The Tarnow Center - psychiatry, psychology, speech and language, education, vocational work and counseling

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Is Neurofeedback Right for you?

Engaging in neurofeedback requires a strong commitment, as people may not experience the beneficial effects until 15 or more sessions. Some people will require forty or more sessions. It is usually not helpful for people to engage in a highly limited number of sessions, as change does not often occur quickly. It requires a time commitment and a financial commitment, and you should be prepared for both. Preliminary indications have shown that some type of life experience or substance use compromises gains that have been made.

Neurofeedback is very helpful for many people, depending upon the particular problem that they want to address. Those who are interested should be aware that it is a form of training that is considered experimental by some people. You should be aware that some insurance company personnel and professionals like physicians and psychologist are not aware of the latest published research or may consider Neurofeedback an "experimental" intervention for your problem. There are also many health care practitioners who are convinced that this intervention is not experimental. They believe that the efficacy of Neurofeedback has been adequately demonstrated.

As you think about whether or not to engage in this process, you should:

  • Consider the time involved: Minimum 2 sessions per week for 18 consecutive weeks
  • Consider the cost of the qEEG: $1090 in addition to a visit with a Psychiatrist ($150-300)
  • Consider the cost involved: $135/session for 35 to 40 sessions
  • Consider your commitment to this process
  • Ask questions of your neurotherapist
  • Do your own research to make an educated decision about whether or not this is right for you
  • Review the attached consent with your health care professional
  • Consider whether neurofeedback might be a useful addition to other forms of treatment such as psychotherapy, physical therapy, medication, etc. or whether one of these other forms of treatment might be appropriate for you.

This document was intended to provide preliminary information regarding the process of neurofeedback. More information is available to you upon request. The Tarnow Center can provide you with copies of scientific papers that describe how neurofeedback is used to treat your problem. Also, you may begin to do your own research on the Internet. Included in this packet, is a list of references and helpful websites.