Neurofeedback: achieve balance for your brain

I have had sessions of Neurofeedback with Zoe. Following an accumulation of stress & PTSD. My body & mind kind of shutdown, and froze. Neuro-feedback has stabilised and balanced in the first instance and within a few sessions I felt much calmer. I have noticed significant differences in reactions and responses since neurofeedback sessions. I feel much more grounded and clearer in mind. I am extremely grateful for the sessions & would highly recommend.

Chloe, Essex

Wow! Our son has now had 20 sessions and is showing noticeable improvements in all of the key areas we had asked to focus on.

These improvements are recognised by us and our family but also by people who do not know us as well which really demonstrates how brilliant this therapy is. Our son is now also dry through the night which I thought would be a struggle for us for years to come.

I’m forever grateful that we have been on this journey with Zoe, she’s a real gem of a person and guides you through everything with such patience and generosity of spirit.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you

Laura D

“My experience of neurofeedback has been that it is a subtle but powerful tool that opened up new possibilities emotionally and psychologically for me and has really supported my therapeutic process.

I felt heard and supported by the staff at BrainTrain UK. I particularly appreciated the fact that they were willing to be flexible at a point where I was still unsure about the benefits and they didn’t try to push me to continue – but I’m glad I did!"

A 10-year-old boy left paralysed after surgery has had pioneering treatment to help repair the damage.

Mikolaj Krasnodebski was born completely deaf and his condition was made worse when an operation aiming to correct his hearing resulted in a complication which led to facial paralysis at the age of five.

Now a brain training programme that uses technology originally discovered by Nasa has changed his life, according to mother Aggie.

The 42-year-old said: “Being deaf had a huge impact on Mikolaj’s life, particularly his self-confidence.

“He would find it hard to concentrate and he couldn’t function at school or communicate with his peers.

“He used to feel so stupid and would cry a lot and say ‘I can’t do it, I’m too stupid’.”

Mrs Krasnodebska, who lives in Queen’s Road, said the situation was heartbreaking and she began desperately researching a method called neurofeedback, and came across BrainTrainUK.

The training provides a non-invasive treatment that uses neurofeedback technology, which was originally discovered by Nasa in the 1960s, to retrain the brain.

Sometimes referred to as “brain training technology”, the programme requires participants to wear electrodes on their head to monitor brainwaves.

This allows practitioners to send information back to the brain to stimulate learning using specially designed video games, or neurofeedback-enabled videos.

Mikolaj has since had hearing aids implanted in both ears, meaning he can hear as much as others his age.

Mrs Krasnodebska said the impact of the programme was life-changing.

She added: “Mikolaj’s concentration increased from three minutes to 15 minutes, which had a huge impact on his confidence and self-belief.

“While there is still a big gap in his education, he has improved so much and is finally catching up.

“The most important thing is he doesn’t feel stupid anymore.”

Mikolaj attends Central Primary with his younger brother and said rather than dreading going to school he now loves it.

Mrs Krasnodebska added: “Mikolaj has been through so much.

“To be born without hearing was awful, but then to have had surgery go wrong it really impacted the whole family.

“Now not only can he hear but he is finally getting back to speed with his peers.

“We are so proud.”

BrainTrainUK was launched in 2013 and uses a form of neurofeedback called infra low frequency training to stimulate learning in the core nervous system and maximise brain performance through neuroplasticity.

© 2016 Watford Observer

A severely autistic young girl stunned her parents by speaking and recognising her little brother for the first time after pioneering treatment.

Samantha and Carl Olen of Rowley Mead in Thornwood, Epping, say they are optimistic for the future after their daughter Phoebe, aged five, rapidly improved following a series of ‘brain training’ sessions.

Despite not being diagnosed with autism until she was four, Phoebe was unable to speak or communicate and seemed “completely unaware” she had a younger brother, Charles.

The difficulties were upsetting for the parents and Phoebe, who was “frequently reduced to tears of frustration because she couldn’t express herself”.

Now Samantha, 28, and Carl, 30, say family life is easier after their daughter had more than 20 ‘neurofeedback’ sessions from company BrainTrainUK last year.

Mrs Olen said: “She is really different to how she used to be.

“She was screaming all the time but now she is happy… before she started brain training she did not understand anything, it was like talking to a brick wall.

“But now she can understand, she can follow simple instructions whereas before she would look at you like you were on another planet.”

Using electrodes placed on Phoebe’s head, the 45-minute sessions monitored activity while she watched specially designed video games, stimulating how her brain works.

She was much calmer after just a few sessions said Mrs Olen, and then a bigger change came halfway through when Phoebe noticed her two-year-old sibling for the first time.

Mrs Olen said: “Charles, when he was born, we did not know if she would be jealous but it was like nothing had happened, like we had not had another baby.

“Now she notices him, and plays alongside what he is doing, giving him cuddles and winding him up.

“We were wondering when she was going to notice that he was there.”

Shortly after, Phoebe again reacted to the treatment and said her first words – ‘cake’, ‘juice’ and then ‘Daddy’.

Despite the success, her parents are currently unable to continue treatment due to the high cost and Phoebe still struggles to speak.

However, Mrs Olen said interaction is now far easier and Phoebe is able to use a book filled with pictures to communicate at home and at school – something she struggled with before.

“It is still difficult, she has got special needs and it is hard, but at the moment things are looking good with her progress, things are a lot easier.

“Her communication and interaction are much better.

“We are pretty optimistic.”

My background is a fully qualified teacher, SENCO, Specialist educator for autism and ADHD with a master’s degree in Autism. I completed my clinical training for ADOS-2/3DI and ACIA and have worked within MDT settings for clinical diagnostics for the past 7 years.

I am the founder of Sensational Minds Ltd, a neurodevelopmental assessment service and post diagnostic support service for children, young people and adults. When I was first introduced to neurofeedback therapy, I was openly sceptical. My background is in education with strong alignment to clinical practice and my work has always focused on robust diagnostics and evidence informed post diagnostic support for neurodivergent children and young people. I was cautious about interventions that sit outside formal UK clinical guidelines.

I chose however to approach this with curiosity rather than dismissal. I spent time reviewing the available research and case studies and engaged in detailed discussions with Zoe to better understand both the theoretical basis and practical application of neurofeedback. I wanted to explore whether this approach could offer meaningful support for families alongside established strategies.

Through direct observation, I have since witnessed significant and sustained changes in two young people who engaged in twenty neurofeedback sessions. One child in particular I would like to reference, who previously presented with persistent echolalia, repeated questioning, attention regulation difficulties, nocturnal enuresis and a high level of adult dependence has shown marked progress.

After 20 sessions he was able to listen to others’ responses, initiate greetings, independently engage in shared play with clear enjoyment and showed a noticeable reduction in bedwetting. These changes were meaningful and clearly observable.

Equally, significant has been the impact on the family system. A parent who I know well, moved from a position of understandable hypervigilance, to feeling confident enough for her child to attend playdates and eat meals with peers. That shift in parental wellbeing and trust is profound. Whilst it is also important to consider that this child has also benefited from an EHCP and a highly supportive family network with good academic support and intervention, I believe neurofeedback has played a substantial role when used collaboratively with other supports.

I do not claim to fully understand every aspect of neurofeedback therapy. What I do know is that I have reviewed credible literature including studies relating to Tourette’s trauma and PTSD and I have now witnessed meaningful change firsthand for children who have either diagnosed or undiagnosed neurodivergent needs.

Observing a child begin to communicate in more purposeful connected ways and seeing a parent feel calm and supported within a group setting has been genuinely powerful. It is my firm position that clinical understanding, neurodivergent informed practice and high quality post diagnostic support remain essential.

At the same time, I believe we have a responsibility to remain open to approaches that may enhance outcomes even where they are not yet formally embedded within UK guidance.

There is extensive research emerging internationally particularly in the United States and this observational journey has significantly broadened my own perspective. I view neurofeedback not as a replacement but as a potential complementary intervention and I respect the care integrity and reflective practice that Zoe brings to this work.

Ultimately, if an approach supports a child to thrive and a family to feel more secure it deserves thoughtful consideration.

Rhiann, CEO & Founder, Sensational Minds

BA Hons (Primary Education) with Initial Teacher Training, QTS, NASENCO, Masters in Autism, ADOS-2, 3Di, ACIA Clinically Trained.

From Sam’s first lesson I could see how challenging it was for him to sit still. He struggled to listen and found following instructions very difficult. All of this resulted in him not being able to stay engaged and impacted his learning greatly, being tutored, as well as I’m imagining, during class time too. Sam would always need to know before any learning started when he would be able to stop for a brain break - this was a term I wasn't familiar with until I started working with Sam.

He knew he was behind so many of his peers in class in reading, writing and arithmetic and this I believe had a big impact on Sam and how he saw himself as a learner.

While Sam was making some progress in reading and number work here, his working memory was poor, and he was finding non-contextual information almost impossible to remember. When professionally tested, last year, this struggle was hugely highlighted- it was insanely low.

In February this year (2025), Sam started having Neurofeedback sessions twice a week (20 sessions during Feb to April 2025).

I started to find a difference in his working memory from the start. Fast forward 9+ months, Sam doesn’t even identify as the same child. I believe the work he has done has enabled him to retain information that he was struggling with, prior to his neurofeedback sessions. In September Sam participated in my ‘Master Multiplication at Lightning Speed’ 3-Step, Song-Based Program. He was able to learn and retain all his times tables in 6 weeks.

Being able to sing the times tables, I believe played an important part in Sam being able to retain them in such a short period of time. Achieving learning times tables at this speed, is almost unheard of, even for an average- learning child.

Every week, Sam goes from strength to strength and the child in class who was behind is keeping up and his speed in learning new concepts just keeps getting better and better.

Sam is confident, believes in himself as a learner and is a child who continues to love to learn. That has been my goal for Sam from the start.

Trudy Keating (Tutor, 35+ years experience)

There is neurofeedback and there is neurofeedback.

Anna offers the most safe of places for a person who is feeling vulnerable to heal.

She listens carefully to what you need, digs deeper to understand the root cause of your symptoms so she can give you the best possible service.

I was really struggling and desperate if honest. Anna changed the quality of my life and I am forever eternally grateful. She knows her stuff and she is great at what she does. I’m glad I met her because I am not sure I’d be around otherwise:

Sophie

Our son recently completed a series of neurofeedback sessions, and the changes we’ve seen in him have been remarkable. We first sought help because he was struggling with bedwetting, shifting his attention, managing his personal time and space, and coping with emotional ups and downs.

Since finishing the sessions, he has been consistently dry through the night, and we’ve noticed a real improvement in how easily he can redirect his attention when needed. He’s become much more capable of organising himself and respecting his own space and routines. Most noticeably, he just seems calmer, more grounded, and able to function at a much better level day to day.

Zoe was so kind and caring throughout the process, her communication was excellent and we are eternally grateful for her support.

Watching him gain confidence and steadiness in these areas is priceless.

Lucy