Making Waves: Why I Became a Neurofeedback Therapist

What do you do? This is a question that I get asked all the time that I both love and dread answering. Telling people I’m a neurofeedback therapist, inevitably leads to a slew of follow up questions, the first one usually being, “what is a neurofeedback?” If you want an in-depth answer, you can read our full article here. However, my favorite question is why? Why did I decide to become a neurofeedback clinician?

I was in high school when I decided to pursue a career in mental health. Through my own mental health journey, I became passionate about helping others gain the knowledge and tools to manage their mental health.

By my senior year of college, I found myself overwhelmed with the sheer number of possible career paths within mental health.I was in the middle of looking for internships when I was introduced to neurofeedback.

I had only heard of neurofeedback a couple of times before. However, the world of neurofeedback therapy became much more personal for me in 2022. My youngest brother had been struggling with anxiety, headaches, and emotional meltdowns for most of his life. We had hoped that these symptoms would go away as he got older, they only persisted and even got worse over time. 

My mom knew that she had to do something to help her child. While exploring different therapies, she was referred to Shari Johansson by a friend. She took my brother for a brain map and was amazed by the results. Shari was able to connect the patterns in his brain with his symptoms and gave us a clear picture of why my brother was struggling. I remember the relief my mom got from seeing my brother’s brain map. We finally had answers for why he was feeling the way he was feeling. More importantly, we had a real plan for how to help him feel better.

After just a few weeks of neurofeedback, we started to notice that things were changing. My brother felt less anxious and had fewer headaches. He had fewer meltdowns and was able to calm down faster when he got upset. We noticed other changes too. He was able to pick up on the emotions of the people around him more easily, was less stressed out about homework, and his sense of humor came out more. I saw neurofeedback therapy help my brother become more like himself again. The smart, funny, empathetic kid that was always there was finally able to shine through.

I was able to sit in during one of my brother’s sessions and talk to his neurofeedback therapist. She told me all about what it was like to work as a neurofeedback therapist and even showed me how the software and equipment worked. She walked me through the whole process and answered my stream of questions. I went from knowing almost nothing about neurofeedback therapy to deciding that I had to learn it. I applied for an internship with Shari and came on as an intern in the fall of 2022.

Becoming a neurofeedback therapist opened up a whole world in mental health that I never knew was possible. Before, I had believed that mental illness was something to be managed, not cured. While medication and talk therapy are amazing tools, many people aren’t able to get the help they need from traditional therapies alone. 

“I’ve tried everything.” is a common phrase I hear as a neurofeedback therapist. I often tell people I get to see miracles everyday and it’s true. I see people who have been dealing with life-long depression or anxiety, who have tried multiple medications, and done years of talk therapy with little progress, make enormous strides in a matter of months.

One of the most rewarding parts of working in this field is being able to validate people’s experiences. For so many people struggling with mental illness it can feel like it’s all in your head or that you’re failing because things that are easy for other people feel so hard. Showing clients their brain map helps them see that their symptoms are being driven by very real brain patterns. When our brains get dysregulated, normal tasks and activities can feel impossible. Becoming a neurofeedback therapist has allowed me to help people understand why they’re feeling what they’re feeling and help them get the right tools and support to feel balanced again.

I will never forget when one client realized that her depression was gone after years of struggling. “I’m going to be okay. I’m going to have a good life.” she said through happy tears. Over the years, I have been able to walk with clients through some incredible challenges. I have watched kids, teens, and adults from all walks of life come out on the other side, healthier and happier than they ever thought possible. It has been an incredible privilege to be present for these moments.

Why am I a neurofeedback therapist? The answer is simple; because I believe in it. It changed my family and continues to change the lives of many more every day. Working at Mind Body Neuro has shown me how science-based solutions and compassionate care truly can bring healing and hope to even the most dire of cases. It has been a journey and one that I hope to continue for years to come.