Neurotherapy is a medication free and non-invasive form of treatment involving neurostimulation and brain training, which can lead to enhanced emotional, cognitive, and behavioral regulation and efficiency. This type of therapy is effective in addressing ADHD, anxiety, depression, and autism in addition to many other conditions.

Jason F. Mishalanie, Ph.D., Clinical Director of VCNH, is BCIA board certified in neurofeedback and trained in the assessment, diagnosis, and psychological treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Mishalanie, along with the staff at VCNH, will provide you or your child with a specialized approach to therapy.

How Does Neurotherapy Work?

Our neurotherapy process is like learning to ride a bike.

Initially, you’ll need training wheels to guide you. Neurostimulation is like training wheels on a bike. The brain copies the frequencies it is given. We demonstrate to the brain what we would like it to do. Then we remove the training wheels and test your riding capabilities with neurofeedback. Your brain learns how to behave by mimicking the frequencies it is asked to make and, in time, it creates these frequencies on its own.

We often begin intensively (between two and five sessions weekly). The degree of intensity depends on the severity of the condition. We have learned that, in some cases, undergoing one session per week at the onset of therapy does not produce reliable results. Over time, we reduce the number of sessions until the individual’s brain is behaving in the desired way, reliably and sustainably.

Your brain then knows how to behave just like you know how to ride a bike (once you’ve learned).

An Analogy

Imagine teaching a child to eat with a spoon. Neurofeedback alone is akin to handing the child the spoon and never demonstrating to the child what to do with it. The child will dig in the dirt, play with the spoon, etc., and as soon as he places the spoon in his mouth, you praise him (give him a reward, such as clapping, verbal praise, etc.).

Neurostimulation plus neurofeedback is akin to first showing the child first how to eat with a spoon, then handing the child the spoon and clapping when they mimic your behavior.

Whereas neurofeedback alone involves waiting for the brain to stumble upon the desired activity on its own, and then rewarding it, pairing neurostimulation and neurofeedback together involves gently directing the brain to engage in the desired activity, and then rewarding the brain for continuing to do it. Pairing the techniques together yields faster and more precise outcomes.