Tom Brady uses a digital product, which was designed to improve brain function for people who suffered severe conditions that impacted brain function, from noticeable memory loss to cognitive damage, not individuals who have healthy brains. The product allows assessment and training of cognitive skills and improvement of brain health and performance. You can think of it as being like a gym for the brain. However, the app is not all fund and games. It is science, developed, tested, perfected, and then validated by a worldwide team of brain scientists.
The team of brain scientists is led by a doctor who is credited with discovering lifelong plasticity, and with being the doctor first to harness plasticity for human benefit, and for pioneering the field of plasticity-based computerized brain exercise.
Does this raise questions regarding how do these brain exercises help him do his best on the field?
The answer is simple: If you think slow, your game suffers.
To put it simply: A faster brain can make all the difference in the world of sport.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, every 9 seconds, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury.In fact, more than 3.5 million children and adults sustain a brain injury each year.
A brain injury can occur surprisingly easily.Certainly, we recognize major accidents or severe blows to the head that can cause unconsciousness as significant contributors.But, we forget to consider that they can occur from a soccer ball hitting someone in the head, making a tackle, or being rear ended in a mild car accident.Brain injuries do not require a loss of consciousness and can occur with a blow to the body and not directly to the head; otherwise known as an acceleration–deceleration type of injury.
Even mild TBI’s can result in debilitating post concussion syndrome where symptoms can include depression, ADHD-like symptoms, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, temper outbursts and aggression, memory problems, and sleep disorders, depending on which part of the brain was damaged.
So what can Neurofeedback do to help? Neurofeedback can help reduce or eliminate brain injury symptoms similar to how physical therapy helps a person recover from a physical injury. Neurofeedback cannot repair physical damage to the brain’s physical structure, but it can use neuroplasticity to exercise and develop new neural pathways and restore brain function.
Neurofeedback is a way to quantify and train brain activity.How it works is quite simple.Brain cells interact creating thoughts, sensations, actions and emotions; detectable as brain waves.Neurofeedback specifically monitors brain waves, looks for irregularities, then produces a signal that is designed to correct and guide brain waves back into a healthy pattern.Overtime, the brain will learn to stay in healthy ranges on its own.
At the Brain Wave Center we provide Brain Mapping, Neurofeedback, Psychotherapy, Nutrition Counseling, Lymphatic Drainage, Craniosacral Therapy and more to help you rediscover your well–being.For more information or to schedule your free consult call 941-552-4500.
Please speak with your medical doctor(s) and learn as much as you can before you begin any medical or alternative medical treatment.We do not recommend that you begin using any treatments without learning how they fit (or don’t) with your current treatment plan for medical conditions or injuries you may have.
Does your teen seem anxious even when there doesn’t appear to be anything to worry about? Experience panic attacks? Avoid social situations? Would you consider them a “worry wart?” If you can say yes to any one of the above statements, it is possible that they suffer from an anxiety disorder. There are several different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety, among others. And your teen is not alone!
Anxiety disorders are more common than we think, affecting 25 percent of all teens and 30 percent of all teen girls. In fact, many experts are seeing a rise in the level of anxiety and the diagnosis of anxiety disorders in both adults and teenagers. To know for sure if your teen suffers from an anxiety disorder, you should seek help from a qualified professional, such as a counselor, psychologist, etc.
Teens frequently have anxieties about the broad new world they are facing. Fortunately, for most, these are just stages that they grow through. However, for some, anxiety becomes a way of life and many of their anxieties are carried into adulthood creating potentially destructive negative thoughts. If they can be helped before these “worries” become part of their template, perhaps they will be able to avoid unnecessary pain in later years.
In our experience, and supported by research, neurofeedback appears to be especially effective for children and teens. We see the most remarkable benefits when working with young and flexible brains, before habits mature and become their template in adulthood. Neurofeedback does this by directly training of the brain in real time, which helps the brain learn to function more efficiently.
Neurofeedback addresses brain dysregulation, which can cause many conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and more. Improved mental performance and ability to pay attention equals better learning; reducing stress develops better test results, and calming emotional and behavioral issues improves social interactions. Consider how this combination may result in better prospects for the future.
At the Brain Wave Center we provide Brain Mapping, Neurofeedback, Psychotherapy, Nutrition Counseling, Lymphatic Drainage, Craniosacral Therapy and more to help you rediscover your well–being. For more information or to schedule your free consult call 941-552-4500.
New Partnership Between Easter Seals and The Brain Wave Center Aims to Help Children with Autism.
An ABC 7 (WWSB) Sarasota, FL news article featuring our new program with the Easter Seals of Southwest Florida. This short video article presents how the Brain Wave Center uses brain mapping and neurofeedback through the Easter Seals to help kids with Autism, ADHD and other issues. (4 minutes & 30 Seconds)
The Brain Wave Center, in a new partnership with Easter Seals, hope to showcase how neurofeedback can be added as an effective technique to help children with autism.
“Peak performance training is designed to make the already functional individual perform at a much higher level. The difference between two equally gifted athletes, one who excels and one who “also ran,” is more than likely the ability to perform at their peak when it counts. Two equally gifted children in school may not have the same grade point average and that could obviously be for a lot of reasons. We feel that the primary reason for this type of disparity is that one of the children is likely functioning closer to peak performance than the other child. We would all like to perform at our maximum potential in whatever we do, but that is not always the case. If the brain is slightly dysregulated, it is probably more easily distracted and focus and concentration are not as sharp.
A golfer, football player, stockbroker, and high school student taking a test will all do better if they have maximum concentration. Unfortunately, concentration is a problem for a lot of people if the brain is making too many slow-frequency waves, the brain is too sluggish for pinpoint concentration. If, on the other hand, the brain is racing, as in the case of anxiety, it cannot focus singularly on the task at hand. We need the midrange EEG waves to achieve optimum performance.” (Young Brains)
“One application of neurofeedback’s capacity to change focus and attention has been in the area of performance enhancement. Neurofeedback training has been shown to improve cognitive flexibility, creativity, athletic control, and inner awareness. I do not know of any other psychiatric treatment that can do that.
In Italy, Bruno Demichelis, the head psychologist of MilanLab, a research center established by soccer club AC Milan, taught his players to maintain a state of relaxation while watching video recordings of their errors, which led to increased mental and physiological control. In 2006 several of these players were members of the Italian team that won the World Cup. The following year, AC Milan won the European championship.
Chris Kaman of the Los Angeles Clippers, the 7-foot NBA center, is a poster child for neurofeedback training. In his early years in the NBA he had trouble concentrating and often lost track of what he was doing. After a series of neurofeedback sessions under the supervision of psychologist Tim Royer he averaged a career-high 17.9 points, 13.7 rebounds, and three blocks per game, and became a dominant center in the NBA. Kaman attributes his athletic improvement to neurofeedback.” (Neurofeedback . . . Developmental Trauma.)
Neurofeedback can improve your performance academically, professionally, athletically.
————————————– Source: Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain
by Sebern F. Fisher Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain 1st Edition
by Sebern F. Fisher
The Brain Wave Center is more than brain mapping and neurofeedback. We also work with clients on the everyday things we do in life that contribute to our health, including nutrition. And, as a many of us parents have just realized – the first month of school is here!
For parents, that means the added duty of packing a nutritious lunch and snacks to sustain your children’s mental power and energy throughout the day. Luckily, choosing brain healthy snacks is easier than you think. Below are a few snacks researched by our Registered Dietitian that are easy to find and pack and taste great as well!
Trail mix with walnuts and dried fruit:
Nuts are superfoods for the brain! Walnuts are particularly powerful because they are rich in anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids, such as DHA, which are essential for brain function. They also have twice as many antioxidants as other nuts. The natural sweetness from the dried fruit makes this a kid-friendly snack.
Mashed avocado on rice crackers:
The brain is almost completely made of fat, so eating a variety of fats is important for peak performance. Avocados help the brain cells remain flexible and protects nerve cells from damage. Mash an avocado onto a rice cracker for a fun handheld snack.
Blueberries:
All berries are great for brain power, but blueberries stand above the rest. They’re perfect for quick energy and the deep blue color tells us they’re full of antioxidants. Studies have found that diets high in blueberries show improvement in memory and concentration. Blueberries even support the production of the “happy” neurotransmitter, serotonin, to help with the back-to-school-blues.
Fruit and greens squeeze pouch:
We all know dark leafy greens are part of a healthy diet, but I’ve yet to meet a kid that can’t get enough kale. Luckily, fruit and greens squeeze packs are a tasty way to sneak it into your kids’ diet without fuss. Research even tells us that those who routinely eat dark leafy greens have a mental edge over people who rarely or never eat them.
Almond butter banana roll-up:
Here’s a snack you can whip up while you’re still waiting for your coffee to brew. Simply spread some natural almond butter on a whole wheat tortilla and roll a banana up in it. It has quick energy in the carbs and sustained energy in the fat. Bananas are also a great source of potassium, which helps brain cells communicate with each other and stave off the dreaded “brain fog”.
Chia seed snack packs:
If you haven’t tried chia pudding before, now’s the chance! Chia seeds are bursting with brain benefits, like healthy omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, zinc, and magnesium. These easy squeeze packs are perfect to toss in a lunch box and will keep your little one going until
the bell rings.
Oatmeal and fruit squeeze pouch:
Researchers are the University of Toronto found that eating healthy carbs, such as oatmeal, is like a shot of energy to the brain. The quick glucose is used for energy, attention, and concentration. Oatmeal and fruit squeeze packs are a simple and time-saving way to get your kids to eat oats.
Dried seaweed snacks:
Most of us wouldn’t think of seaweed as the ideal kid snack, but kids go nuts for them! They’re crunchy, slightly salty, and a much better alternative to potato chips. Best of all, they’re rich in iodine. Research finds that even mild deficiencies of iodine can impair brain function in kids. Seaweed snacks are a great way to make sure your little one’s iodine bases are covered.
This article was written by the Brain Wave Center in collaboration with Bright Body Nutrition. For more information please give us a call
at 941-552-4500.
Imagine if you will, living in a state of constant worry. Sometimes it is just a sense of uneasiness; at other times, it is a chronic state of fear; and at still other times, it is a paralysis of will. There are people who spend their life bracing for what could happen. Some individuals are in constant dread of some event that may or may not happen. Others have episodic dread and even panic. Technically speaking, this exaggerated fear response is a result of an overexcited limbic system. That is a part of the brain that responds to emotions.
Anxiety and panic attacks are often referred to as the disorder of “what if.” What if this happens, what if that happens, what if I get sick, what if they die, what if the sky falls, Henny Penny? Most of us are not paralyzed by the future. Sure, things can happen and we could suffer the insults of life, but we will deal with it when it happens. For others, however, their entire lives are predicated on what could happen; the thoughts and images they conjure are not very pleasant. They are living almost exclusively in the future, which means that they have abdicated the now. There is very little danger in the now. If people stopped to look realistically at the now, they would find that they are in no immediate danger of death, starvation, mutilation, or any of the other awful fears they have. The now is usually very safe, but patients with anxiety and panic don’t live in the now because they are too busy fighting with the future. Neurofeedback calms the overexcited limbic system and helps them focus on living in the now.
Children frequently have anxieties about the broad new world they are facing; fortunately for most children, these are just stages that they grow through. For some children, however, anxiety becomes a way of life and many of their anxieties are carried into adulthood. Anxieties also tend to generalize from one worry to another, to another. We frequently hear childhood stories of anxieties that persist even into the late stages of adult life. If children can be helped before these “worries” become entrenched, they can avoid a lot of pain in later years.
We Can Help!
Neurofeedback Can Help Overcome most neurological conditions. The best way to start is by calling our office and scheduling an inexpensive QEEG Brain map. The process is safe, non-invasive and incredibly accurate.
We do not normally think of children being depressed, but depression knows no social, economic, gender, or age boundaries. There are many children with dysregulated brains who manifest symptoms of depression. Many children diagnosed with ADHD and other disorders are actually depressed, and if you clear the depression the attentional and behavioral problems disappear. Depression can manifest at any age. Once again, if we rescue the child, we save the adult. If brainwaves are not regulated in childhood, they may carry those dysregulated brainwaves into adulthood. We know of no specific clinical studies confirming that treatment of children for depression precludes depressive patterns in adulthood, but in our clinical practices, this idea seems to hold up.
Often children do not demonstrate the typical signs we think of as depressive signals; instead, some children become more irritable and defiant. They are often angry about not feeling well and so they act out or show irritability or impulsivity. They get labeled as stubborn, disobedient, oppositional, or mean, when, in fact, they just feel lousy and are mad about it. Depression produces unhappy feeling and often severe emotional pain. No one wants a child to live in a chronic state of unhappiness. Brainwave training can help even with severe symptoms. If a child or an adult is on antidepressant medications when they come for neurofeedback, they are usually trained while they are on the medication. As the symptoms improve, the medication is titrated down.
Neurofeedback helps regulate clusters of symptoms. From Healing Young Brains. Robert Hill, Ph.D., Eduardo castro, M.D.
“Early in the development f neurofeeback, several practitioners proposed the idea of global dysregulation. The idea behind his theory is that if brainwaves are dysregulated, there is a strong likelihood of a cluster of symptoms rather than just a single problem. This made sense because seldom will you find anyone with just one symptom related to any disorder. For example, a child with ADHD is likely to have sleep problems, low self-esteem, depression, and perhaps angry outbursts. Another child with the same diagnosis may show generalized irritability, defiance toward authority, and perhaps a tic disorder, and so there is usually a cluster of symptoms, not just a single problem. Practitioners observed that when they started to regulate the ADHD brain, other symptoms began to disappear. For example, not only did the child become more focused, but sleep also improved, tics disappeared, and the child became much easier to work with. In addition, therapists noticed that self-esteem improved, attitude brightened, and depression dissolved. We observed that symptoms in the cluster improved in practically every disorder we treated with neurofeedback. This reinforced the idea of global dysregulation and that various symptoms cluster with other problems; when you regulate one symptom, the others improve.
Allopathic medicine generally focuses on the primary complaint and tries to ameliorate the single problem with a treatment modality such as medication. Medications, however successful, generally carry unwanted side effects. Often a patient will have one drug to treat a single problem and two other drugs to treat the side effects of the first drug. Neurofeedback, on the other hand, seldom, if ever, has unwanted side effecs. In fact, the effects of neurofeedback are generally the amelioration of additional symptoms in the cluster. If the training session does cause an unwanted side effect such as a headache or a sleepless night, it can be remedied in a single neurofeedback session. Many physicians we work with complain that their patients come in with a laundry list of problems; how do you treat five or ten problems at once? In neurofeedback, we expect multiple symptoms with every problem and so this is not a concern. We target the primary problem while charting the other problems in the cluster, knowing that we are addressing more than a single symptom. We recognize that symptoms cluster rater than come in one nice little package with one single complaint.”
In November 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics approved biofeedback and Neurofeedback as a Level 1 or “best support” treatment option for children suffering from ADHD.
Pediatrics. 2014 Mar: 133(3):483-92. doi:10. 1542/peds.2013-2059. Epub 2014 Feb 17
In-school neurofeedback training for ADHD: sustained improvements from a randomized control trial.:
Steiner NJ 1, Frenette EC, Rene KM, Brennan RT, Perrin EC
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sustained improvements 6 months after a 40 session, in-school computer attention training intervention using neurofeedback or cognitive training (CT)
administered to 7-to 11-year-olds with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: One hundred four children were randomly assigned to receive neurofeedback, CT,
or a control condition and were evaluated 6 months postintervention. A 3-point growth model assessed change over time across the conditions on the Conners 3-Parent Assessment Report.
(Conners 3-P), the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Parent Form (BRIEF), and a systematic double-blinded classroom observation (Behavioral Observation of Students in
Schools). Analysis of variance assessed community-initiated changes in stimulant medication.
RESULTS: Parent response rates were 90 at the 6-month follow-up. Six months postintervention, neurofeedback participants maintained significant gains on Conners 3-P
(Inattention effect size [ES] = 0.34. Executive Functioning ES = 0.25. Hyperactivity/Impulsivity ES = 0.23) and BRIEF subscales including the Global Executive Composite (ES = 0.31), which
remained significantly greater than gains found among children in CT and control conditions. Children in the CT condition showed delayed improvement over immediate postintervention
ratings only on Conners 3-P Executive Functioning (ES = 0.18) and 2 BRIEF subscales.
At the 6-month follow-up, neurofeedback participants maintained the same stimulant medication dosage, whereas participants in both CT and control conditions showed statistically and
clinically significant increases (9 mg [P = .002] and 13 mg [P < .001], respectively.)CONCLUSIONS: Neurofeedback participants made more prompt and greater improvements in ADHD symptoms, which were sustained at the 6-month
follow-up, than did CT participants or those in the control group. This finding suggests that neurofeedback is a promising attention training
treatment for children with ADHD.Keywords: Neurofeedback treatment, neurofeedback vs. cognitive training, Nuerofeedback, pediatrics, pediatrics Neurofeedback with ADHD
