neurofeedback therapy can help you

Find Depression Relief Without Medication

Depression is the result of many influencing factors, including genetics, early childhood experiences, stress, social support, thinking patterns, lifestyle, neurochemicals, inflammation, and more. While there is no single cause that we can point to with certainty, we can say with certainty that depression happens in your brain, and relief can be found in your brain. Neurofeedback can help a depressed brain alter its functioning to be healthier and happier.

We all have the same fundamental brain structure; although neuronal connections, determining the activation of and communication between brain circuits, are unique to each of us. The circuits excited over and over in your brain become the go-to default patterns for you and are the result of your thoughts, interactions with others and the world, and the events that have happened to you in your life until today.

woman smiling outside

So, at the most basic level, depression is just the routine activation of certain brain circuits, in specific patterns that result in depression for you.

One way to think about it is that being depressed is a habit of your brain. Most of the symptoms of depression are reflections of your brain’s activity. In fact, there’s no brain scan, MRI, EEG or any other medical test that can definitively diagnose depression, but we can see it on a qEEG brain map.

Our brain advocates can interrupt your brains’ depression habit and change the brain patterns and connections that are causing depression for you. Many scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of neurofeedback for improving mild to treatment-resistant depression as being much better than medication. One study found the response and remission rates to be 58 percent and 50 percent respectively after only 12 weeks of neurofeedback training.¹ Professor Eun-Jin Cheon, Yeunggnam University Hospital, South Korea, project leader of the study said:

“Neurofeedback has been trialed with psychological conditions in the past, but as far as we know this is the first time that anyone has succeeded in achieving remission and overall recovery (functional recovery) with treatment-resistant depression. This is particularly important, because this is an otherwise untreatable group of patients…The most promising thing about neurofeedback is it doesn’t cause even mild side effects. It could also improve self-efficacy by participating active, voluntary treatment.”

parents tossing child in the air

No matter what your symptoms are, a calmer you is possible!

Depression can manifest in various ways, and symptoms can differ from person to person. Here are common symptoms of depression.

  • Persistent Feelings of Sadness, Hopelessness, or Emptiness
  • Difficulty in Maintaining Focus on Tasks or Conversations
  • Withdrawal from Social Interactions and Activites
  • Fatigue or Decreased Energy
  • Feeling Detached from Reality
  • Physical Aches or Pain
  • Memory Difficulties
  • Slowed Thinking, Speaking, or Body Movements
  • Changes in Appetite
  • Changes in Sleep Patterns
You have questions, we have answers!

We’ve gathered a list of commonly asked questions for your convenience. If you don’t see the information you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Simply click on the question that interests you to navigate directly to the relevant section.

Let’s start by clarifying what neurofeedback is NOT. Neurofeedback is NOT electrical stimulation or any kind of shock to the brain. In fact, it’s completely noninvasive and pain-free. Nothing ever goes to or in your brain.

Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that uses the electrical activity of the brain to reinforce optimal brain wave patterns through operant conditioning, thus improving one’s life.

Neurofeedback is a superior solution because it doesn’t just ease the symptoms. It addresses and changes what is causing the symptoms or problems at the source in your brain. Your brain learns how to function differently in a way that relieves problematic symptoms or behaviors.

Neurofeedback training has many scientifically documented benefits both for the brain and body, including stress reduction, improved sleep, better focus and memory, heightened mental clarity, more emotional and behavioral regulation, enhanced cognitive performance, and more. Give it a try today, we bet your brain is capable of the changes you desire!

Yes.

Some clients are able to decrease their medication over time with their prescriber. Grey Matters does not do any medication adjustment.

In a neurofeedback session, qEEG sensors are placed on your scalp, recording your brainwaves and sending the information to a computer in real time. The computer, by way of auditory or sound feedback, teaches your brain to perform at optimal levels by a method called operant conditioning which harnesses your brain’s reward system.

All learning is at a subconscious level. You don’t actually have to “do” anything. With consistent repetition through auditory feedback, the brain learns to self-regulate and makes physiological changes to perform more optimally and will continue to make the adjustments after the initial training. Because it’s a learning process, the results of neurofeedback occur gradually over time.

During a 35 to 45-minute session, you sit comfortably in a chair. You have the option of having a footstool, blanket, and eye mask for relaxation. You are given headphones to listen to the training sounds and can either watch scenic images, read, journal, or just kick back and relax. For the younger ones, they can color, draw, read, do homework, or play with Legos.

Consistency is key. The brain requires a minimum of 2 sessions per week to learn and retain new patterns. An average of 35 sessions is needed for the brain to make permanent neuroplastic change. Remember, your brain is learning, and learning takes time and repetition. If you have multiple diagnoses or are on psychological medications, more sessions may be required for your desired results.

There are no long-term negative effects.

Just like taking your temperature with a thermometer does not deliver anything to your body, a qEEG brain map or a qEEG-guided training session does not deliver anything to your brain – it only reads your brain’s electrical activity. The auditory feedback you hear encourages your brain to “exercise.” So, similar to the variety of feelings after a good workout at the gym, some people experience symptoms such as being more tired or more wired, and few will develop a slight headache after a session. These symptoms go away within hours and are not long-lasting.

Our Brain Coaches are here to assess your training progress, discuss any symptoms you may experience, and provide educated feedback to you during your journey.

Grey Matters will assign you a Success Coach who is here to help you successfully navigate your journey. Together, we assess and work on your sleep hygiene, diet, screen time, exercise, and stress management, among many other factors, to help you improve not only your brain but also your overall well-being.

We also offer a variety of Wellness Testing to enhance your training outcome.

Just like riding a bike, once you learn how to do it, your body doesn’t forget. However, if you haven’t ridden your bike in ten years, you aren’t going to be as comfortable or skilled when you get back on it.

Maintenance recommendations are based on individual assessment and will be discussed towards the end of your initial training. Typically, a 1-2 times a month schedule will be recommended. After all, you wouldn’t hire a personal trainer to get in the best shape of your life and then stop going to the gym altogether, would you? Don’t lose your brain gains by stopping altogether either.

Grey Matters Brain Training Studio offers Unlimited Membership options for brain training and several intake options to fit your needs. Please view our pricing page to learn more and find an option that works for you.

We do not accept insurance; however, we offer a variety of payment options.

We accept:

  • Cash, checks, all major credit cards, and Apple Pay
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and HRA Health Reimbursement arrangement.
  • Financing options are available through First Financial Bank with little to no interest
  • Advanced Care Credit
  • Vagaro Pay Later
  • Monthly Payment Plans

Think about the cost of therapy, medications, dissatisfaction with life, lost work hours, and the hope to feel better. It’s worth it. Come on in, we got you.

We use Brainmaster amplifiers and BrainAvatar software, which are FDA-approved.

Sources: 1 . Lee, J., Lee, W., Seo, S., Koo, H., Kim, G., & Cheon, J. (2019). Neurofeedback Treatment on Depressive Symptoms and Functional Recovery in Treatment-Resistant Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: An Open-Label Pilot Study. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 34(42). https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e287