What to Expect During a Neurofeedback Session¶

Your typical neurofeedback session is simple and straightforward. Here's what happens from start to finish.

⏱️ Session Overview¶

Total time: 45-60 minutes - Setup: 10-15 minutes - Training: 30 minutes - Cleanup: 5 minutes

Frequency: 3-4 times per week

Where: At home (remote) or at a Peak Brain office (in-person)

🏠 Remote Session (At Home)¶

Before You Start¶

Check your portal for today's protocol
Gather equipment:
Amplifier
Electrodes (flat and ear clips)
Ten20 paste
NuPrep (optional)
Tissues/wipes for cleanup
Clear a comfortable spot to sit for 30 minutes
Have water nearby (stay hydrated!)

Step 1: Setup (10-15 min)¶

1. Prepare the site: - Part hair to expose scalp - Wipe with alcohol or NuPrep (optional but helps) - Let dry if using prep gel

2. Apply electrodes: - Small pea-sized amount of paste on electrode - Press firmly against scalp - Wiggle slightly for good contact - Attach ear clips to earlobes

3. Connect amplifier: - Plug electrodes into correct sockets - Connect amplifier to computer via USB - Turn on amp if it has a power switch

4. Open software (EEGer): - Load your client ID - Enter today's protocol from portal - Check signal quality

5. Verify signal: - Should see thin, jagged lines - Not thick, fuzzy, or flat - If bad, adjust electrodes or add more paste

Step 2: Training (30 min)¶

1. Get comfortable: - Sit in a comfortable position - Make sure electrode wires aren't pulling - Have entertainment ready (if eyes-open training)

2. Start the session: - Press F5 (or follow your protocol instructions) - Game or tones begin - Relax and let your brain learn

3. During training: - Eyes-open training (most common): - Watch the game on screen - Video moves faster/slower based on your brainwaves - You'll never "master" it - difficulty auto-adjusts

Eyes-closed training (Alpha-Theta):
- Close your eyes, get comfortable
- Listen to tones (brook = alpha, ocean = theta)
- All sounds are good!
- Normal to drift toward sleep

4. What you should do: - Sit relatively still (fidgeting is OK) - Let your mind be at ease - Don't try to control anything - It's OK to think or let your mind wander

5. What NOT to do: - ❌ Don't try to "figure it out" - ❌ Don't try to control the game - ❌ Don't stress about performance - ❌ Don't worry if you feel "nothing" during the session

Remember: This is a PASSIVE process. Your brain learns automatically through operant conditioning. There's nothing you need to actively do!

Step 3: Cleanup (5 min)¶

1. End the session: - Software will stop automatically (or press F6) - Note any observations

2. Remove electrodes: - Gently pull from scalp - Unclip from ears

3. Clean up: - Wipe paste from scalp/ears with tissue - Clean electrodes with water - Dry electrodes and store properly - Turn off and unplug amplifier

4. Document: - Fill out PM survey (optional) - Note session in portal if not auto-tracked - Make any quick notes about the session

Step 4: Observe Effects (Next 24 Hours)¶

The real action happens AFTER training, not during:

Most important: SLEEP - How long to fall asleep? - Wake-ups during the night? - How rested do you feel upon waking? - Dream changes?

Next day effects: - Energy level - Mental clarity - Mood/emotional tone - Focus and concentration - Stress resilience

Fill out AM survey the next morning - this is your most valuable data!

🏢 In-Office Session¶

What Happens¶

1. Arrival: - Check in at front desk - Coach greets you and shows you to training room

2. Check-in conversation: - How have you been since last session? - Any changes in sleep, mood, energy, focus? - What's your priority today?

3. Coach sets up electrodes: - You sit comfortably - Coach finds sites and applies electrodes - Usually takes 5-10 minutes

4. Training begins: - Same as at-home (30 min) - Coach may check on you partway through - Just relax and watch the game

5. Session ends: - Coach removes electrodes - Brief discussion of how it went - Schedule next session

6. Fill out surveys: - PM survey after session (optional) - AM survey next morning (important!)

Advantage: Coach handles all the technical stuff, you just show up!

🎮 What the Games Feel Like¶

Standard Neurofeedback (Eyes Open)¶

Visual feedback: - Video game (space scenes, nature, abstract patterns) - Game speeds up when your brain produces target frequencies - Game slows down or dims when brainwaves drift off-target - Points/rewards given continuously

Common games: - Ardea (Postcards, Lotus Pond, Potions) - included in kit - Zukor (Air, Drive, Speedball) - optional upgrade - 4mation animated screens

What it feels like: - Often pretty boring! - Game performance stays relatively constant - You won't "get better" at the game - That's by design - difficulty auto-adjusts

If the game seems consistent (not dramatically easier/harder), the training is working!

Alpha-Theta (Eyes Closed)¶

Audio feedback: - Lighter tones: Babbling brook sound + chimes = Alpha - Deeper tones: Ocean waves + gong = Theta - Normal to go back and forth between sounds - All tones are good!

What it feels like: - Deeply relaxing - May drift toward sleep (but try to stay awake) - Time can feel distorted - Often dreamlike or meditative

After effects: - May feel "spacey" for 1-2 hours - Don't plan demanding activities right after - Usually deeply relaxed

💭 What You Might Notice (or Not)¶

During the Session¶

Most people: Not much! Maybe: - Slight relaxation or alertness - Mind wandering - Mild boredom - Comfortable and calm

Rarely: - Mild headache (usually means too much inhibit - tell coach) - Feeling "wired" or energized - Deep relaxation

Normal: Feeling absolutely nothing during the session!

The 24 Hours After¶

This is where the magic happens:

Sleep (often first to change): - Falling asleep faster - Fewer wake-ups - Feeling more rested - Dream content/vividness changes

Next day: - More energy or less foggy - Things bothering you less - Easier to focus - More even mood

Subtle but significant: You may notice you're handling situations differently before you notice "feeling" different.

🤔 Common Questions¶

"Should I feel something during the session?"¶

No! Most people feel nothing in particular. The effects show up in the 24 hours after, especially in sleep.

"The game seems random - is it working?"¶

Yes! The game auto-adjusts difficulty every 30 seconds to keep you at ~65% success rate. You'll never "master" it. If it seems relatively consistent session-to-session, the training is working.

"Can I think during training?"¶

Yes! It's totally fine to: - Think about whatever comes to mind - Let your mind wander - Notice thoughts without controlling them - Be bored, engaged, or anywhere in between

The only thing to avoid is falling asleep (except during Alpha-Theta).

"What if I need to scratch/move/adjust?"¶

Go ahead! Just don't: - Pull electrodes off scalp - Yank on wires - Do big movements that shift electrodes

Fidgeting, adjusting position, scratching - all fine!

"Can I use my phone/read during training?"¶

Depends: - Eyes-open standard training: Better to just watch the game - If you're bored: That's OK! Let your mind wander - Phone distraction: Not ideal, but won't ruin the session

Best: Just pay casual attention to the game and let your mind be at ease.

🚨 When to Stop and Contact Coach¶

Stop the session immediately if: - ❌ Headache develops (especially sharp or intense) - ❌ Feeling very agitated or anxious - ❌ Signal completely degrades (all flat lines) - ❌ Equipment malfunction

Contact coach (but OK to finish session): - Signal quality issues you can't fix - Unsure if placement is correct - Game acting strange - Any unusual physical sensations

Screenshot and send to Slack - coaches can usually help immediately!

📊 What Success Looks Like¶

Short-term (Sessions 1-10)¶

Learning the equipment
Building routine
Subtle shifts (may not notice much yet)
Possibly some sleep changes

Medium-term (Sessions 10-20)¶

Sleep improvements (if that's a goal)
Energy and clarity shifts
Things bothering you less
More consistent positive effects

Long-term (Sessions 20-40+)¶

More obvious cognitive/emotional changes
Gains becoming stable
Noticeable shift toward your goals
Changes feel "normal" (new baseline)

Remember: Like exercise for your brain. You don't get fit after one workout, but consistent training creates lasting changes!

✅ Session Checklist¶

Before Starting¶

During Training¶

After Session¶

Remove and clean electrodes
Wipe paste from scalp/ears
Fill out PM survey (optional)
Note any immediate observations

Next 24 Hours¶

Observe sleep quality
Note next-day energy/mood/focus
Fill out AM survey (important!)
Check in with coach if needed

Your First Six Sessions - Virtual Intensive walkthrough
Training Schedule - When and how often to train
Electrode Placement - Finding the right spots
Signal Quality Help - Fixing fuzzy signals
Check-Ins - Reporting to your coach

The session itself is simple. Show up, set up electrodes, watch the game for 30 minutes, clean up. The real work happens automatically in your brain, and the results show up in the days and weeks that follow. Trust the process! 🧠✨