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Neurofeedback and Change
Published on 2012-05-21 06:37:00
This is a two minute video that says it all. You'll hear - and see - the transformation that occurred in an Australian man's life from his giving his brain NeurOptimal® training. > read more
Tedx Talk on Exercise and the Brain
Published on 2012-05-14 07:16:00
NYU neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki talks at a TEDx conference about exercise, the brain, learning and memory.One of the teachers who inspired Dr. Suzuki is Marian Diamond of the University of Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology. Dr. Diamond's research into the differences in the brains of rats living in enriched or impoverished environments (including those exercise wheels) demonstrated that the brain can change at any age. The old wisdom was that once adulthood was reached, we had the brain [..] > read more
10,000 Sing Beethoven's Ode to Joy
Published on 2012-05-07 06:40:00
This post isn't really directly related to neurofeedback. I'm posting this DatabaseofMusic YouTube video here because...It's beautifulIt's upliftingMusic and its effects on us are a fascinating aspect of our complex and amazing brainsThe video wonderfully demonstrates the possibilities in group energy and connectionIf you are reading this and you have been depressed, did listening help you? It's likely that it did. Music has that power.Joy is part of the spectrum of emotions we are supposed to h [..] > read more
Disconnect to Connect
Published on 2012-04-23 06:57:00
This is a beautiful one and a half minute video that says > read more
NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback and "Chemo Brain"
Published on 2012-04-16 06:55:00
As promised last week, this post is about the recently completed (2011) study of NeurOptimal® neurofeedback.The study was done with cancer survivors with cognitive losses following chemotherapy > read more
NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback Research
Published on 2012-04-09 07:07:00
Zengar is the maker of > read more
Neurofeedback, NeurOptimal® and the End of Panic Attacks
Published on 2012-04-02 07:15:00
Journalist Jan Murphy tells > read more
Neurofeedback Changes with Severe ADD/ADHD
Published on 2012-03-25 19:17:00
Poulsbo, Washington neurofeedback colleague Karen Cochrane, PhD, has produced a wonderful video showing the changes in a 60-year old Navy veteran with severe ADHD.Don Hill had been given nicknames like "Drifty" and "Wrong Way Hill" all his life. It wasn't until he was past 50 that he understood why.Pretty amazing changes in Don's life. That's the potential of NeurOptimal® > read more
Louie Schwartzberg - Gratitude
Published on 2012-03-19 07:01:00
This is not related to neurofeedback, > read more
Powerful Video, Can't Explain It, Just Watch
Published on 2012-03-12 06:37:00
That's the name of this video. It's four-minutes that will both bring you to tears and make you smile, a powerful lesson about judgements and making a difference. (My apologies to those of you who also read my psychotherapy blog. I think it's a powerful and needed message, so I'm putting it up on both blogs.)If you watched it, I'm betting you want to share it, too.Catherine Boyer, MA, LCSWNew York Neurofeedback > read more
What Are Those Hemispheres in your Brain Doing?
Published on 2012-03-05 07:21:00
If you are interested in the brain and especially in what the two hemispheres are up to, you'll like this.Iain McGilchrist, London psychiatrist and author, has narrated an RSA animation about the left and right hemispheres of our amazing brains.Much of popular understanding of the functions of the left and right hemispheres is incorrect (language, for example, does not reside solely in the left hemisphere).The reality is much more interesting.If you enjoyed this animation you may want to read Mc [..] > read more
Life Changing Neurofeedback
Published on 2012-02-27 06:19:00
Here is a wonderful video showing the results of neurofeedback in the life of a young boy.The video features NeurOptimal® trainer Rae Tattenbaum of Inner Act in West Hartfield, CT. Rae also does peak performance work with performers, athletes, etc..Catherine Boyer, MA, LCSWNew York Neurofeedback > read more
Boston Quantified Self Group Learns about Neurofeedback
Published on 2012-02-06 06:43:00
Quantified Self recently invited Massachusetts NeurOptimal® trainer Alan Bachers to talk to its Boston group about neurofeedback.Quantified Self's purpose is "self knowledge through numbers." They describe their international (on six continents) meetup groups as:A place for people interested in self-tracking to gather, share knowledge and experiences, and discover resources.Alan demonstrated NeurOptimal®, the state of the art system I also use. I think you'll enjoy his presentation.If you have [..] > read more
ADD and Medications - No Long-Term Benefit?
Published on 2012-01-30 14:16:00
A longitudinal study - in this case 200 children studied since 1975 - reveals that it is the environment of the child that predicts ADD, not brain differences. A different well-designed study, discussed below, shows no long-term benefits of medicating ADD. L. Alan Stroufe, the author of yesterday's New York Times Review article, Ritalin Gone Wrong, says:To date, no study has found any long-term benefit of attention-deficit medication on academic performance, peer relationships or behavior proble [..] > read more
Meta-Analysis Study of Neurofeedback and ADHD
Published on 2012-01-23 07:39:00
If you are research oriented and interested in neurofeedback for ADHD, read about a 2009 meta-analysis of related research.A meta-analysis examines numerous previous studies, looking at differences in and quality of methods used in order to produce a conclusion that integrates the results from all the studies.The researchers conclude that:...neurofeedback treatment for ADHD can be considered "Efficacious and Specific" ... with a large ES [effect size] for inattention and impulsivity and a medium [..] > read more
Mindfulness at the Wheel
Published on 2012-01-16 07:05:00
If you have ever arrived at a destination with very little memory of how you - at the wheel of a two-ton automobile - got there, you might want to read this terrific article, Awake at the Wheel, by meditation teacher Michele McDonald.Probably anyone who has ever gotten behind the wheel has had the experience of not remembering whole chunks of the drive. I know I have. Today we have even more distractions available then when I first got my learner's permit at 15 and a half.In addition to increasi [..] > read more
The Perspective of Nature
Published on 2012-01-10 07:03:00
I originally posted this on my psychotherapy blog, but I like this video so much I wanted to put it up here as well. If you are in need of a little perspective, it will provide it for you.Did you find that just watching the video helped you be a little more still inside? This was a video - imagine being there in person! Being in nature can produce both calming and lightening of mood (as can neurofeedback).To read more about the benefits of being outdoors:Getting Out into Green SpacesNature and M [..] > read more
The Neuroscience of Why the Grinch Stole Christmas
Published on 2011-12-23 11:10:00
I've closed the office until December 27, but this article came my way and I couldn't resist putting up the link.Forbes Magazine: Neuroscience Explains Why the Grinch Stole ChristmasCatherine Boyer, MA, LCSWNew York Neurofeedback > read more
Neurofeedback Helps Canadian Vets with PTSD
Published on 2011-12-19 07:33:00
The use of neurofeedback for PTSD has been getting considerable notice lately. This makes the neurofeedback trainers I know happy because we know how effective it can be.An article published in September, 2011, in the Toronto Globe and Mail describes the experiences of one Canadian veteran who served in Syria and Afghanistan. Neurofeedback helped him get his life back on track, to the point that he felt comfortable starting a family.The description of the neurofeedback used sounds like it must b [..] > read more
Brain Benefits from Aerobics
Published on 2011-12-12 07:06:00
Mayo Clinic neurologist J. Eric Ahlskog, MD, PhD, spoke about a recently conducted review of the research on aerobic exercise and benefits to the brain. They concluded that "you can make a very compelling argument for [aerobic] exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and for favorably modifying these processes once they have developed.In the Medscape Medical News article about the research, Dr. Ahlskog was quoted:...exercise sufficient to elev [..] > read more
Benefits of Mindfulness
Published on 2011-12-05 07:14:00
A sizable number of my neurofeedback clients come because they want to reduce anxiety. Anxiety can be quite miserable, as anyone who has felt much of it will tell you.Many of these clients tell me that meditation or mindfulness practice has been recommended to them - and they feel drawn to it - but they just can't sit still for it. This often gets much easier after a few sessions of NeurOptimal® (the state of the art system I use). Anxious or fidgety people can also practice mindfulness that do [..] > read more
Chemo Brain Helped by Neurofeedback
Published on 2011-11-28 06:54:00
Colleagues Jean Alvarez, David Granoff, and Allan Lundy are presenting this month at the annual conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology. They will be talking about their just completed research into use of neurofeedback for the cognitive impairment, emotional distress and sleep disturbances that often follow chemotherapy - and which, in a significant portion of patients, do not go away.I've seen neurofeedback help my clients with these problems, which are common enough to have develop [..] > read more
What Your Neurofeedback Trainer Sees
Published on 2011-07-02 06:56:00
If your neurofeedback trainer is using NeurOptimal®, the system I think is the state of the art, he or she will be looking at one of several screens that show graphical representations of your EEG in real time.My colleague in Australia, Jo > read more
More on Neurofeedback and Migraines
Published on 2011-06-27 08:05:00
Here is an ABC news feature on the use of neurofeedback for migraines.If you're interested in research, a 2011 study headed by a Dallas neurologist investigated neurofeedback's results with migraines. The study showed neurofeedback to be far su > read more
Neurofeedback and the Arts
Published on 2011-06-10 09:37:00
Can neurofeedback be helpful for those who work in one of the arts? In my experience, absolutely. This is often referred to as peak performance training. Some of the positive changes my creative clients have experienced are:Elimination or reduction o > read more
Neurofeedback for Migraines
Published on 2011-06-03 14:38:00
This recently published Dallas study of neurofeedback for migraines showed very powerfully positive results.This is important because most treatment of migraine is with drugs; and the great majority of sufferers say that medications don't comple > read more
The Master and His Emissary
Published on 2011-05-27 09:50:00
My clients often ask me questions about which hemisphere does what. It's much more complex than the idea that a particular function is located in a particular area of the brain.For anyone interested in learning more about the functions of the left an > read more
Neurofeedback - What to Expect
Published on 2011-05-20 08:26:00
When you come for a NeurOptimal™ neurofeedback session you'll sit in a comfortable chair watching a moving visual, and you’ll be listening to music. (It's also fine to close your eyes.) You’ll hear very brief pauses in the music – t > read more
Neurofeedback Images with NeurOptimal®
Published on 2011-05-13 15:22:00
Below is a video of what my neurofeedback clients look at during their sessions. There are very brief pauses in music such as what you hear on this video (or music of your choice). The interruptions to the music are the feedback to your CN > read more
Neurofeedback and Your Unique Brain
Published on 2011-05-06 06:55:00
You are a unique human being, even though you are part of a species that you are very much alike. Why is this important to neurofeedback? More about that in a minute. First, did you know that...The typical adult body has about 50 trillion > read more
Neurofeedback for PTSD - Pet Scans Before and After
Published on 2011-04-29 13:51:00
This EEG Info video shows Spect scans done at the clinic of Dr. Brian Amen, whom many of you may know from his presentations on PBS about the brain and health. The brain shown belongs to a veteran with PTSD. The difference before and after neurofeed > read more
Neurofeedback and Addictions
Published on 2011-04-22 08:31:00
The bottom line of how I see neurofeedback help with addictions is that it makes it easier to do what's good for you and harder to do what isn't - and in a way that is often experienced as seamless and naturally right for the individual. The Uni > read more
Driving While Distracted
Published on 2011-04-15 09:36:00
This post is on the blog because I think it's important. It's not directly related to neurofeedback - although the impulse to get things done now, even when now isn't safe, or anxiety behind the behaviors could indeed be successfully addre > read more
Introducing Neurotribe Neurofeedback
Published on 2011-04-01 08:37:00
John Thompson, a neurofeedback colleague in Perth, Australia who also uses the NeurOptimal® system, has just introduced Neurotribe. The site is about neurofeedback, but is also about creating a community for those who a > read more
A Taste of Spring
Published on 2011-03-25 13:10:00
Here in New York City we're all waiting not very patiently for spring. It's been a long, cold winter, so I thought I'd post a slide show from April of 2010. These photos were taken at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx.New Yorkers and > read more
Neurofeedback Can Break the Depression/Anxiety Sleep Deprivation Cycle
Published on 2011-03-18 09:19:00
The worst hour for depressed people is often three or four in the morning. A common pattern is to wake about then, feel frustratingly wide awake, worrying about… whatever… and then fall back asleep just in time for the alarm to go off.Depre > read more
Neurofeedback - Think Training not Treatment
Published on 2011-03-11 12:47:00
Why?For me, the word treatment implies a medical model: Something is wrong with you and someone in the health care field is going to give you a diagnosis and recommend treatment.With neurofeedback training, you are in charge. NeurOptimal®& > read more
Neurofeedback and History of Child Abuse
Published on 2011-03-04 10:10:00
The more we understand about how the brain of a child develops, the more clear it is that having been abused or neglected as a child is present in the wiring of the adult brain. Neurofeedback can be a great help in changing that wiring. I'll get > read more
Neurofeedback and Psychotherapy
Published on 2011-02-25 16:18:00
Below is an interesting video of interviews of two psychotherapists talking about how they use neurofeedback to increase the effectiveness of therapy and decrease the amount of treatment time required.As both a psychotherapist and a neurofeedbac > read more
Neurofeedback for Anxiety and Better Sleep
Published on 2011-02-18 08:17:00
Having an anxiety disorder is a misery no one should have to live with. About 20% of Americans suffer from anxiety. That doesn't mean 20% of Americans will have an anxiety disorder sometime in their lifetime. It means that in any given year one out o > read more
Neurofeedback, Depression and Pregnancy
Published on 2011-02-11 09:58:00
It's not uncommon to get a call about neurofeedback from a woman concerned about depression and pregnancy. A recent study about the effects of depression in the mother resulting in higher stress hormones in infants is typical of t > read more
When Your Mind Wanders...
Published on 2011-02-04 10:38:00
According to recent research done at Harvard, our minds wander away from what we are doing 47% of the time. That's almost half of us "wandering" at any given time!People's minds are most likely to wander during personal grooming and least likely duri > read more
The Animators of Life
Published on 2011-01-28 10:10:00
This is a wonderful six minute video from The New York Times called The Animators of Life. It beautifully shows detailed animations of the complex inner life of cells, based on decades of research, as well as talking about the projects and peo > read more
New Study on Sleep and Learning
Published on 2011-01-20 09:18:00
The power of sleep to strengthen new memories is demonstrated in a joint study conducted by Harvard Medical School and the University of York. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.Sleep helps you learn. For the study, vol > read more
Neuroplasticity and Neurofeedback
Published on 2011-01-10 10:04:00
Neuroplasticity means our brains' ability to change and reorganize our networks of neurons.It is not true that past a certain age, the brain can't change. Fortunately for us, neuroplasticity continues throughout life.Neurofeedback takes advantage of > read more
Neurofeedback Used with ADD
Published on 2011-01-04 16:26:00
Rae Tattenbaum, a colleague, friend and the owner of Inner Act in Hartford, Connecticut, talks in this video about neurofeedback as a drugless solution for ADD. The video shows NeurOptimal® being used. This is the neurofeedback system I u > read more
Benoît Mandelbrot
Published on 2010-12-27 13:43:00
The images used on this blog and on the New York Neurofeedback website are fractals.Benoît Mandelbrot, who died in 2010, changed how we can view ourselves and our world by introducing us to fractal geometry. It mirrored the complex real world in way > read more
Responsibility, Compassion, Connection
Published on 2010-12-17 10:15:00
This wonderful short film called Second Line was directed and acted in by Danny Glover. It's inspiring. It also made me laugh out loud. Liberty Mutual (which I have no connection to) funded it as part of The Responsibility Project.One thi > read more
Van der Kolk Trauma Center Incorporates Neurofeedback
Published on 2010-12-10 14:30:00
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk has for decades been a well-respected leader in the treatment of severe trauma.By severe trauma, I mean Dissociate Identity Disorder (which used to be called Multiiple Personality Disorder) as well as PTSD and types of persona > read more
The Benefits of Getting More Green
Published on 2010-11-30 08:38:00
This may at first seem a bit off topic for a neurofeedback blog, but...I've been writing elsewhere for awhile now on the benefits to mood from getting out into nature. It made my day to read this article about the physical as well as mental hea > read more
Is There a Type D Personality?
Published on 2010-11-22 15:34:00
According to this US News article about Type D personality people, anxiety, stress, depression and negativity - hallmarks of this type - triple the risk for heart problems. Type D is a name for people who tend to see the glass as half full and t > read more
How to Survive the Holidays
Published on 2010-11-13 15:22:00
Usually when my clients are asking about this, they are talking about going home for the holidays, but it can be equally difficult when your family is coming to you.If family holidays are at best stressful and at worst they repeat that bad stuff that > read more