The Neurofeedback Institute

The Neurofeedback Institute represents a group of highly trained mental health practitioners

The Neurofeedback Institute has been serving the South Florida area since 2002. The institute represents a group of psychologists and mental health practitioners that specialize in neurofeedback training (aka neurotherapy and EEG biofeedback). Neurofeedback has been used for years in the treatment of an array of symptoms (i.e. anxiety, inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, headaches, seizures and sleep instabilities). In addition to such, athletes and executives for peak performance training also use it. Both, the World Champion 2006 Italian Soccer Team and the gold medal 2010 Canadian Free Style Ski Team, incorporated neurofeedback into their training regiment. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) now makes it possible to see the influence of neurofeedback training in the brain. Increase density of white and gray matter in the brain has been evidenced after training occurs. This reflects enhanced neuroplasticity and cognitive function. Although many that seek the treatment do so for alleviation of symptoms, virtually everyone can in someway benefit from it.Neurofeedback is a direct training of brain function that allows you to teach your brain to work more efficiently. It is based on two central assumptions: (1) that brainwave activity reflects your mental states and (2) that this activity can be trained. For years, scientists have known that the brain emits various brainwaves that are indicative of the electrical activity of the brain and that different brainwaves are produced depending on whether you are asleep, focused or daydreaming. Recent technological advances now allow us to view this activity and to train the brain to alter it. We can now observe the brain in action and feed back the information via a computer-generated image. We are then able to reward the brain when it is exhibiting more appropriate patterns (such as when you are calmed and focused). Thus, we reinforce the brain for enhancing its self-regulation. As noted by Dr. Siegfried Othmer, ???self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better.???When training, sensors are placed on the scalp to pick up brainwave activity via an electrode encephalograph (EEG). This allows the clinician to read the EEG, while the participant sits back to enjoy a movie or play a ???brain game.??? The video game usually has the trainee focusing on ???moving??? a character or object.