Neurotherapy Institute
of Central Illinois

A Division of Chapin & Russell Associates

Neurotherapy-A Third Option for the Treatment of Psychological and Behavioral Problems

Neurotherapy is a new and proven method for effective treatment of a variety of difficult psychological, physical, and behavioral health problems that have not responded well to traditional counseling and medication treatment.

Neurotherapy combines EEG, Biofeedback, Neurofeedback and Audio Visual Entrainment (AVE) technologies that have proven to be profoundly beneficial in resolving the neurological basis of many common problems.

Neurotherapy along with traditional treatment approaches, provide the best hope for improving personal health and achieving optimal recovery. Neurotherapy has also been found to significantly enhance learning and promote peak performance for athletes, NASA pilots and Fortune 500 executives.

Video: What is neurotherapy?

The Problem

Throughout our life our brain and our body endure much distress. Even before we are born our neurological health is affected by our genetic inheritance and our mother’s personal health. Once born, it is impacted by our early environment (nurturing or suppressive, enriched or impoverished). We then encounter illness, fever, disease, head injury (both minor and severe), environmental toxins (such as lead, mercury and chemical pesticides), dietary stress (food additives and/or high sugar and carbohydrate diet), physical stress from excessive work and exercise, inevitable periods of exhaustion, and emotional trauma (both remembered and forgotten). Our brain is also impacted by the substances we use (alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and recreational drugs) and the medications we have come to rely upon. Life stressors, an array of medical conditions, prolonged mental health problems, unexpected failures and losses, and the normal effects of aging also all affect our brain’s functioning. The result is neurological and physiological dysregulation.

Our brain is a very sensitive organ. It is the “Master Organ” of our physiological, emotional and behavioral health. It operates on a primarily neuro-chemical and electrical basis. When it is functioning well, we experience physical health and emotional well-being. When it becomes dysregulated, we experience any of the variety of psychological and physiological symptoms previously noted. Left to its own devices, the autonomic nervous system becomes imbalanced. Our flight, fight or freeze reactions to repeated stress, persist and we become unable to fully recover. As a result we experience even more physiological symptoms.

Traditional treatment of counseling and medication attempt to resolve these problems through psychotherapeutic methods and biochemical interventions. When these fail to result in meaningful symptom reduction or relief, what remains, is a neurotherapeutic intervention. That is, an intervention specifically designed to correct neurological and physiological dysregulation.

Treatment

The brain’s electrical activity is measured with an Electroencephalograph (EEG). There are primarily four bandwidths of electrical activity or brainwaves that are associated with necessary brain functioning. These are Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta. Delta brainwaves occur when we are in periods of deep, restorative sleep. Theta occurs when we are in REM (rapid eye movement or dream sleep). It is also associated with states of hypnosis, meditation or deep relaxation. Alpha occurs when we are focused but relaxed and ready to attend to tasks in our life. It has also been described as the brain’s optimal idling position. Beta occurs when we are actively involved in a challenging cognitive task requiring learning, problem solving or insight.

In simple terms, neurological dysregulation results when the brain is using the wrong brainwave, at the wrong time, for the wrong task. This results in a state of neurological over-arousal, under-arousal or unstable- arousal. Some examples of symptoms of over-arousal include: anxiety, anger, OCD, insomnia, impulsiveness, distractibility and bruxism. Examples of under-arousal include: depression, ADD, problems with motivation and concentration, sugar carvings, and difficulty waking. Examples of unstable arousal include: migraine headaches, seizures, bipolar disorder, PTSD, fibromyalgia, PMS, panic disorder and IBS.

Neurotherapy corrects brain dysregulation by training the brain to use the right brainwave, at the right time, for the right purpose. Advances in the use of EEG and computer technology now permit clinical assessment and treatment of neurological dysregulation through the use of biofeedback, neurofeedback and audio visual entrainment. The process involves immediate feedback of specific brainwave activity that is either reinforced (increased) or inhibited (decreased) while the client plays what appears to be a simple computer game, watches a movie, listens to music, or relaxes while responding to specially designed sound and light stimulation. These interventions however are not simple toys. They have been scientifically designed to treat the identified neurological dysregulation and significantly reduce or resolve client symptoms.

Biofeedback corrects dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system by monitoring physiological activity such as breathing, muscle tension, heart rate, skin electrical activity and skin temperature.  It accurately feeds this information back to the client who then learns how to intentionally control them.  Over time, as control is strengthened, the client experiences significant reduction of their presenting symptoms and gains confidence that they can regulate their own body’s health and well-being.

The Science

Research into neurofeedback began in the 1960’s when Joe Kamiya at the University of Chicago found that neurofeedback training at the alpha frequency, promoted deep relaxation. Later, Barry Sterman at UCLA discovered that neurofeedback at the low beta range, reduced seizures in cats. He then applied that work at NASA to help prevent pilots from having seizures due to exposure to a chemical in jet fuel. His positive results were then extended to people with seizure disorders where he found that neurofeedback training was highly effective in reducing both the frequency and the intensity of seizures. In other research, Joe Lubar, in the 1970’s- 80’s, from the University of Tennessee worked with children who were diagnosed with ADHD. He found that neurofeedback training at the theta and beta frequencies, reduced hyperactivity as well as improved general attention and behavior. And still later, in the 1980’s-90’s, research by Eugene Peniston at the VA in Fort Lyons Colorado found that neurofeedback training at the theta and alpha ranges helped veterans resolve debilitating symptoms of substance abuse and post traumatic stress disorder.

Today, the research on neurofeedback has been advanced by the development of consistent protocols for neurological assessment and neurotherapy for the treatment of a variety of psychological and physiological health problems. Many outcome studies have found astounding results. Some of these include: a 75% reduction in ADHD symptoms, 9 to 23 point improvements in IQ for learning disabled children, 80% sobriety for alcoholics (after a four year follow-up), only a 20% relapse of panic attacks for veterans with PTSD, 70% reduction of epileptic seizures, 88% improvement in depression and remarkable improvements in sociability, communication, health and sensory awareness of autistic children.

Research on biofeedback has also found impressive results.  Eighty percent of individuals with essential hypertension (high blood pressure) reduced their medications or no longer needed them after years of medication treatment.  A review of 94 studies found that biofeedback reduced the frequency of migraine and tension headaches in both children and adults.  Ninety percent of children under the age of twelve recovered from sleep problems such as bedwetting within the first two months of biofeedback treatment.  Diabetics who suffered from Raynaud’s disease were able to raise their hand temperature six to seven times faster than a control group and had 50% greater healing of foot ulcers.  Biofeedback has also been found to reduce stress in professional athletes and reduce stage fright in professional musicians.

Behavioral Health Profile

The road to improved behavioral health begins with a comprehensive assessment of client’s current physiological functioning.  To accomplish this, clients complete a five modality behavioral health assessment called a “Stress Profile” that measures their baseline skin electrical activity, skin temperature, heart rate, muscle tension, and respiration rate.  The Stress Profile then records a client’s response to three cognitive (non-physical) challenges and their ability to successfully recover from them.  These results are then used to confirm areas of healthy functioning and to identify and target specific areas for biofeedback training.  This permits us to individualize our ten session, Biofeedback Treatment Program to each client’s personal needs and unique symptom signature.  Behavioral health is restored when symptoms are reduced and  physiological functioning is within normal ranges.

Advantages

1. Neurotherapy can be applied to many psychological, physiological, behavioral and personality problems.
2. Neurotherapy resolves problems at their source, the brain and the body’s physiological functioning.
3. Neurotherapy relies on well-established behavioral principles of learning.
4. Neurotherapy has few if any significant side effects.
5. Most neurotherapy treatment can be completed in 20 to 40 sessions.
6. The results of neurotherapy are objectively documented by self-report of behavioral changes, psychological testing and changes in specific EEG brainwave patterns and physiological markers.
7. Neurotherapy may reduce the need for medication.
8. Neurotherapy may help some clients even eliminate the need for medication.
9. Once you learn how to do it, you don’t forget.
10. Neurotherapy can be used for personal improvement, peak performance in sports and business, enhanced learning capacity, and brain brightening for seniors with cognitive decline.

Our Neurotherapists

Our Neurotherapists hold an advanced degree and a professional license in their respective field of practice including psychology, social work and professional counseling. In addition, they have completed the Professional EEG Biofeedback Certification Training program approved by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America and recognized by the American Psychological Association. Finally, our Neurotherapists operate in a group practice that provides the benefits of multidisciplinary supervision of each client we accept for Neurotherapy treatment.

Our Neurotherapists combine their therapeutic specialties to provide a full range of counseling and neurotherapy services for their clients.

"We believe the human capacity for healing and neurological self-regulation is simply amazing. We want our clients to realize the full benefit of current scientific technology and psychotherapeutic experience so they may more effectively manage and resolve the problems that have plagued their lives."

Further Reading

To learn more about the brain, neurofeedback, EEG biofeedback and neurotherapy please review the following books and web sites or visit your local medical school library.

Amen, D. G. (1998). Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.
             Three Rivers, NY.
Criswell, E. (1995).  Biofeedback and Somatics:  Toward personal Evolution. 
             Free Person, Novato, CA. 
Hill, R.W. and Castro, E. (2009). Healing Young Brains: The Neurofeedback Solution.
             Hamptom Roads, VA.*
Robbins, J. (2008). A Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of the New Brainwave Biofeedback.
             Grove, New York.
Steinberg, M. and Othmer, S. (2004). ADD: The 20 Hour Solution. Reed Publishers,
             Brandon, OR.
Swingle, P.G. (2008). Biofeedback for the Brain: How Neurotherapy Effec tively Treats
            Depression, ADHD, Autism and More. Rutger University, NJ.*
Yucha, C. & Montgomery, D. (2008).  Evidenced-Based Practice in Biofeedback and
            Neurofeedback.  Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, Wheat Ridge, CO.

 

*Available at our office bookstore.

www.isnr.org (information/comprehensive bibliography)
www.aapb.org (publications/articles)
www.eeginfo.com/
www.eegspectrum.com

Contact Us

For more information and assistance with scheduling an initial consultation
Call (309) 681-5850 Today!