Neurofeedback therapy is designed to help retrain your brain to respond better and more effectively to various stimulation. Neurofeedback therapy has a rich and successful history of helping patients recover from a variety of conditions. In this article, we will provide a brief overview of neurofeedback and its effectiveness is helping people live better, healthier lives.
The Development of Neurofeedback Therapy
The earliest related therapy dates back to the middle to late 1920's; however, Neurofeedback as we know it began developing in the 1950's and 60's. Dr. Joe Kamiya performed the first electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback training, discovering that people could be retrained to respond differently, and more effectively to stimuli though a reward-based system. His study, published in Psychology Today in 1968 helped bring early neurofeedback research to the public conscious.
Dr. Barry Sterman, studying at UCLA, is one of the most popular names associated with Neurofeedback. Having already discovered that behavior in cats can be altered through a reward-based system, Sterman discovered that those cats were less susceptible, and even immune to the effects of exposure to toxic fumes from rocket fuel [link source]. Sterman's study, conducted with NASA, led the organization to proceed to train astronauts with similar neurofeedback practices Sterman implemented with the animals.
On the heels of the early work of Sterman and Kamiya, neurofeedback and associated therapies rose in polarity through the 1970's and 80's; however, it often drew the ire of the medical community. Like many recently-discovered treatments before it, neurofeedback has gradually risen is reputation, and has grown significantly in polarity in the last two decades. Utilizing neurofeedback, and similar cognitive behavioral therapies, we have seen significant improvements in patients, in our Asheville office.
Who Can Benefit from Treating Conditions with Neurofeedback?
Today, Neurofeedback therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions. In our office, we have seen patients make huge strides toward overcoming the effects of many conditions, including, but not limited to:
- Depression and anxeity
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Drug and Alcohol Abuse
- Eating Disorders
- Nightmares and Night Terrors
- Chronic Pain
- Teeth-Grinding
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you are in Asheville, or western North Carolina, are suffering from these or other challenging conditions, give us a call. We are here to help you feel better and live a healthier life. The most important thing we want you to know is that we care about you and your wellness.