I suffered for years from issues related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and tried multiple treatment avenues without improvement. I had given up hope, and resigned myself to a life of coping with the struggles and obstacles my injuries had created in my life.
After experiencing a phenomenal recovery with Othmer method neurofeedback, I felt driven to share this healing technique with others.
First, I was a neurofeedback client. Approximately 20 years ago, I sustained a severe TBI. Once my bruises receded and my bones healed, I thought I had recovered. Prior to this injury, I had also struggled with symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the months and years after the injury, I began to suffer from severe and worsening symptoms commonly present in those with TBI. In addition to cognitive issues including struggling with memory, attention and focus, sleep time became something I dreaded. I would spend up to 12 hours in bed at night, tossing and turning through nightmares, awakening from 2-3 hours of restless sleep with my body aching and screaming with tension, but my brain seemingly trying to turn itself off. Daytime was consumed with anxiety, depression, and an inability to stay awake anytime I sat still for more than 10 minutes. The sleep issues were severe enough that a loved one insisted I be checked for narcolepsy.
I attempted every treatment I could find: prescription medications, cognitive therapy, diet and daily exercise combined with a rigorous meditation practice. Despite all of this, my symptoms continued to worsen.
Finally, a friend suggested I look into neurofeedback. I had read extensively about it, yet my medical training made me skeptical. The claims the field makes regarding its efficacy defied not only my own experiences with other forms of treatment but flew in the face of much of what I had been taught in school about brain healing and recovery, particularly with my own chronic and degenerative head injury. Skeptically, I tried two initial sessions of infra-low EEG based neurofeedback. I went into the sessions neither optimistic nor hopeful. I was shocked to find the results were distinct, profound, and undeniable.
After only two sessions, I noticed a difference during a plane trip. For the first time in 20 years, I was awake for the entire duration of the flight! Not only that but I basked in a clarity of mind and calmness of spirit which had eluded my senses for years. With continued treatment, I now sleep at night, all night, and wake feeling rested. I don’t fall asleep during the day. Anxiety, depression and attentional issues are no longer the defining elements of my daily life. I've regained a sense of peacefulness, quiet, and enjoyment of the rewards and beauty of being alive! Words limit my ability to describe the depth of the changes in my experience of life since gaining access to this treatment.
As an experienced Registered Nurse in Emergency Medicine, I've seen how our established medical system focuses on patching up a body in crisis but often does poorly in preventing illness and nurturing individuals to true wellness. For many years, I longed to be part of a meaningful practice which moved people towards thriving. Inspired by my own success and eager to bring profound and lasting change to others, I chose to pursue training as a neurofeedback practitioner. Working with private clients has finally fulfilled my dream of contributing to others’ long-lasting and meaningful healing.
