|
|
|
EEG Biofeedback | EMDR | General Biofeedback | Quantitative EGG | Heart Rate Variability Neurofeedback | Psychological Testing | Prepare/Enrich/Mate | Reality Therapy | DNMS |
|
EEG BIOFEEDBACK: EEG biofeedback/neurofeedback/neurotherapy is a noninvasive, painless procedure in which a sensitive electronic instrument measures the frequency and strength of an individual’s brain electrical activity. The information is immediately sent to a high-speed computer which processes this data and presents information about it to the individual as visual and auditory feedback. With continuous feedback, coaching and practice, a person learns to control and change brainwave patterns to normalize and enhance brain function. At present, over several thousand published studies demonstrate the efficacy of neurotherapy in the treatment of a wide range of disorders including ADD, ODD, compulsive disorders, addictions, depression and anxiety. For professional information about the field, go to www.futurehealth.org or www.isnr.org. [ back to index ] EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a method of psychotherapy that integrates many of the successful elements of a number of therapeutic approaches in combination with bilateral stimulation of the brain, which activates its information processing system. Bilateral stimulation of the brain, such as eye movement, helps the brain metabolize the overwhelming experiences of past and present. At the end of this accelerated processing most people feel relaxed and free of physical symptoms which had accompanied the formerly overwhelming experience. This allows the brain to heal its psychological problems at the same rate as the rest of the body in healing its physical ailments, making it unnecessary to spend protracted amounts of time on old psychological material. A recent study showed that EMDR was twice as effective in half the amount of time compared to the standard traditional care for trauma. It is also quite useful for depression, addictions, phobias and other disorders. [ back to index ] GENERAL BIOFEEDBACK: Biofeedback allows you to become an active participant in your healing and/or health maintenance. You can learn to identify changes your body makes in response to stress and to bring these responses under your control. This is accomplished through a painless, noninvasive method which feeds back information about subtle changes in your body and teaches skills of self-awareness and self-control. We offer EMG, thermal, EEG and heart rate variability biofeedback modalities. Some of the conditions benefiting from biofeedback are hypertension, attention deficit disorder, Raynaud’s Syndrome, colitis, ulcers, headaches and anxiety. [ back to index ] QUANTITATIVE EEG: Quantitative EEG (sometimes referred to as brain mapping or QEEG) and neurofeedback (also known as EEG biofeedback or neurotherapy), is the measurement through digital technology of electrical patterns at the surface of the scalp, which primarily reflect cortical electrical activity or "brainwaves." QEEG is one of the more reliable tests in demonstrating and quantifying white matter pathology. Since 1989 with the work of Thatcher, et. al. on mild head trauma, use of QEEG for accurate diagnosis has become routine. The work has been validated, replicated and reviewed in the literature by experts in refereed journals, meeting the strictest clinical standards in medicine; a sampling of references is at the end of this article. The American Medical EEG Association Ad Hoc Committee on QEEG has stated that QEEG "is of clinical value now and developments suggest it will be of even greater use in the future," Duffy F, Hughes J, Miranda F, Bernad P, Cook P. The Status of Quantitative EEG (QEEG) in Clinical Practice, Clinical Electroencephalography, 1994, 25, 6-22. Since 1977, there are over 2,000 publications in journals and books of studies concerning the clinical application of computerized EEG to a wide variety of disorders. QEEG has scientifically documented ability to aid in the evaluation of conditions such as mild traumatic brain injury, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, stroke, epilepsy, and to predict outcomes from treating conditions such as ADD/ADHD, alcoholism and drug abuse. Using neurofeedback to treat conditions has been scientifically documented to be successful with ADD/ADHD, closed head injuries and addictions. The American Psychological Association has also endorsed QEEG and neurofeedback as being within the scope of practice of psychologists who are appropriately trained, and there are national associations for professionals from multiple disciplines who are utilizing these procedures. The procedure for a QEEG takes about 1½-2 hours. It is non-invasive, and no electrical current is put into the brain. It consists of placing a snug cap on the head which contains small electrodes to measure the electrical patterns coming from the brain--much as a physician listens to the heart from the surface of the skin. Information is gathered on the brainwave patterns and the efficiency of communication between different parts of the brain. This is done while the client sits with eyes open, then eyes closed and while doing one or two cognitive tasks. After the client leaves the office, there is a lengthy office procedure to remove any artifacts that occurred when the eyes moved or blinked, facial muscles tightened or the client moved slightly in the chair. This artifacted data is then compared to a number of sophisticated data bases of the brainwaves of persons of the same age and sex who have been intensely screened for normality. This highly statistically accurate analysis is more sensitive than MRI, CT scan or neurological examination in diagnosing white matter injury, since it measures microscopic changes. This assessment procedure allows us to then determine in a highly scientific, objective manner whether and how a client's brainwave patterns are significantly different from what would be expected. The QEEG assists in knowing if there are abnormalities in brain function that neurofeedback might be helpful in treating and how to individualize neurofeedback to the unique problems of each client. For example, there have been numerous subtypes of ADD/ADHD which have been identified in recent scientific research--none of which can be diagnosed from observing the person's behavior. Unfortunately, some clinicians apply a standardized intervention based only on the fact, for example, that someone has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, according to the person’s behavioral symptoms. However, a sophisticated QEEG allows a much deeper look and provides the information to tailor treatment to each individual client's needs. [ back to index ] HEART RATE VARIABILITY: Research indicates that a person’s heart rate variability (HRV) is integrally linked with state of mind, emotions and physiology. The experience of negative emotions leads to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby affecting the rest of the body. Dramatic positive shifts often occur in a person’s perceptions when the heart rhythms are smooth and coherent. We use HeartMath’s Freeze-Framer to teach clients how to improve heart rhythm coherence. This technique is useful for reducing stress, in general, but also for reducing anger, anxiety and improving cardiac function. [ back to index ] NEUROFEEDBACK: See “EEG Biofeedback" [ back to index ] PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING: MMPI, MILLON, CHILDREN’S BATTERY, MYERS-BRIGGS [ back to index ] PREPARE/ENRICH/MATE: Prepare is an inventory for couples contemplating marriage. Enrich is an inventory for married couples; Mate is for married couples over fifty. These three inventories provide scores on the couple’s agreement on ten different areas including communication, financial management and sexual relationship. In addition, it compares the couple’s families’ of origin styles of relating and the couple’s style of relating. Research shows that these inventories have a high validity in predicting marital outcome. [ back to index ] REALITY THERAPY: Reality Therapy, based on Choice Theory, is a method of counseling which aims at helping people gain more effective control over their lives. Reality Therapy helps people: 1) to look honestly at what they want and what they are doing to get it, 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of what they are doing, and 3) to use self-evaluation to move toward positive personal change. Dr. William Glasser’s Choice Theory, the theoretical basis of Reality Therapy, explains that we can only control our own behavior. All that we can give to others and receive from them is information. Choice Theory teaches us to make satisfying and healthy choices for ourselves, as well as staying connected with others. [ back to index ] DNMS (DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS MEETING STRATEGY): Children grow and develop in stages. Each developmental stage involves a set of needs which should be met by parents or caretakers. The degree to which childhood needs were not adequately met at a given developmental stage, is the same degree to which a person may be stuck in that stage. When a person is stuck in childhood, there's always a risk of something retriggering a child part of self. For example, a person may feel like an adult one minute - then something upsetting happens and suddenly they're seeing the world through the eyes of a sad, angry or fearful child. The Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS) is a psychotherapy approach which helps child parts get unstuck from the past, so they can grow to meet their full potential now. Once a child part is totally unstuck from the past, he or she will no longer overreact to disturbing events. In other words, when a disturbing event happens, it will be experienced by adult parts of self, and handled in a rational appropriate fashion. A disturbing event will not evoke irrational, child-like fears and beliefs in any child part that has healed. A healthy, supportive, nurturing relationship between parent and child has a direct impact on the development of the child's orbital prefrontal cortex (a part of the brain). The neural pathways formed by this loving parent-child relationship are vital for the development of the child's capacity for emotional self-regulation. The presence of these neural pathways ensures that the child will be able to explore the world, separate from parents, and mature in healthy ways. If these neural pathways are not formed, or not formed well enough, a child will grow up feeling insecure, and the development of normal behaviors (play, exploration, and social interactions) may be impaired. DNMS therapy may be constructing the neuronal pathways in wounded adults, that should have been formed in childhood. After DNMS, clients report feeling more integrated and whole, and better able to manage their emotions. Many DNMS clinicians are finding it helpful for treating depression, anxiety, social phobias, panic disorder, obsessions/compulsions, substance abuse, relationship problems, eating disorders, dissociative disorders, complex PTSD, borderline personality disorder, sexual addiction, sexual abuse, and complicated grief. The DNMS helps resolve symptoms that originated in a problematic childhood, where developmental needs were not met well. If a depression, for example, were solely due to an organic disorder, DNMS would probably not be much help. DNMS is not usually short-term therapy, but it does appear to be efficient, taking much less time than traditional talk therapy. The length of treatment depends on a person's therapy goals, the number of unmet developmental needs, and availability of internal resources. [ back to index ] |