Understanding Neurofeedback — North Austin, TX
What Is Neurofeedback, and How Does It Work?
Neurofeedback is a non-invasive brain training method that teaches your brain to self-regulate using real-time EEG feedback to reinforce healthier patterns.
Backed by decades of peer-reviewed research, it is one of the most powerful tools available for helping with anxiety, trauma, ADHD, depression, and more.
★ BCIA Board-Certified in Neurofeedback
★ Licensed Mental Health Professional
★ EMDR & Psychotherapy
★ Flexible and Affordable Pricing
The Science
How Neurofeedback Actually Works
Neurofeedback works by measuring your brainwave activity in real time and rewarding your brain when it produces healthier patterns. Over dozens of sessions, those patterns become the brain’s new default.
EEG Sensors Read Your Brain
Small sensors placed on your scalp pick up electrical signals. The same technology used in clinical EEG for decades. Nothing is sent into your brain.
Software Analyzes in Real Time
A clinical software platform analyzes your brainwave patterns 256 times per second and compares them to your personalized QEEG protocol.
Rewards Reinforce Healthy Patterns
When your brain produces the target pattern, you receive an audio or visual reward, a tone, a brightened image, or a sound. This is operant conditioning at the neurological level.
Brain Learns to Self-Regulate
Over time, your brain learns to maintain the rewarded patterns on its own.
No Medication, No Stimulation
Neurofeedback does not send anything into your brain. It only listens. There is no electrical stimulation, and no medication.
QEEG-Guided
Every protocol at North Austin Neurofeedback is built from your individual QEEG brain map. This is the gold standard of neurofeedback care.
Cumulative and Lasting
Neurofeedback produces lasting neurological change. Most clients maintain improvements long after their protocol ends.
Clinically Supervised Throughout
Certified technicians review your session data and adjusts your protocol as your brain responds. You are never handed a generic plan and left to it.
What Neurofeedback Treats
A Brain-Based Approach to Common Mental Health Conditions
Neurofeedback has peer-reviewed evidence for a wide range of conditions because most mental health symptoms share a common mechanism: dysregulated brainwave patterns.
Rather than targeting symptoms directly, neurofeedback addresses the underlying neurological patterns producing those symptoms. That’s why one modality can be effective across so many conditions.
The Research
Peer-Reviewed Evidence for Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback has been studied in indexed medical journals for over 50 years. These are some of the headline findings.
Level 4
Evidence rating from the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback— the 2nd to highest non-medication rating (Sherlin, L., et al. 2011)
60%+
of PTSD clients no longer met diagnostic criteria after neurofeedback training (Van der Kolk et al.).
3,000+
peer-reviewed studies on neurofeedback published in indexed medical journals worldwide (Dobrakowski, P., et al. 2024).
van der Kolk, B. A., et al. (2016). A randomized controlled study of neurofeedback for chronic PTSD. PLOS ONE, 11(12), e0166752. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166752
Sherlin, L., et al. (2011). The evidence-base for neurofeedback as a reimbursable healthcare service. ISNR White Paper. https://isnr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/NFB-as-an-Evidence-Based-Treatment-for-ADHD.pdf
Dobrakowski, P., et al. (2024). Mapping the evolution of neurofeedback research: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11116792/ Mapping the evolution of neurofeedback research: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11116792/
Neurofeedback vs. Other Approaches
How Neurofeedback Differs From Talk Therapy and Medication
Neurofeedback is not a replacement for therapy or medication — it works differently, and often best in combination with them.
vs. Medication
Medication works by altering brain chemistry while you take it. Neurofeedback produces lasting neurological change that persists after training ends.
vs. Talk Therapy
Therapy changes how you think about your experience. Neurofeedback changes the brain producing that experience. Both address different layers of the problem.
vs. Meditation
Meditation requires conscious effort and practice. Neurofeedback trains the brain passively, and the changes happen at a sub-cortical level.
vs. TMS / tDCS
Transcranial stimulation sends electrical current into the brain. Neurofeedback only reads brain signals. No stimulation of any kind.
Best Used Together
At North Austin Neurofeedback, we integrate neurofeedback with EMDR, CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based therapies for a comprehensive treatment plan.
Who It’s For
Neurofeedback is appropriate for children as young as 4, adults of any age, and clients who have not responded to medication or traditional therapy alone.
★ BCIA Board Certified · BCIA · LCDC · BCN
QEEG-Guided. Clinician-Led. Every Session.
Every neurofeedback protocol at North Austin Neurofeedback begins with a full QEEG brain map. Which is a 20–30 minute recording that shows exactly which brainwave patterns are dysregulated and by how much.
A clinician then designs a protocol specific to your brain map and your goals. Your data is reviewed after every session and adjusts the protocol as your brain responds. This is what separates clinical neurofeedback from consumer devices.
Questions About Neurofeedback
Common Questions We Hear
Honest answers about what neurofeedback is, what it isn’t, and whether it’s right for you.
Is neurofeedback safe?
Yes. Neurofeedback has been studied for over 50 years and has no known serious adverse effects. It is non-invasive and does not involve any medication or stimulation.
How many sessions will I need?
Most clients complete 20–40 sessions. The exact number depends on the condition being addressed, the severity of symptoms, and how frequently you train.
Will it work for me?
The QEEG brain map gives us a clear neurological picture before we begin. If neurofeedback is not a good fit for your patterns, Gil will tell you — and recommend what is.
Can I do it remotely?
Yes. We offer take-home neurofeedback with full clinical oversight by a clinician. You start with an in-office QEEG, then train at home with equipment.
Does neurofeedback replace my current medication?
No. We never advise clients to stop medication without consulting their prescriber. Many clients continue medication during neurofeedback and reassess with their doctor as they progress.
