Whether people are completely new to Neurotherapy, QEEG Brain Mapping and Neurofeedback or somewhat familiar with it, they usually still have many questions for us.
Here, you’ll find the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
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No. ‘Neurotherapy’ means the broader clinical work of assessment, analysis, clinical reasoning, Neurofeedback and other non-invasive neuromodulation tools.
‘Neurofeedback’ is the traditional name for several computer-assisted Brain-Training methods within that work. ‘Comprehensive Neurotherapy’ indicates that, at BODY MIND & BRAIN, we use a multitude of additional Tools.
A simple analogy: Physiotherapy is more than just rehab exercises, and Optometry is more than just prescribing glasses. In the same way, Neurofeedback is central to good Neurotherapy — but it is not the whole field.
Martin Brink is…
He is a member of the Applied Neuroscience Society of Australasia (ANSA) and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR).
Applied Neuroscience/Neurotherapy is not taught at medical school; and doctors today are rather overwhelmed with treating diseases, injuries and organ failures, as well as with administrative tasks and with running their own business.
Many docs are so busy that they can only talk to pharmaceutical sales reps during their short lunch break. So, it is difficult for doctors to learn about a drug-free therapy for their patients with Functional Brain Disorders.
Neurotherapy may be helpful whenever problems are related to Brain function, irrespective of the diagnostic label. When you think of “Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)”, you wouldn’t expect Neurofeedback Therapy to be the solution, right? And yet, IBS typically responds very well to Neurotherapy, as shown in this Youtube clip (“A Changed Life”; 99s).
It is best to talk to us about your woes, so that we can advise you as to what makes sense and what doesn’t. We’re not going to talk anyone into Neurotherapy when all they need is a dentist.
No, we do not. Many of our colleagues specialise in working with children with Attention issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Learning difficulties, Dyslexia and behavioural problems.
In contrast, at BODY MIND & BRAIN, we specialise in helping adults and adolescents (>13y). Somebody has to.
Yes. Neurotherapists don’t grow on trees and it is not always possible to find a competent colleague close to home. Gold Coast is a beautiful and popular holiday destination and we can arrange for daily therapy sessions to make good use of your time.
There are always specific, individual questions. That’s why we start with a personal consultation that allows for individual answers to specific questions. Go to the page “Get Started” and make an appointment when you’re ready.
No referral or prescription is required. After studying this rich website, you can call us to make an appointment for a consultation.
Professional Neurofeedback is generally considered a very safe form of Brain-Training. The sensors only record brain activity, much like a microphone records sound. The effect comes from the Brain itself.
Because Neurofeedback is a learning process — unlike drugs, surgery, radiation, or other invasive medical treatments — it does not carry the same type of medical risks or side effects.
Occasionally, clients may experience a brief abreaction: for example, feeling unusually tired, emotional, unsettled, or revved up after a session. These reactions are usually short-lived and manageable. They may indicate that the training needs to be adjusted, or that medication prescribed before Neurofeedback needs to be reviewed as the Brain begins to regulate differently.
Most clients do not feel anything dramatic during Neurofeedback. The session often feels quiet, ordinary, and calm: like reading an interesting book.
After a session, many people report feeling more awake, alert, and present, but also more cool, calm and composed. Others find it hard to describe at first, because the immediate effect is not a sensation, rather a subtle change in state.
Most lasting changes are noticed gradually — in sleep, focus, mood, stress tolerance, and overall joy.
Neurotherapy with Neurofeedback Training improves Brain function, but doesn’t alter personal values, core beliefs, behavioural habits and traits that make up people’s unique personality.
In short: Neurotherapy can help you become the best possible version of yourself.
If you’re currently suffering from suicidal Depression and severe PTSD, then successful Neurotherapy will hopefully change your personality back to what it was before.
If you’re currently a highly neurotic, multi-morbid chronic pain patient with a shopping list of symptoms, then we’ll do our very best to change your personality with Neurotherapy.
Yes, they typically last. Studies even show further improvements in Brain function after Neurofeedback Training. However, in difficult complex chronic cases we may recommend regular/occasional booster sessions after successful resolution.
No, if you’re on psychoactive or pain medication, you can still begin with Neurotherapy/Neurofeedback. Typically, medication can be tapered down as soon as the first improvements occur in order to avoid drug side effects.
A session takes about 40-50 minutes, but allow for an hour.
It depends on the case and the circumstances. Two sessions per week is the usual recommendation. However, we’ve also seen good results with only one session per week. It just takes more weeks.
It comes down to weighing up several factors; affordability and the ability to persevere are two of them. In our experience, the most complex and difficult cases are often the least resourceful after a long history of failed “treatments”. In such cases, it can be smart to do three sessions per week to outrun the previously accumulated frustration.
Others have too many other commitments (e.g. job, kids), are used to putting others first and their own wellbeing last; and then one regular Neurotherapy session per week is better than none.
Most of our clients need 20-40 sessions for good results; some more, some less. We sometimes see the first positive changes within the first four to eight sessions, but not always. We’ve had clients with decades-old, chronic symptoms who’ve become symptom-free in twelve sessions, the majority need between 20 and 40, and there are cases that keep making progress well beyond 40 sessions.
Consider this analogy: A morbidly obese chain-smoker wouldn’t expect to be fit for a marathon after a handful of workouts. Similarly, complex and difficult patients, struggling with lots of chronic problems and a long history of failed treatments, should not expect to be “cured” in four sessions. Not even Neurotherapy can achieve that.
For general relaxation or wellness, some consumer devices may be harmless enough. But for Functional Brain Disorders, DIY Neurofeedback is a poor substitute for clinical Neurotherapy. Consumer gadgets usually work without a QEEG brain map, use generic protocols, record from fewer sites and rely on consumer-grade signal quality.
The bigger problem is the lack of clinical judgement. In a specialised practice like BODY MIND & BRAIN, training is selected, monitored and adjusted according to the person’s Brain activity, symptoms, medication and response to each session. At home, it is much easier to overtrain, train the wrong pattern, misread reactions, or continue when the Brain is clearly not responding well.
Neurofeedback is not just “an app plus a headset”. Done properly, it is an individualised Brain-Training process. That is why we provide Neurofeedback Therapy in a supervised clinical setting, not as DIY home training.
Initial Consultation (30-60 mins): $50
Interpretation of Psychometric Questionnaires / Evaluation of individual Sensitivity, Reactivity and Resilience / Introductory Interview / case-specific Questions and Answers
Brain Assessment (60-75 mins): $300
Montage of 21-channel EEG-cap / 21-site LENS map / 19-channel EEG recording in eyes-open and eyes-closed condition / visual inspection and artefacting of recorded data / Analysis with comparison to quality-controlled normative database / LoRETA. This does not include a written report.
Therapy Sessions (40-50 mins): $150
Individualised Neurofeedback-based Brain Training / Functional Medicine / Psychological Coaching / Trauma Resolution / Biofeedback etc. Sold in blocks of four: 4 x $150 = $600
No, Neurotherapy is not a medical treatment, but a Behavioural Therapy. There is no trillion-dollar industry behind it to pay lobbyists and politicians. So, clients need to pay for it themselves. At least, it’s worth it.
For the initial Consultation, please bring the fee ($50) in cash. After that, we accept cash and bank transfer payments.
We do not accept: EFTPOS, credit or debit cards, Apple and Google Pay, PayPal, Afterpay, Zip, Klarna, vouchers, money orders, cheques or crypto.
If you need to reschedule an appointment with us, you can do so up to 24 hours prior. After that, the full session fee is due. That’s the common standard for appointment-based services in Australia. Some exceptions do apply.
Absolutely not. To help our clients, we…
We don’t earn commissions, margins, bonuses or cuts, so our clients can be certain that our advice is purely based on expertise, research and experience.
