Neurofeedback for Anxiety
Research shows us that anxiety can be intimately related with the function of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which is the balance between “Fight and Flight” and “Rest and Digest” experiences.
Other research has seen good results correcting the imbalance in the frontal lobe between the left and right sides. My own experience shows that trauma that is held in the right temporal area can also be important.
Action Plan
The first thing as always with neurofeedback is to get good data. My approach is to use the NewQ EEG analysis tool to assess where the issues are in the brain, talk to the client to get a full history, and where they are available any reports that may be helpful. It is this that allows me to tailor a neurofeedback training plan that is based on the client’s needs. Alongside neurofeedback I will often use breathing techniques, which help the body switch to a “Rest and Digest” state.
The first part is to understand and listen, so that alongside the devising of a treatment plan, the person is safe to express what troubles them in a safe space.
Counselling for Anxiety
Anxiety does not just have mental, but also physical symptoms, and research increasingly shows strong links between the two. Anxiety can be seen by some as minor (‘just stop worrying’), phrases such as these minimise the impact of it on the person involved. The first part is to understand and listen, so that alongside the devising of a treatment plan, the person is safe to express what troubles them in a safe space.
Action Plan
While breathing techniques and the neurofeedback can be enough for some, people whose anxiety is heavily related to trauma may also benefit from the somatic and Thought Field Therapy (TFT) elements of my work (see Counselling page). This is about releasing the bodily held trauma in a safe regulated way.