tired anytime during the session, sleep is encouraged. Remember it's OK to change it up time to time, so do whatever you feel inclined to do!

Why do we recommend that a parent also train if they are renting a machine primarily for their child’s issues?

We hear the most glowing reports from families where multiple family members are training, particularly when a parent is training as well. A calm, focused and de-stressed parent is a huge support for the child. Everyone can benefit from calm and focused energy whether it be for school performance, interpersonal communication, or general stress support.