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There’s a time in everyone’s life when we ask ourselves this question, why do I feel so…? The adjective in this sentence will vary from day to day and person to person but it’s the answer we seek that will consume us at times. So, let’s look at this in steps.
THE FIRST STEP IS
TO IDENTIFY THE FEELING…
Anxious
Tired
Forgetful
Depressed
Stressed
Awake every hour
Awake all night
Energized
Distracted
Fearful
Afraid
Hopeless
Angry
Much pain all over
Disconnected
Irritable
Much pressure or pain in my head
These are just a sampling of the feelings or “symptoms” that you may find yourself asking at some point in time or on a daily and consistent basis. Typically, if you ask yourself this question and the answer is clear, such as:
“I am so nervous about this test”.
“I am so irritable when my dog wakes me in the middle of the night and I don’t sleep well”.
Then, these examples are usually indicative of temporary symptoms. They have a clear cause and a clear resolution.
“Right after the test, I felt relaxed and calm”.
“I slept really well when I put the dog in her crate for the night”.
The situation has passed, and the symptom is brief and resolved.
What happens when the symptom is not brief, the answer is not clear and the feeling is not resolved?
THIS IS THE STAGE WHERE WE START SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS. THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE:
An appointment with my physician.
An appointment with a mental health professional.
Googling my symptoms to figure out what’s going on.
Asking my friends and family if they too experience the same symptoms as I am.
Being hyper focused on everything I feel.
Being in denial and not seeking assistance for any of my symptoms.
Blaming everyone and everything in my life.
Unfortunately, the pursuit of this answer of “why” usually leaves us feeling even greater symptoms or with more or new symptoms.
The fruitless search over “why do I feel this way” can be exhausting and defeating. This brings us to the last stage: I either continue to search for answers using the tools listed above or I suffer with how I am feeling. However, there is another option. Seeking out alternative therapy such as Neurofeedback.
At the Brain and Wellness Center, we have many options available to people suffering with symptoms. We evaluate individuals and determine first, what is going on? We do this through clinical interviews and/or Quantitative EEG.
WHAT IS A QEEG (QUANTITATIVE EEG)
OR BRAIN MAP
The QEEG is a quantitative EEG. It’s also called a brain map and does just that…it gives us a map of what is going on with the entire brain at one time. We attach electrodes to the whole head, 19 spots, and then record the brain waves with eyes open for 5 minutes and with eyes closed for 10 minutes. This recording is then sent to Advanced Psychological Services in North Carolina to be read and analyzed. They are able to not only give us a summary of significant findings, but the report also shows the results of analyzing the data several different ways. The brain activity is not only compared spot by spot over the entire head, but we can also look at connections, symmetry, how different parts are communicating and all of this data is compared to a database of peers (same sex, handedness and age). It can help us see what areas need to be addressed more efficiently than just training spot by spot. A QEEG is not always needed to figure out what is causing symptoms and give you answers, but at times, it is necessary.
After the evaluation we can not only help you identify the causes of your symptoms but also point you in the direction of treatment. We can recommend:
Neurofeedback training
Counseling
EMDR/Trauma Therapy
Biofeedback Therapy
Acupuncture
Nutritional Counseling or Functional Medicine
Traditional Medicine or testing
Learning Improvement Programs
Some of these services are provided in our office while others we can refer you out for.
WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK?
Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, has been studied and practiced since the late 60’s. It is exercise for your brain by allowing you to see the frequencies produced by different parts of your brain in real-time and then through visual and auditory feedback, teaches the brain to better regulate itself. Neurofeedback can be used to help detect, stimulate, and/or inhibit activity in the brain safely and without medication. It can help restore a wider “range of motion” in brain states, much like physical therapy does for the body.
While the client sits comfortably watching a movie or pictures appear on the screen (a calm and focused state), the EEG equipment measures the frequency or speed at which electrical activity moves in the areas where electrodes have been placed. This information is sent to the therapist’s computer. The therapist is then able to determine what frequencies are out of balance. For example, when the EEG shows that you are making too many “slow” or “sleepy” waves (delta/theta) or too many “fast” waves (high beta), the therapist adjusts a reward band to encourage more balanced activity. This encouragement or “reward” happens through visual recognition of the changes on the screen and the auditory reinforcement of “beeps”.
It is important to understand that the neurofeedback approach does not “cure” or “fix” anything. We teach and guide your brain to produce frequencies which help it relax and/or focus. We provide the brain with gentle “challenges” and encouragement in a user-friendly, stress-free format so it learns to regulate or shift to healthier states more smoothly on its own at the appropriate time.
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, focuses on the memories we have that were stored incorrectly and therefore continue to disturb us, even if we’ve reasoned them out. These memories get stored in the emotional part of our brain, so accessing them leaves us feeling as if we are still experiencing them, and all the same hurt comes back. EMDR allows the brain to tap into these feeling memories and conjoin them with more logical reasoning so that we can heal them. We don’t lose the memories, but we lose the emotional grip they have on us. EMDR is an effective treatment for all ages. Even small children can get “stuck” in trauma experienced early in life that the brain stores and they are unable to connect.
What are the Symptoms that can be helped by EMDR?
High anxiety and lack of motivation
Depression
Memories of a traumatic experience
Fear of being alone
Unrealistic feelings of guilt and shame
PTSD
Difficulty in trusting others
Relationship problems
EMDR is similar to that of REM sleep, when our eyes move as we sleep, our brain is able to process the information we have collected through the day. In an EMDR session, your eyes are guided with hand movements or tappers, back and forth at a good pace. While the movement is happening, you may experience different memories, thoughts about the memories, feelings may come up and they may sometimes be intense. Through this process, you will be guided and supported. By the end of the process, your memory, and thoughts about the memory will be different. It won’t hold the same feelings for you anymore, and you may see yourself, and indeed your life, in a new way.
EMDR is a powerful with children as well, helping them move past fears and behaviors triggered by past events. It is done through play and can help move children through tough times with less stigmatizing affects. The children continue to work through therapy in play, with the EMDR allowing the brain to work out their feelings much faster.
COUNSELING
There is no “right or wrong” way to benefit from counseling. Rather, it’s all about the “fit” and needs of our clients. At the Brain and Wellness Center we offer many different options and techniques of counseling to fit those needs. Different counseling styles and approaches for individual clients of all ages, couples and families; make us a unique and inviting place to heal and grow.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Getting started is easy, just give us a call. The Brain and Wellness Center staff will answer all your questions, and help you get scheduled. If you are wondering what services are best for you? We can help determine that at the time of the intake or in a telephone consultation.
Call, email or message us today! Brain and Wellness Center, 7301 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Suite 102A, Boca Raton, FL 33433. (561) 206-2706, e-mail us at
info@bocabraincenter.com, or text us at (561) 206-2706 or visit our website at www.BocaBrainCenter.com.
Renee Chillcott, LMHC
Renee Chillcott is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor that has been practicing Neurofeedback training since 2005. Renee holds a BA degree from The University of Central Florida and a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Licensed Mental HealthCounselor and is the owner/operator of The Brain and Wellness Center, located in Boca Raton. At The Brain and Wellness Center, adults, teens, children and families enjoy a variety of services from multiple providers. Neurofeedback, Brain Mapping, Acupuncture, Nutritional Counseling, Learning Programs, and counseling are among a few of the services offered.
