Neurofeedback Therapy and EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) often get lumped together. They are very different therapies, so we wanted to take a look at how to figure out which therapy is the one for you.

How do You Choose Between Neurofeedback Therapy of EMDR?

1. How much do you want to, or need to, talk?

 Some neurofeedback clients love that a good chunk of our work together is nonverbal. But that is not true of everyone. Sometimes, clients tell me that they need to, or want to talk more. EMDR sessions tend to contain more talking, but we structure the talking by following the EMDR session treatment protocol.

1. How calm are you?  

Some patients make an enormous effort to regulate their emotions. Outside of therapy sessions, they exercise and meditate. But they still struggle to feel calm, balanced and centered. Most of these clients turn a corner in their lives with neurofeedback training.

1. Do you also have problems with sleep? 

Sleep is an excellent window into the functioning of your nervous system. Our brains and nervous systems require sleep to heal and rejuvenate. Sleep is also the time when our brains consolidate learning. That is when new information moves from short term memory into long term memory. Most neurofeedback clients find that their sleep quality improves markedly over the course of our work. Generally, they sleep deeper, they fall asleep easier and they stay asleep for more of the night.

1. Do you suffer from physical health problems? 

EMDR can be helpful for both pain management and pain relief. It can also be helpful for headaches. 

But if you have suffered from physical ailments beyond those, you should consider neurofeedback. Many C-PTSD (complex PTSD) clients have a range of physical issues which include symptoms like GI problems, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, etc. Neurofeedback has been much more helpful to them than EMDR.

1. Did your symptoms start with a single incident or were they developmental? 

Have you suffered from a single incident trauma? When considering EMDR vs Neurofeedback starting with Neurofeedback therapy is always a great option. If you have developmental trauma, or Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) then it’s definitely a better bet to consider neurofeedback training.

EMDR and/or Neurofeedback – A Few More Considerations

All trauma treatment modalities work in the hands of a skilled trauma specialist. So when considering Emdr vs Neurofeedback don’t get over-focused on the treatment modality. Therapy modality can make a difference, but generally, it’s not the biggest factor. EMDR can be used to treat other conditions besides trauma, and so can neurofeedback.

Here at Neurohealth Associates, we specialize in Neurofeedback treatments. Neurofeedback may be helpful if you have unwanted mood swings, problems sleeping, anger management issues, motivation, or poor self-esteem. The easy, noninvasive treatment can painlessly improve your mental health condition and outlook on life.

Schedule a consultation with NeuroHealth today and find out how we can help you.