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Addiction

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“The occiput, located at the back of the brain, is one of the most critical brain areas. In this area of the brain, neurothrapists look for several indicators of healthy brain functioning. If you are relaxed and your eyes are open, the theta/beta ratio should be around two to one—that is, the amplitude of the theta (3-7 Hz) brainwaves should be twice that of the beta (16-25 Hz) waves. This ratio is typically a bit higher in young children and a bit lower in adults, but a value of two is a good guideline. Theta activity in the back of the brain indicates the brain’s ability to quiet itself. When the ratio of the amplitude of the theta to beta waves falls much below two, agitation in the central nervous system is common. In other words, clients find it difficult to shut off the brain. They often experience nonspecific anxiety and have a low tolerance for stress. In extreme cases, this level of agitation leads to a predisposition to addictive behavior. The addiction can be to almost anything: alcohol, nonmedical drugs, prescription medications, food, sex, gambling, exercise, television, a person, or other calming or distracting situations.” pp. 62 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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Interpreting the Signals of the Brain

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How does a neurotherapist interpret brainwave activity? The task for the neurotherapist is to learn how to decipher and find meaning in the patterns of the brain activity that are measured. Today the clinical portrait that I obtain on a client is brief, consisting essentially of the history of any medications, neurological symptoms, seizures, or head injuries. If clients proceed to elaborate on their problems, I usually ask them to wait until after I do the brain map for, more often than not, I can give them a precise description of their problems based on the brain map alone. After interpreting the brain map, I then ask the client to provide additional relevant data, which might include social and emotional events that could have a bearing on how the therapy should proceed.

Assessing five specific sites identifies the neurological bases for most of the problems reported by clients. My descriptions of these five brain regions in this chapter provide general guidelines for identifying problem areas. Many psychological conditions are revealed in brain signatures, which are patterns in brain activity that can be readily identified. A brain map must include the following five locations: the occiput, or back of the brain; the area over the sensory motor cortex, or top of the head; and three locations over the frontal cortex, or front of the brain. Once we have a firm understanding of the information these sites provide, we can look at brainwave data recorded from both child and adult clients that cover a wide range of clinical problems.” pp 60-62. Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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Delta Brain Waves

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“The significance of your delta activity depends on how alert you are when the EEG measurements are obtained. If you are drowsy, with eyes closed, high-amplitude delta waves present in the EEG indicate the early stages of sleep or drowsiness. However, if you are alert and attentive, delta activity over the frontal area of the brain is often associated with chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia. Excessive delta activity directly on top of the head is associated with attention deficiencies and learning problems. Too much delta activity in one area of the brain has effects quite different from those associated with excessive delta in a different area. One patient, Jim, complained of mental “fogginess” and fatigue. The brain assessment revealed several areas of inefficiency, one of which was a marked excess of delta intensity in the frontal part of the brian. Jim had Lyme disease, which, like other viral infections, can produce significant neurological symptoms caused by high frontal delta amplitude. Even after successful medical treatment of this disease, clients often express some cognitive difficulties of the kind Jim suffered from. I treated these problems by suppressing delta amplitude in the right frontal area of Jim’s brain. With a visual picture of the delta activity in his brain, I helped Jim learn how to reduce the delta amplitude. Using biofeedback of the delta amplitude (a tone would signal when the amplitude was decreasing), Jim learned how to engage the mental states associated with reduced delta. After twelve sessions, Jim recovered his previous intellectual capabilities and level of vigor.” pp. 44 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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Theta Brain Waves

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“Theta is probably the most important brainwave band used in a neurotherapist’s diagnosis and treatment. The significance of theta activity, between 3 and 7 Hz, is closely related to the area of the brain where the activity is measured. In most areas, theta is associated with hypoactivity (reduced activity), daydreaming, inattention, absence of directed thought, and drowsiness. High theta amplitude is found at times of inner focus and contemplation. Theta waves are also enhanced during a hypnotic trance, and the vivid images experienced during twilight sleep are also associated with theta activity. Hypnotic states, twilight sleep, meditation, daydreaming—all are associated with reduced activity in the brain and the dominance of theta waves. High theta activity reflects the overall quiescence of the central nervous system. Theta activity in the back of the brain (occipital area, or occiput) is associated with the mind’s ability to quiet itself. Deficient theta activity in the occiput is often associated with sleep disturbance, low stress tolerance, and predisposition to addiction. People with poor theta production in this area often cannot “shut the brain off” and suffer from anxiety-related disorders. Elevated theta amplitude is also found around the site of injuries to the brain because the injured area is not functioning at the same rate as surrounding uninjured areas.” pp. 44-45 Biofeedback For The Brain by Paul G. Swingle PhD. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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Alpha Brain Waves

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“Alpha activity (8-12Hz) is related to relaxed attentiveness. Alpha, in general, is the parking or idling frequency in the brain. Your brain is an enormously energy-hungry organ. It weights only about three pounds in an adult but consumes more than 20 percent of body energy when it is working efficiently. Hence, your brain’s efficiency in getting in and out of park is extremely important. The speed with which the brain’s alpha waves change, an indicator of brain efficiency, can become diminsihed with age and with reduced mental activity. Testing alpha waves also tells us about visualization skills, visual memory, emotional trauma, and artistic skill or interest. For instance, peak performance training for athletes or for those in demanding decision-making situations is focused on amplifying the fast-frequency components of alpha waves. Recall that the alpha brainwave band is between 8 and 12 Hz. Researchers have shown that the greater the amplitude of the faster alpha (over 10 Hz) relative to the slower alpha (below 10 Hz) the better one’s intellectual performance. Simon Hanslmayr, at the University of Salzburg, found that the ratio of fast to slow alpha amplitude can be increased with neurotherapy. He and his colleagues reported that such increases are directly related to improved intellectual performance. Several characteristics of alpha brainwaves are associated with cognitive efficiency. A tune-up treatment often used for elderly people who feel that they are becoming mentally sluggish or forgetful is to increase alpha parking/unparking efficiency. One of the great joys of my practice is seeing fearful and discouraged elderly clients gain a redefined view of themselves and their lives when I “brighten” their brains and discard their drugs. Brain brightening is a simple neurotherapy procedure in which the client learns how to reduce the amount of inappropriate slow-brainwave activity, increase the frequency of the dominant alpha, and increase the rapidity of changes in alpha amplitude from eyes open to eyes closed.” pp. 46-48 Biofeedback For The Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment gegins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777.

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Beta Brain Waves

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“Beta waves cycle faster than delta, theta, alpha, and SMR (Sensory Motor Rhythm) and are associated with processing information. When beta waves dominate, your brain is using a lot of energy, so it is important that the brain quickly ramp up to produce beta activity when required and, perhaps more important, rapidly clamp down the beta when the brain should be resting. Along with theta waves, beta activity provides critical information on the functioning of specific areas in the brain. For instance, too little beta activity in the front of the brain is associated with hypoactivity and the related problems of inattention, comprehension difficulties, and learning problems. On the flip side, too much beta power in the back of the brain can be an indicator of anxiety, low stress tolerance, sleep problems, or depression. If a client’s beta activity remains high over long periods of time, during occasions when it should be diminished, the person often experiences chronic fatigue or emotional volatility. Too little beta power relative to theta waves in the central region at the top of the head is often associated with hyperactivity in children. The child’s brain is understimulated in these cases, and the hyperactivity relieves the discomfort of understimulation. Drugs that stimulate central nervous system, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), Dexedrine, and other amphetamines, can calm the child temporarily and provide a window of opportunity during which other interventions such as neurotherapy and behavioral treatment can be undertaken. Once the children start to achieve successful results, the use of the stimulant can be slowly and progressivley decreased.” PP. 54-55 Biofeedback For The Brain by Paul G Swingle Ph.D. Questions about neurofeedback? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777.

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Your Brain Can Heal

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“Clients are understandably nervous when they are “having their head examined.” Still, they know that something is not quite right for them, either mentally, cognitively, or behaviorally; otherwise, they would not be sitting in my office. “Brain examination” can be a daunting concept, and it is made more so because of the myths we have been told about the brain: “The brain has a limited capacity for recovery. You have to live with the cards you have been dealt.” “Age-related changes in brain efficiency are a fact of life.” “Two years after a stroke, further recovery is impossible.” “Biochemical problems in the brain can be dealt with only by taking drugs.” Our growing knowledge about the brain shows clearly that these old ideas are wrong. Robert Shin of the Department of Neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine states, “For a long time we really didn’t think the brain had [the capability to recover after injury] but now there [is] an increasing understanding that that is not true, that actually the brain can adapt, it can reorganize.” If you have a weak muscle in your body, exercise can increase its strength. If you have inefficiencies in brain functioning, you can exercise that function and increase its efficiency. There is ample evidence of this process. Neurotherapists can usually tell clients why they have come for treatment simply by looking at their brain map. Nothing mysterious or psychic is going on. Rather, the brain signals, recorded, using scalp electrodes, reveal a pattern of activity that correlates with various mental or cognitive states. Clients, having told me nothing about their condition at this point, are impressed by the accuracy of my descriptions and welcome further detailed information. The brain tells me almost everything I need to know to conduct an effective treatment program. Understanding how brainwaves work helps me identify symptoms or, in neurotherapy terms, brain inefficiencies. Such diagnostic precision gives clients confidence in the treatment and in their ability to heal or overcome their particular symptoms. They are reassured because progress can be precisely monitored during treatment. Initially concerned about having the inner workings of their brain exposed, clients rapidly become intrigued by the details of brainwave activity.” pp. 39-40 Biofeedback For The Brain by Paul G. swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map QEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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TBI

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The Brain Injury Association of America estimates that 2 percent of the population is disabled from TBI. In addition to mood disorders and anger problems, the common effects of TBI are problems with memory, agitation, anxiety, fatigue, comprehension, perseveration, motivation, reasoning, problem solving, rate of activity and concentration. One of the major contributions of neurotherapy to the treatment of TBI is to correctly identify injured areas of the brain. Kirtley Thornton and Dennis Carmody of the Center for Health Psychology and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey report that quantitative EEG (QEEG) correctly identifies TBI in more than 90 percent of TBI cases. Joan, a 59 year old woman who suffered TBI after a fall, attempted to return to work but was eventually fired because she could not perform her tasks satisfactorily. She had problems with attention, memory, disorientation, retention of information, and was distracted by the normal background noise of a busy office. All of which resulted in her being dismissed. She had seen many specialists, and one physician even said she was a “symptom magnifier”. Dr. Alvah Byers, whose practice is in Colorado, used neurotherapy to treat Joan. After 31 sessions, Joan’s self-reported severity ratings improved for twenty-one of the twenty-three rated symptoms. Her abstract reasoning measures increased by 15.4 percent, errors on a cognitive task decreased by 77.2 percent, and her estimated IQ increased by 10 percent. She could visit friends without getting lost and play cards with her granddaughter, activities she had been unable to do for six years following her accident. PP. 33-37 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map QEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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You Can Learn To Regulate Your Brainwaves

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Children can learn to regualte their brainwaves by playing a type of video game, but only with their brain. For example, when the brain is producing a healthy pattern, such as reducing the amount of theta-wave activity, balloons move on the computer monitor or a clownlike figure stays out of the water. A brain-controlled Pac-Man game is often a popular and effective reward. Older children and adults are given a simple tone signal when the brain is producing the right waves. Using rewards of sounds and gamelike computer images that provide information about successful brain regulation allows the person to learn what concentration feels like and, better yet, how to sustain that mental state. The field of brainwave-modification therapy, also called neurotherapy, has experienced impressive growth since the mid-1990s. Therapists can now create full EEG brain maps as a simple in-office procedure to help diagnose and design a treatment program for many troubling conditons. Some problems are genetic, others may reflect brain injury, and others may be associated with psychological damage. For the application of brainwave-modification therapies, the origin of the problem is not important. If the condition manifests as an anomaloous pattern of brain signals, then that condition is amenable to neurotherapy. PP. 8-9 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. PH. 260 432-8777

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“Bloodless Brain Surgery”

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“The treatment I provide was once called “bloodless brain surgery” by a patient of mine who experienced a marked reduction in symptoms that had remained unchanged after many years of both conventional medical and alternative treatments. When clients tell me about their problems, my job is not to label the problem but rather to discover the neurological basis for it. Children may have problems in school for any number of reasons. Simply labeling the behavior as ADHD is not going to help the child because ADHD can have multiple causes. …Controlled scientific studies have shown that neurofeedback can permanently improve deficiencies in attention. The safe and lasting neurofeedback intervention, though more time consuming, is a much healthier choice than medication. Relying on stimulants to treat the disorder does nothing to lessen the chronic nature of ADHD and other neurobehavioral conditions. Long-term use of stimulant medications also exposes the child, and later the adult, to serious health risks. A wide array of psychological and neurological disorders can affect a person’s ability to concentrate. Stress, pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, addictions, diet and food sensitivities, hormone disturbances, fatigue, and so on all affect our ability to be aware of environment. Our ability to focus and comprehend is central to every facet of our existence. ” pp. 6-7 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map qEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set an appointment and ask questions. Ph. 260 432-8777

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Have You Been Told “It’s All In Your Head”

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Many clients tell me that after making the rounds of health care providers who have not been able to help, they end up in a psychiatrist’s office. Many of these clients, strugging with neurological and psychological symptoms, find that our health care system typically blames the client for not getting better. Hence, the referral to the psychologist or psychiatrist. The client soon understands that the referring physician believes that the client’s problems are not valid in a medical sense but are a function of the client’s mental condition. My response to clients who have been told, “It’s all in your head,” is “Of course, where else would it be?” The client is experiencing symptoms because the brain is not functioning efficiently. Thus, neurotherapy treats the problem where it resides—in the client’s head. Clients who find a well-trained, certified, and licensed neurotherapy porvider are on their way to a safe, natural, data-guided treatment that corrects problems rather than sedates them. PP. 4-5 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle Ph.D. Questions? Treatment begins with a brain map QEEG. Call Fort Wayne Neurofeedback to set up an appointment and ask questions. Ph 260 432-8777

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Neuroplasticity of the Brain

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“The Plasticity of the Brain Expanding Boundaries”

     Another exciting avenue of research, enriching the brain’s general capabilities, has tremendous potential.  Traditionally, people have been taught that they have to live with the limitations they were born with.  If you are born with an IQ of 85, then you have that level of intelligence for life.  Another old belief is that brain damage is permanent because the brain cannot regenerate.  Yet researchers have established that these ideas are wrong.  The mind is capable of astounding regeneration, growth, and change.  Most of the brain’s systems are plastic, meaning that they can change.  Most of the brain’s systems are plastic, meaning that they can be modified by learning, including the training that takes place with neurotherapy.  In addition, such experiences change the brain’s cellular structure through the branching of neuronal axons and new synaptic growth at the point at which the brain cells communicate.  Researchers have shown that the IQ increases by 10 to 12 points with routine brain wave biofeedback:  this research confirms that structural changes take place in the brain as a result of neurotherapy.”  pp. 31-32.  Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D.

      Vicki B. Kelsey, DC, BCN   Charles L Kelsey, DC, BCN  Phone 260.432.8777 for consultation, brain map, report of findings.

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Is Your Brain Causing You Pain?

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“Some Possible Brainwave Effects: TOO MUCH:  Mental fog, pain=Delta Waves.  Cannot stay focused=Theta Waves.  Cannot finish projects, cannot sleep=Alpha Waves.  Anxiety=Beta.TOO LITTLE:  Poor sleep=Delta Waves.  Cannot relax=Theta Waves.  Mental chatter=Alpha Waves.  Cannot concentrate=Beta Waves.”  pg.29 Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle.  Too much or too little of any brain wave pattern causes symptoms we do not desire.  Neurofeedback trains the brain to function harmoniously.     Drs. Kelsey.  260.432.8777

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ADHD and the Brain Map Findings

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 Example

“After taking all the measurements, I printed out the data and made some calculations to determine the areas of Jason’s brain that showed problematic activity.  I go over my calculations with clients in detail to verify that the information I have gained about their condition matches their experiences and is  the reason they are seeking or have been brought to me for treatment.  This part concerns mostly the parents, but the child is kept as strongly engaged as possible during the review.  I explain that some brainwaves are associated with slow activity in the brain, such as daydreaming; other brainwaves are associated with brain efficiency, others with trauma; and still others with processing information.The details of brainwave assessment are covered in Chapter 2.       

Because children with ADHD often hear bad news when they go to physicians and psychologists, school counselors and teachers, I always start with the positive features found in the brain map, and good signs can always be found.  In Jason’s case:  That is a brainwave pattern that is correlated with a proclivity for artistic, spatial, and musical creativity.  “Jason, look at this.  Do you like to draw or build things or write or play music?  This is the artist’s  signature in the brain.”  I could tell by the look on his father’s face and by Jasons’s smile that I had guessed right.  He is always drawing and building stuff, said Dad enthusiastically.  He used to be crazy about Legos and now he builds models.  He also takes apart a lot of things and forgets to put them back together.  Dad looked at me curiously and asked How did you know that about Jason.  p.12.  From Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul  G. Swingle, Ph.D.     

The brain map is a wealth of information that provides answers of causes and solutions.  Drs. Kelsey

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It’s All In Your Head, Neurofeedback

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  “The client soon understands that the referring physician believes that the client’s problems are not valid in a medical sense but are a function of the client’s problems and not valid in a medical sense but are a function of the client’s mental condition.  My response to clients who have been told, “It’s all in your head,” if “Of course, where else would it be?”  The client is experiencing symptoms because the brain is not functioning efficiently.  Thus, neurotherapy treats the problem where it resides–in the client’s head.  Clients who find a well trained, certified, and licensed neurotherapy provider are on their way to a safe, natural, data-guided treatment that corrects problems rather than sedates them.” p. 5.  From Biofeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D.     Dr. Vicki Kelsey is board certified in neurofeedback through the BCIA.  Dr. Charles is board eligible.  

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“It’ All In Your Head”

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   In his book A Symphony in the Brain, journalist Jim Robbins wonders why a field with such enormous promise, as neurotherapy is still not well known.  It has been practiced by therapists for almost four decades.  Numerous studies have shown that it can treat serious mental conditions.  Further, neurotherapy has been shown to be effective for conditions that many people feel they must endure for the rest of their lives.  Neurotherapy treats these debilitating conditions without drugs or side effects, and it performs, in Robbin’s words, “what most of us have been conditioned to think of as miracles.”  In a similar vein, Frank Duffy, pediatric neurologist at Harvard Medical School, states that neurotherapy “is a field to be taken seriously by all.”     As a well-known expert with thirty years of experience in the field, I have written this book to tell readers what neurotherapy is, how it works, and how it can help you, a loved one, or, if you are a health care professional, your clients and patients.  Neurotherapy can treat many conditions, including attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression, anxiety disorders, sleep problems brain damage from head injuries, epilepsy, and alcoholism and other addictions.  It has been shown to be helpful even for conditions often considered untreatable beyond maintenance and sedation, such as autism and psychosis.  Neurotherapy treats these conditions by changing the way the brain functions.  Although this seems at first to be a daunting notion, it is quite simple and logical.  Brain functions that are not efficient are “exercised” to make them more efficient.  Similar to physical exercise to strengthen specific muscles in the body, neurotherapy increases the efficiency of specific brain functions.  It safely corrects many inefficiencies in the brain that cause problems.”  pp.1-2.  Biodfeedback for the Brain by Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D.     Neurotherapy (neurofeedback) is a drugless therapy without the side effects.  Most improvement is permanent.  Drs. Kelsey.  Phone:  260.432.8777