Frequently asked questions

The average time to achieve significant improvement is 4–6 months, but every person is different. Some people notice subtle improvements in the very first session; others take 10–15 sessions before noticing changes.

It’s a bit like asking, “After I start lifting weights, how long before I’m stronger?” or “How long does it take to learn the piano or a new language?” Some people learn faster than others, but anyone who gives up early won’t learn at all. In neurofeedback, “learning” literally means changing your brain activity and pathways, a process neuroscientists call neuroplasticity.

Factors that clearly affect how quickly you improve:

• How motivated you are to improve
• How frequently and how consistently you train
• Other factors that speed up or slow down neuroplasticity (see below)

Things shown to speed up or slow down learning, and therefore your improvement:

• Alcohol and drugs: heavy use slows learning.
• Medications: neuro-active prescription or over-the-counter medications can affect the learning process.
• Supplements: high-quality brain supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and probiotics can support neuroplasticity. Michael Cohen’s book Neurofeedback 101 discusses research on broad-spectrum micronutrient supplements with good absorption.
• Sleep: good deep sleep makes learning faster; poor or inconsistent sleep slows it down.
• Nutrition and toxins: a balanced anti-inflammatory diet with high-quality protein and “good fats” (fish, walnuts, avocados, olive oil) supports learning; junk food, processed food, simple sugars, toxins and mold exposure can slow it down.
• Allergies and inflammation: reactions to foods such as dairy, gluten, nuts, chocolate or certain wines can cause inflammation that slows learning.
• Complementary training: HRV training, other biofeedback, meditation, mindfulness and yoga can all enhance your results.

Yes. Assuming you follow our recommendations, the benefits of Neuro EP treatments are typically long-lasting. Occasionally people need a “brain refresher” if symptoms begin to return after stopping treatment, but this is relatively uncommon.

A typical session in our office is about 45 minutes, and you can adjust this based on your preferences.

For remote treatment at home, we recommend 30 minutes of neurofeedback. You can add 10–15 minutes of HRV training to improve your results, and you can train for as long or short as you like.

We typically recommend 2–3 sessions per week, depending on your treatment. This can be adjusted up or down based on your situation and preferences.

You’ll be escorted to a treatment room and seated in a comfortable chair. We apply sensors to your head, with no needles and no pain, and record your brain activity. Depending on your protocol, you’ll hear or see a representation of your brain activity. This process allows your brain to improve abnormal activity, which often improves your symptoms.

We’re located at 330 22nd Ave N., Nashville, Tennessee, with dedicated treatment rooms where we handle all the preparation. Alternatively, we can treat you remotely at home using video telemedicine technology.

Yes, absolutely! We offer remote treatment anywhere in the world using video telemedicine technology.

We have several programs depending on your situation. The typical cost for Neuro EP treatments is $598 per month for unlimited sessions.

Almost all US health insurance companies cover the consultations and provider visits related to your evaluation, diagnosis and treatment by our providers.

Most insurers will not pay the monthly fee for specific Neuro EP treatments, though some will pay a portion. If your insurance pays for any of your Neuro EP treatments, you’ll be refunded anything you paid that was covered.

A single neurofeedback session is for people who want to experience a session without treating a specific symptom.

If you’re ready for treatment, Unlimited Neuro EP Services gives you access to as many treatments and brain maps as you want each month, including:

• Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) monitoring
• GSR / skin conductance, hand temperature and HR biofeedback
• HRV training
• IR/NIR photobiomodulation
• ISF cross-frequency coupling neurofeedback
• Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
• sEMG biofeedback
• Traditional EEG power neurofeedback
• Z-score training neurofeedback

A qEEG brain map lets us visualize your brain activity, which represents how your brain is functioning. This activity is also called Neuro Electrophysiology (Neuro EP). An MRI or CT shows the structure of your brain (neuro-anatomy) but nothing about how it functions (neuro-physiology).

The map shows whether certain areas have too much activity (for example, the Pain Network) or too little (for example, the Attention Network). We use that information to prescribe a treatment protocol based on your exact brain activity.

• Timing. Neurofeedback research began in the 1960s and 70s. Just as it was gaining momentum, new neurotransmitter-targeting drugs arrived, including Prozac in the late 1980s. These drugs act on the synapses between neurons, where Neuro EP treatments also have their effect, and helped some of the same symptoms. Many physicians preferred medications because they are easier to administer and work faster. Problems such as side effects, dependence and gradual worsening of brain activity often took years or decades to understand, by which time a newer drug had arrived, and the cycle continues today.
• The quick fix. Patients also understandably prefer a quick fix. But many eventually become discouraged by side effects and the prospect of taking medication for life, and never hear that drug-free, sustainable results are possible with Neuro EP treatments, even if they take longer to achieve.
• Marketing. The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars every year making sure physicians and patients know about medication options. No comparable industry promotes Neuro EP treatments, partly because a treatment that doesn’t need to continue for life earns far less money.