NeuroFeedback, NeurOptimal and Electroencephalography

[Laura]

I think the below testimony is really interesting, particularly in regard to negative effects being brought up. This case is more extreme than any of the negative effects mentioned so far, but the extreme provides some insight, I think.

<snip>

It seems to suggest that both the 'positive' and 'negative' effects from doing NO, are probably each beneficial in their own way. Seems in some cases NO can amplify certain issues, or maybe brings such issues to the surface where they need to be processed.

Yes. Being aware of possible traumas and how to deal with them if one opts to do NO therapy is the main reason I want peeps to be reading "Healing Developmental Trauma". The authors give some very good techniques and advice about how to cope with stuff as it comes up, including transcripts and descriptions of therapy sessions with real patients.

 

[Laura]

If this gadget shows the results that are claimed for it, we are definitely going to get one and make it available to all our FOTCM members even if we have to ship it to a member who can act as operator for a particular area so that peeps have access. I don't think that cost should be a barrier to our members.

 

[Jones]

I spoke to a Neuroptimal practitioner today about hiring a system. The nearest practitioner to me is not close enough for me to be able to travel to frequently. He hires out a personal machine which has fewer bells and whistles for AUD$400 per month and includes 20 sessions. The personal machines don't keep record of any activity so he suggests doing an appointment with him first on the professional machine so that the base data can be taken and compared to the end of month data and also so that he can coach me on correct placement and attachment of the electrodes. His current hire machine is already being used and won't be available until next month. It all seems very promising after reading everyones experiences.

I'm also curious and somewhat excited about the diaphragm in the base of the skull. I often get a dull ache there, particularly if I'm on my feet a lot or there has been some kind of emotional disturbance and I only seem to get short term relief if any at all from chiropractic adjustments.

There is some information in regards to the different transverse diaphragms in the body, and possible symptoms and/or indications that they might need attention in cranio-sacral therapy material that may be of interest.

http://craniosacraltopics.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/transverse-diaphragm-release-in.html

I’ve currently got appointments booked for an MRI and Balance testing to investigate some similar symptoms as listed here for the skull based diaphragm – in particular migraine and headache, and dizziness and light headedness. My current diagnostic possibilities are Meniere’s Disease or Vestibular Migraines, but will also check for a Chiari Malformation with the MRI. That’s where the cerebellum herniates into the top of the spinal canal putting pressure on the brainstem – this also produces similar symptoms. Apparently the balance testing (electronystagmography, video nystagmography and caloric test) the results of which can reveal whether my symptoms are coming from the brain stem or the vestibular system. So until I can hire the machine, I’ll be reading with interest.

 

[Laura]

I spoke to a Neuroptimal practitioner today about hiring a system. The nearest practitioner to me is not close enough for me to be able to travel to frequently. He hires out a personal machine which has fewer bells and whistles for AUD$400 per month and includes 20 sessions. The personal machines don't keep record of any activity so he suggests doing an appointment with him first on the professional machine so that the base data can be taken and compared to the end of month data and also so that he can coach me on correct placement and attachment of the electrodes. His current hire machine is already being used and won't be available until next month. It all seems very promising after reading everyones experiences.

That seems pretty reasonable. It does rush the sessions by doing 20 within a month. But maybe that doesn't matter? I'm doing it once a week because it is about a 40 minute drive to the practitioner.

 

[Jones]

That seems pretty reasonable. It does rush the sessions by doing 20 within a month. But maybe that doesn't matter? I'm doing it once a week because it is about a 40 minute drive to the practitioner.

I guess I'll take it one session at a time. If it seems too much I can space the sessions out - maybe share them with someone. My niece is on benzo's at the moment and that's concerning so I'll talk to her and see if she would like to use it too.

 

[Laura]

There's another odd side effect I think I should mention since it just happened again last night: resolution or information via dreams. The first one, about a week ago, featured members of my family though the life situation was different and the family roles were different. I had the awareness that I was being informed about a past life dynamic that was behind current life relationships. That's really it. It was just informational.

Last night, it was about my mother, love and loss and all that. Just as I was waking up in a tearful state, the song "Cry me a River" started playing in my head. So, I woke up and thought about the fact that my mother has been dead almost eight years and I was really surprised that so much time has already passed since her death. Today, now, there is a feeling of mourning.

I'll be interested to hear how many others might process some things this way.

 

[Gaby]

My dreams have been consistently an energetic reading of current events throughout the years. This got more pronounced in clarity with the arrival of my Cassiopaean crystals. This pattern continues since the neurofeedback sessions, but some dreams have a distinct flavor of being related to things I'm processing.

For instance, last night I had a dream where there was someone clearly upset with a young vulnerable woman. He was yelling that he was sided with self-righteous energies and as he said this, he was showing his tattoo which looked similar to the Ying Yang symbol and/or the symbol in the South Korean flag. Only that one side was much bigger than the other. The woman then joins me after she is yelled at, and we go to an open field, searching for a safe space to rest. I had the distinct feeling as I woke up that this was symbolic of the energies behind my close relatives as I was growing up.

My dreams usually don't have a strong feeling content. This one from last night, did.

 

[Timótheos]

So I took the plunge, made an appointment, and yesterday I had my first experience of neurofeedback via Neuroptimal.

I did the same. The experience was interesting overall. I chose to listen to the music instead of watching the video, which was kind of a new-age compilation of reverb congas, melodic guitar and piano, with a kind of native American chanting overtop. I relaxed into a meditative state, concentrating on the sound and noticed a moderate amount of clicking breaks in the music. Sometimes there'd be a break every few seconds, sometimes no clicks for a minute or more. I kinda zoned out and it was over before I knew it.

As for after effects, I noticed feeling particularly ornery that day during the drive home, but that may have been due to the stress of driving through a mostly unfamiliar large urban city and getting lost at one point. Also that we went shopping at a Costco-type superstore immediately afterwards, which probably added to my feelings of negativity.

Other than not, not too much to report. A few odd dreams the last couple of nights, most of which I can't remember now. We have another appointment scheduled for next week.

 

[nature]

Did neurofeedback have anything to do with my tiredness and how I slept last night? I don’t know. It was a busy and tiring day in general. Despite (or because of?) how much I slept last night, I am still feeling tired and sleepy today too. So we will see. I made another appointment for next week. Now I am more curious than before even, because that nose-opening thing was totally unexpected, even if helpful in the end. Plus I want to finish watching Pinocchio.

You focused highly on Pinocchio's nose ! :D

 

[Alana]

Did neurofeedback have anything to do with my tiredness and how I slept last night? I don’t know. It was a busy and tiring day in general. Despite (or because of?) how much I slept last night, I am still feeling tired and sleepy today too. So we will see. I made another appointment for next week. Now I am more curious than before even, because that nose-opening thing was totally unexpected, even if helpful in the end. Plus I want to finish watching Pinocchio.

You focused highly on Pinocchio's nose ! :D

Actually, I didn't get to that part of the movie yet, where his nose gets longer every time he lies. I totally forgot about this aspect of the story! I chose Pinocchio because of a video by Jordan Peterson talking about the "psychological truths" hidden in that story/movie, and I hadn't watched it since I was a child, so when I saw it available, I thought that it was a good opportunity to refresh my memory. I didn't consciously make the nose-Pinocchio connection until you brought it up. Interesting!

Dream-wise, the night after neurofeedback I had many dreams (but I also slept many hours) which I don't remember, but at one point I was aware that a person I knew long time ago was dead. Last night, I slept OKish, like usual, took a while to fall alseep, slept almost 7 hrs. Anxiety-wise, no changes there.

 

[Chu]

I've had two dreams that felt like a resolution of some sort. I could hardly remember many details, but the feeling waking up from the first one was a strong "now you can let go" related to my relationship with my mother and memories from the past in relation to her. The second one was very clear for a few seconds after waking up, and then I completely forgot. I only remember feeling that I had just done some "cleansing" or processing, and a calm sensation, also like letting go of something heavy. It could be more related to the book Healing from Developmental Trauma than to NF, though. Or both!

 

[Jacques]

The website of the Association pour la Diffusion du Neurofeedback en France,
https://www.adnf.org/neurofeedback_welcome.htm

has a directory with the practitioners world-wide (Neuroptimal method), with options for renting or buying new/second hand equipment.

I am so looking forward to try this out, once I decide how to go about it! (rental, seeing a practitioner, or, I am even considering visiting a practitioner for an evaluation, and then renting the equipment to do it on my own)

(Just saw your post Laura, putting it in the amazon basket!)

Thanks Alana for the info. It seems that there is a practitioner in my area.

So, I might try it eventually.

So I took the plunge, made an appointment, and yesterday I had my first experience of neurofeedback via Neuroptimal.

I also took the plunge and made an appointment for next Tuesday.

 

[Hesper]

Last night I had a series of dreams that, at least it seemed to me, concerned past life dynamics. Places of work, periods of time, and dysfunctional family dynamics were covered in a straight-forward informational way. I am not using the Neuroptimal system, though this is the third week of doing biofeedback exercises.

 

[Altair]

Last night I had a series of dreams that, at least it seemed to me, concerned past life dynamics. Places of work, periods of time, and dysfunctional family dynamics were covered in a straight-forward informational way. I am not using the Neuroptimal system, though this is the third week of doing biofeedback exercises.

Sorry, if I missed it but what are these exercises you are doing?

 

[Hesper]

Last night I had a series of dreams that, at least it seemed to me, concerned past life dynamics. Places of work, periods of time, and dysfunctional family dynamics were covered in a straight-forward informational way. I am not using the Neuroptimal system, though this is the third week of doing biofeedback exercises.

Sorry, if I missed it but what are these exercises you are doing?

I am doing heart-rate variability biofeedback as well as brain training with a practitioner. Though I'm not sure what system she's using I know that it differs from Neuroptimal. I discuss the exercises more thoroughly here and about my testing here. I have had one brain training session and felt fatigued afterwards, and have had three weeks of heart training.