Description
Working with the circuitry of the brain to restore emotional health and well-being.
Neurofeedback, a type of “brain training” that allows us to see and change the patterns of our brain, has existed for over 40 years with applications as wide-ranging as the treatment of epilepsy, migraines, and chronic pain to performance enhancement in sports.
Today, leading brain researchers and clinicians, interested in what the brain can tell us about mental health and well being, are also taking notice. Indeed, the brain’s circuitry—its very frequencies and rhythmic oscillations—reveals much about its role in our emotional stability and resilience. Neurofeedback allows clinicians to guide their, clients as they learn to transform brain-wave patterns, providing a new window into how we view and treat mental illness.
In this cutting-edge book, experienced clinician Sebern Fisher keenly demonstrates neurofeedback’s profound ability to help treat one of the most intractable mental health concerns of our time: severe childhood abuse, neglect, or abandonment, otherwise known as developmental trauma.
When an attachment rupture occurs between a child and her or his primary caregiver, a tangle of complicated symptoms can set in: severe emotional dysregulation, chronic dissociation, self-destructive behaviors, social isolation, rage, and fear. Until now, few reliable therapies existed to combat developmental trauma. But as the author so eloquently presents in this book, by focusing on a client’s brain-wave patterns and “training” them to operate at different frequencies, the rhythms of the brain, body, and mind are normalized, attention stabilizes, fear subsides, and, with persistent, dedicated training, regulation sets in.
A mix of fundamental theory and nuts-and-bolts practice, the book delivers a carefully articulated and accessible look at the mind and brain in developmental trauma, what a “trauma identity” looks like, and how neurofeedback can be used to retrain the brain, thereby fostering a healthier, more stable state of mind. Essential clinical skills are also fully covered, including how to introduce the idea of neurofeedback to clients, how to combine it with traditional psychotherapy, and how to perform assessments.
In his foreword to the book, internationally recognized trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk, MD, praises Fisher as “an immensely experienced neurofeedback practitioner [and] the right person to teach us how to integrate it into clinical practice.” Filled with illuminating client stories, powerful clinical insights, and plenty of clinical “how to,” she accomplishes just that, offering readers a compelling look at exactly how this innovative model can be used to engage the brain to find peace and to heal.
James R. Flowers (verified owner) –
Good information but a few factual errors on the neuroanatomy. An example was referring to the central sulcus as separating the two hemispheres when I think she was referring to the longitudinal fissure. However, this doesn’t take away from the rich practical information regarding developmental trauma and neurofeedback.
It is obvious that Sebern has solid experiences and her clear and unassuming writing style makes reading the information a pleasure.
Galya Jazz (verified owner) –
I’ve read this book non-stop like a fiction, then opened it again to reread. I am hugely impressed with science behind the neurofeedback process, especially the impact of the early experience of motherlessness on the right hemisphere development.
Both the separation and the bridge between mind and brain are insightful: “I could feel a new reality that my brain was separable from my mind, and that my mind was inseparable from my brain”. As a therapist, I am trained to put emphasis on the mind. At the same time I see how beautifully the process of therapy is unfolding for those clients who combine neurotherapy with psychotherapy, so now I have a better understanding of what is going on inside the brain, the role of amygdala. It is going to change my practice. Love the stories of three clients with so serious disorders. Love the gentleness of therapy provided by dr Fisher, and her patience. I thought I would skip the stories, that they are tedious, but they were like magnets.
The light writing style made all the science easy to understand. Protocol selection is more art than science, so I prefer training synchrony as overarching brain-wave organizing principle. However I am trying now FPO2 on myself.
The last section about four patterns (that which cannot repeat itself and dies, that which repeats without change, that which repeats itself but changes, and that unfolding unpredictably, evolving) resonates with me profoundly. It’s life propagation principle, the principle of creation, and I love, absolutely love that our brains are capable of overcoming the developmental trauma and evolve like beautiful, complex entities, the way Life created them.
Julie Hill (verified owner) –
I ordered this book as I am relatively new to the practice of Neurofeedback therapy and have a special interest in treating those children and adults who have been neglected or abused. I am very grateful to Sebern for writing this book, very informative, it is already an integral part of my therapy planning.
Thomas J. Portney, MA (verified owner) –
I have read many texts lately on neuroscience and developmental disorders, and this is the finest work I have encountered. Just reading the opening chapter will change your view of a child’s needs, especially those diagnosed with RAD and other “disorders” that I have come to understand as attachment breaches and disregulation of the brain. Fisher writes with intense compassion, breathtaking honesty, and professional precision. If you only read one text in this area, this is it.
Monty Renov (verified owner) –
An excellent book by an outstanding neurofeedback therapist who has succeeded in accomplishing what had been previously thought to be impossible — accessing the amygdala – the seat of inhibitory impulses driven by fearful impressions from the past, meant as a survival mechanism but too often functioning as an overly restrictive inhibitory mechanism which exerts its classic paralyzing effect on those who have gone through trauma.
Sebern Fisher has found a way to liberate such people from restrictive encroachment of the amygdala on their lives through a neurofeedback process which she details in the book, leaving her patients happily musing “What am I going to do with the rest of my life now that it is no longer run by fear anymore?”
RC (verified owner) –
This book is a masterpiece. It has the ideal balance of science and theory, information and case material. It reads in a personal friendly accessible style, is informative and interesting and inspiring; and a graceful integration of neurofeedback with psychotherapy. I’ve bought extra copies to lend and give to both clinician and lay person. Bravo to the author for a marvelous and unique resource.
Ruth Cohn
San Francisco, CA
Gabriel Farkas (verified owner) –
Even if I do not have an opinion on the proposed treatment, the analysis of the condition and it’s causes are very convincing. I have people in my family that we always thought were traumatized by wars, and reading the book, and then asking them, found out they were because family relationships. I’m not a doctor, simply someone trying to understand my family.
JLD (verified owner) –
This is a mastefully written book. Sebern Fisher couldn’t have done a better job. For new or old practitioners of neurofeedback there is plenty to learn from this book. Her ample examples show the thought process of a master clinician. It is impossible to praise this book highly enough.
nn86 (verified owner) –
I do neurofeedback now, and it has been extremely helpful to me. I suffer from DDNOS from complex trauma, and was always interested in any new intervention or method that can help my ptsd. I am so very grateful for Sebern Fisher’s work on introducing me to a new method of healing, and coming from a psychotherapist no less. I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t have a background in trauma and psychology to tell me what works. Sebern Fisher describes adequately everything from A-Z how it works, why it works, why trauma sufferers have such trouble healing, and how they think. Neurofeedback has been a Godsend for me; I am so very grateful for this book and neurofeedback, and also Sebern Fisher for her work.
Don Brinkworth (verified owner) –
Well Presented within
a scientific framework . Suitable for client and therapist alike. Thank you Sebern. A great read .
Lia (verified owner) –
A comprehensive guide that takes the reader through what happens in the brain when early childhood is fraught with neglect and abuse and how neurofeedback can support in the recovery process by capitalising on the brain’s ability to repair or for, anew unused or damaged neural pathways.
Elissa Schroeder (verified owner) –
Well-written guide for clinicians and curious patients. Hoping we can use it as a “Rosetta Stone to facilitate communication between this clinician, a local neurofeedback provider and our mutual patient.
Elissa Joan (verified owner) –
This book is full of very helpful information. I couldn’t say enough good things about it. If you are practicing neurofeedback with others, please read this book to help your clients. If you are receiving neurofeedback, you can read this to find out more information. If you’re not receiving it yet, you may want to after reading this book.
Helene Hamel (verified owner) –
Well written. Provides scientific information without being too difficult to understand.
david n donch (verified owner) –
Reading this book has certainly had a profound effect on the way that I view the operation of the human mind and the possibilities that exist for effective treatment options in the remedy of attachment disorders and trauma. The book is well written and easy to read and follow and I recommend it highly to those interested in learning how to provide treatment using neurofeedback. It is a great introduction and practical resource.
dale18328 (verified owner) –
This book and the process that it promotes gives the ever elusive possibility of hope to a population long ridiculed and avoided. Fisher captures the plight of the borderline patient and frames it in a level of understanding and compassion that our most seriously harmed humans have always deserved and rarely received. Though the technical jargon of neurofeedback is challenging for the novice, the stories that beg for the promise of this therapy create a context more than sufficient to hold one’s attention from chapter to chapter. As a therapist, and now a patient in neurofeedback, I give heartfelt thanks to Fisher and all who practice this newly discovered therapy!
marlene moberly (verified owner) –
The book is encouraging, easy to read and offers a possible solution for kids and adults who had less than optimal parenting. There may be a solution to wasted potentials . A great alternative to locking more troubled kids up. Check w your doctor then try it and monitor results for yourself. Recommended reading.
Carol Fitzgerald (verified owner) –
Sebern Fisher’s writing embodies her message: the value of an integrated and well-regulated brain. She has attained the remarkable: a book that is at once informative and fascinating, scientific and warmly personal, academic and a page-turner for anyone interested in the subject. The clarity of her thinking, her ability to weave together strands of research, theory and practice and come up with a profoundly relevant tapestry, speaks to the coherence that neurofeedback is all about. What I found most unusual is the way she deftly bridges the divide between objectivity and personal point of view. Whereas my usual strategy for reading psychology is to jump around based on my interests and questions, relying heavily on the index, I found myself drawn into the narrative, which, due to her long-term and innovative quest for knowledge and her compassion for her patients, resonates on deeper levels than the purely academic. Her case histories are instructive, sometimes poignant, and gratefully, abbreviated to the point of relevance, thus avoiding the lengthy anecdotal chapters that bog down some books of its kind. I particularly appreciate her tolerance for (and willingness to confront) unanswered questions, which only adds gravitas to the research she provides. A seasoned expert in neurofeedback who is dedicated to the wellbeing of her clients, Ms. Fisher has written a landmark guide in this important and rapidly evolving field.
The Incredible Shrinking Man (verified owner) –
This one is worth studying for sure. Life changer for many, I am hoping me included.
anonymous (verified owner) –
Excellent book on Neurofeedback! If you are wanting to learn about this cutting edge technology this a great place to start. If you are a neurotherapist you should already have this in your library and have read it and be using her ideas. Especially helpful in understanding how to help traumatized children and adults.
rca (verified owner) –
Excellent Book. Highly recommend to anyone looking into biofeedback or neurotherapy!
padddler (verified owner) –
Everyone should read read this book as it provides information that will change your perspective on life and why people do the things they do. I am now being treated with neurofeedback and it is changing me for the better. I am now much calmer and mindful and look forward to each session to help me become a better, more regulated person.
Thank you Seabern Fisher for writing this book. You’re awesome.
Albert (verified owner) –
A good read!
PJS (verified owner) –
Sebern Fisher is a must-have resource if you are starting Neurofeedback at your practice… highly recommend!
JG (verified owner) –
Excellent work , great understanding, explanation and application of neurofeedback
D. I. (verified owner) –
Seburn’s book is chock full of valuable information, insights and perspectives. If you are a professional interested in or currently working with patients with severe/complex trauma, and are considering incorporating neurofeedback into your treatment approach…this is the book to read!
bah (verified owner) –
No issues
LL (verified owner) –
I could hardly put this book down. Having several treatment resistant clients, I am excited about the possibilities of neurofeedback for these patients. Sebern Fisher writes clearly and has a perfect synthesis of knowledge and intuition. After reading the book I was convinced that I wanted to add neurofeedback to my practice.
Lisa Moeller (verified owner) –
Life changing book for me. I read it in maybe three days, found a Neurofeedback Practitioner and started treatment a few weeks later. Now I’ve had my sixth appointment and there are subtle and obvious changes in my way of being alive. ( I don’t know how else to put it) I’m calmer, but brighter and more enthusiastic. My lifelong insomnia is so much better already. Thank you for the explanation and inspiration!
James E. Bowman (verified owner) –
Severn knows this material from a lifetime of hands on experience. if you want to understand neurofeedback and what it can do for you, read this book.
Trounces (verified owner) –
An essential book on early life trauma!!! So insightful into the brain. Amazing stories.
DMichael02905 (verified owner) –
My therapist recommended this book as I was considering undertaking neurofeedback training. The case histories and personal experiences of the author are very compelling.
Sherri Stein (verified owner) –
Amazing book. Very well written. Motivated me to get trained in neurofeedback.
Casey Jayne (verified owner) –
Readable, possibly triggering, some good science and some extrapolation. Take it with a grain of salt
Lee Tae Hee (verified owner) –
Very good!
Anna Moritomo (verified owner) –
Learning a lot of information and benefits from Neuro feedback
E. Wisdom (verified owner) –
As a childhood trauma survivor, neurofeedback has helped me immensely and this book gives a lot of insights to understand the process. Too technical for a patient but no such a thing as ‘too much information’ to a neuroscience junkie INFJ hehe.
ksc0967 (verified owner) –
Dr. Fisher is a pioneer in the field of neurofeedback for trauma. Don’t let the technical details in the earlier chapters overwhelm you. Hang in there and it’s WELL worth the read. Also, this technology is evolving fast & has SO much potential. Sure wish I’d known about it sooner.
Candace Drimmer (verified owner) –
As I read THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE about developmental trauma, in other words childhoods where there is a never ending trauma of corporal and emotional abuse, I had to laugh. It referenced Sebern Fisher in Northampton MA, the town I’d moved to.
Must be karma. Anyhow, found an acolyte of Fisher’s who does neurofeedback and tween that and a bunch of other therapies have transitioned from the hell of childhood trauma to the reality of my life.
Be care who you choose for neurofeedback as there are a reported number of poor practioneers.
Ron Adams (verified owner) –
I bought this book based on having read “The Body Keeps the Score,” which mentioned Sebern Fisher’s work. I suffer from childhood developmental trauma and decided to get this as an intro to neurofeedback. I’m SO glad I did. It is an excellent guide that is written both for professionals who want to learn how to train patients, and for those of us who want to explore a new therapy option. I have hit a wall with talk therapy and neurofeedback seemed like something I was interested in exploring.
Sebern thoroughly explains the process and the problems involved with treating developmental trauma disorders experienced in childhood. She takes an honest approach that basically says that neurofeedback is not a magic bullet, but proves that it is an exceptional way to treat those of us with these issues. It provides a lot of promise and proven results that she exhibits in the book. No doubt she has changed many lives, mine included. Because of this book I have made an appointment to begin my own neurofeedback therapy.
If you are at all interested in a new form of therapy and have considered neurofeedack as an approach, I highly recommend this book to make your decision.
Justina w. (verified owner) –
Läs om du jobbar inom psykiatrin, LSS, älskar Dr Bessel van der Kolks böcker, eller har cptsd el liknande
Marina (verified owner) –
I thought this book was great when I first read it, until I tried neurofeedback years later. It was a huge mistake. You should do neurofeedback if you want your brain permanently and irreversibly damaged. I feel the same way about EMDR, which I have also tried. I am not the same… only 33 and ruined my life with both of these modalities. If a therapist claims that either of these therapies would benefit anyone, RUN. FAST.