Calm Your Brain: Lens Neurofeedback Explained with Nicole Bankhead

Neurofeedback Explained: In this episode, Wendy sits down with Nicole Bankhead, founder of Serenity Wellness Counseling, to explore LENS (Low Energy Neurofeedback System), a gentle, tech assisted approach to supporting nervous system regulation. Nicole explains how this innovative therapy can help entrepreneurs struggling with sleep issues, anxiety, and burnout through a process that takes only minutes per session.

• LENS Neurofeedback provides a mirror for the brain, allowing it to see and correct its own patterns
 • The therapy maps 21 points on the brain that correlate to specific functions
 • Many clients report improved sleep and decreased irritability after just a few sessions
 • Treatment often begins weekly, then decreases in frequency as improvements occur
 • Sessions last about 20 minutes, with actual feedback delivered in just seconds
 • Results may be long lasting, unlike medications that require ongoing use
 • LENS works well alongside traditional talk therapy
 • The therapy can support entrepreneurs experiencing anxiety, irritability, or sleep challenges

If you are curious about trying LENS Neurofeedback, Nicole offers a free introductory session. If you are outside her area, her team can help connect you with providers near you. Subscribe for more self care insights and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.

Transcript

Introduction to LENS Neurofeedback

Speaker 1 0:01

Hi everyone , welcome to another episode of Wellness and Wealth . My name is Wendy Manganiello , your host . Today we're diving into something you might not have heard of before Lens Neurofeedback . If you've ever struggled with sleep anxiety or burnout as a busy entrepreneur , this episode is going to open your eyes to a gentle , tech-assisted way to support your nervous system and overall well-being . My guest , nicole Bankhead , founder of Serenity Wellness Counseling , has built a center focused on holistic healing beyond traditional talk therapy . We'll talk about how Lens Neurofeedback works , who's it best for and why it might be the missing piece in your self-care plan , whether you're a local to a practice or just curious about alternatives . This is an episode that feels especially relevant in our overworked world . Let's get into it . Welcome to the show , nicole , thank you . So we're going to get right into questions , because when we spoke , I had never heard of LENS for neurofeedback and I'd love for you to share with our audience what that is .

How LENS Neurofeedback Works

Speaker 2 1:07

LEND stands for Low Energy Neurofeedback System , a natural approach for emotional regulation . It's a form of EEG biofeedback and is a scientifically proven brain-based technique that helps clients balance and normalize their brain function and body regulation by helping to regulate the nervous system . The brain communicates internally with electrical impulses called brainwaves . The brainwaves occur at different frequencies and neurofeedback uses a computerized system to speak directly to the brain . This communication is similar to holding a mirror up to the brain and allowing it to see itself . Once the brain is presented with this new information , it will make necessary changes . Using what is referred to as neuroplasticity Works to lift the suppression in the brain , allowing the brain to be more flexible and function more optimally . Providers place sensors on the head to map 21 points to pick up the brain waves . Each of the 21 points correlate to a particular function in the brain . Neurofeedback training doesn't directly target symptoms . It assists you in improving your brain timing , which helps improve brain function or symptoms . Clients report being more emotionally balanced , mentally stable , flexible and resilient . A major advantage of neurofeedback over medication is that once your brain learns these new patterns , it tends to stick . It only assists you . If you do enough neurofeedback training , you're likely to experience improvement . How much training varies with each individual . Neurofeedback doesn't teach you the skills such as how to calm yourself , how to behave around others , spelling , solving problems . Instead , it helps you train the circuits of your brain to do a better job of calming , having self-control , spelling , solving math problems . When the circuits that play a role in those tasks work better , you do better . I'd love to know how you

Personal Discovery and Practice Implementation

Speaker 2 2:57

found out about your training .

Speaker 2 2:58

Neurofeedback has been around for a long time , but it was more of the traditional system where it would take about 80 sessions . These newer systems are more . I was introduced to it by trying it out myself through a program called IASIS neurofeedback . At first I felt great changes calm , sleep improved , less irritable but over time those experiences changed and I started feeling worse . That had me doing my own research . I knew I wanted to bring it into the practice because it is a way of healing people faster .

Speaker 2 3:34

Talk therapy is very important , but with neurofeedback alongside talk therapy , our clients feel more empowered to use the skills that are in their session . I started asking around and messaged many different providers with different systems and asked for their time , and I ended up meeting an amazing mentor and friend named Kelly , who introduced me to lens neurofeedback . After several hours on the phone , through deep explanation , she was able to explain the progress in her client , the trainings involved , the collaborative work with all lens providers . I immediately knew that was the fit for our practice , got trained in it and started using it with my own clients . That immediately started seeing success .

Speaker 1 4:20

That's really fascinating . The reason why we do self-care and I talk about that it's on different levels for different people is that people sometimes don't know that they could use something like this . I'd love for you to go through some of those symptoms or life things that might happen , that this could be beneficial for those female entrepreneurs .

Benefits for Busy Entrepreneurs

Speaker 2 4:37

As an entrepreneur myself , I know that we work really long hours . Our body endures less sleep . We often find ourselves waking up feeling anxious or running through thoughts of need to get done . We start snapping at the people we care about , or even at our employees , and we're noticing these changes . Anytime you're starting to notice a lack in sleep , increase in anxiety , an increase in irritability , that's when I would suggest giving it a shot . The first thing we hear back from clients is that their sleep and irritability improves .

Speaker 1 5:16

I always feel like sleep is probably the first warning sign of most things , and the one we ignore the most . You don't realize how much that lack of sleep after a while is really affecting everything that you're doing , and then it's time to look into why we're having such a lack of sleep problem . For those who are looking for this , can you go a little bit through the phases of what to expect , as they're going through this therapy we do

What to Expect in Treatment

Speaker 1 5:40

?

Speaker 2 5:40

have some clients that report they feel an immediate calmer state . I have some clients with autism that walk into a room and their legs are shaking . You can see it in their hands . After a few sessions of the feedback you see the body become relaxed , shoulders less tense , the hands start to relax , the legs are not shaking and we can sometimes see that in the very first session . Those clients will typically report back to us that their sleep improved . We usually recommend coming once a week and then about the eighth to 10th session you'll spread that out to every other week or three weeks .

Speaker 2 6:22

Clients five sessions . I feel like they're at their optimal level . It depends on the individual and how their brain is accepting that feedback . We call it a workout for the brain . Each individual is different . That's why we go through assessments . We ask a series of questions after every session and before you're next to determine where we increase or decrease the feedback . That's all on how you're feeling . Your total time in our office is maybe 20 minutes , but the actual feedback time is seconds . It depends on how many points we choose to do in that session . We often start with a few points and then work our way up to more . Each time it really is run for maybe five seconds at the most , depending . Like for some children that we use this with , we will do very little amounts of feedback , because that's all they need . And we can even do this with the body and not on the head , and we can do what we call body lens , so we can con the body through putting it on your hands and feet as well .

Speaker 1 7:27

It's amazing what we can do with technology that we didn't have to this advanced level even 20 years ago . And it doesn't even have to take all that much , because usually when we think of self-care we think we don't have time , I don't have that extra five , 20 minutes . But when something's that easy to go like I can go somewhere for 20 minutes to feel better , that just makes sense . It doesn't have to be this long , drawn out thing . It's like when we talk about meditation if people don't know better , they think it has to be a six hour thing and it's no . Just breathe for a minute and you'll start to feel better . So that's good to know that . It's also a really short type of scenario because especially as busy female entrepreneurs we're like , do we have the time to do this ? And it sounds it doesn't take long to have this become useful . My last question if a female entrepreneur is wondering if Lens Neurofeedback is right for them , what's the first step to seeking out help ?

Speaker 2 8:16

They can call our main line and sign up for a free Lens Neurofeedback session . We offer the first session free to

Next Steps and Free Session Offer

Speaker 2 8:24

give a client the opportunity to understand the system , complete their assessments . We recommend getting a complete map . We will actually map out the brain and that usually takes three to four sessions . Before determining whether or not it's the right fit , I'd love for you to talk about your offer .

Speaker 1 8:40

They can get a free session If they're not in your area . Do you have recommendations , if they're not physically in your area , for other places ?

Speaker 2 8:48

that do it . Yeah , there is a list of lens providers we can send out to them . They can still call my office and tell us they're looking to try lens neurofeedback . Heard about it on this podcast . I mean , we have some people that come from 20 , 30 minutes away because they want to seek out this type of therapy , but we can help them find other providers around them .

Speaker 1 9:10

They do have a provider list on the Oaks Lab website if you're dealing with anxiety or ADHD , this is a great way to take care of yourself . Thank you so much for coming on the show today , nicole , and sharing about this . This is the first time my audience will be hearing about this . If you would like to connect with Nicole , please see the show notes . Thank you again , nicole , for being on the show today . Thank you so much To my

Episode Closing and Contact Information

Speaker 1 9:40

listeners . If you love what you hear today , please subscribe for more self-care tips . If you really love what Nicole had to say , please leave a review . Have a blessed and abundant week .