Does Neurofeedback Work for Depression?
Imagine this: You walk into a therapists office, stating, “I feel depressed.”
What do you think they say back?
Maybe, “Tell me more about how you feel.”
Or, “Have you tried taking medication?”
“What behaviors do you have that contribute to your depression?”
Wrong response.
As a Neurofeedback Therapist in Denver, the response I wish clients heard was: “Let’s look at your brain to help you understand what is contributing to depression.”
Sets a pretty different tone, doesn’t it? (Our friend Melissa Shaw say she same thing about Neurofeedback for ADHD here!)
Because with this response, maybe you as a client don’t have to completely carry around the shame of depression (which, uhm, can fuel more depression).
Your brain has innate functioning patterns that are learned through childhood, environmental factors, genetics, hormones, head injuries, quality of sleep…the list goes on. Understanding that depression is not the clients fault and showing them with data why that is true is powerful.
Neurofeedback therapy and QEEG Brain Mapping Therapy are propelling this conversation forward. These tools provide us with information, and with more information comes more power.
In the Neurofeedback Therapy world, a diagnosis of depressive disorder doesn’t matter as much as the patterns that create your depression. The patterns that contribute to hopelessness, disconnection, inability to sleep, grogginess, lack of motivation and more are trainable, making neurofeedback a great option to ease symptoms of depression. And did we mention the side effects of neurofeedback are minimal?
There is not one traditional pattern of depression in a QEEG Brain Map, and therefore the treatment model shouldn’t be cookie cutter either. Understanding the unique ways your brain and body holds onto the feelings associated with depression are where we start, then teach your brain to regulate itself from there.
We believe in the power of talk therapy especially when utilized by a therapist for depression in Denver!
At Connected Brain Counseling, we utilize a multi-modal approach to help clients ease symptoms of depression. Talk therapy and neurofeedback therapy working together to help your brain process “stuck” emotions and learn new ways of interacting with the world is our specialty. To learn more about our approach to easing your symptoms of depression, schedule a free 20 minute consultation with a licensed clinician here.