Brainstorm, the BRAINTOPIA Podcast

Learn How Neurofeedback Retrains Patterns For Focus, Calm, And Sleep

• Sandra Hooper-Murcott • Episode 2

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What Is Neurofeedback And How Does It Work?

Your brain craves patterns—some help you focus and sleep, others keep you stuck. We break down how neurofeedback gently disrupts unhelpful rhythms and guides your mind toward healthier, more flexible states using real-time feedback, precise brain mapping, and a structured plan for lasting gains.

We start by demystifying the five core brain waves—delta, theta, alpha, beta, and high beta—and how a QEEG brain map sets a personalized baseline across 14 regions. From there, we explain the training loop: as your brain moves toward target ranges, the audio and video you watch respond instantly, rewarding efficient activity and nudging dysregulated patterns back on track. You’ll hear why personalization matters so much, how symptoms like anxiety, ADHD, sleep challenges, and emotional reactivity can stem from different neural signatures, and how tailoring thresholds accelerates meaningful change.

Curious about results and timelines? We outline a 30-session protocol in three phases—priming, pattern building, and consolidation—plus the typical window when clients start noticing real shifts between sessions eight and twelve. We also address the screen-time question head-on and share why structured, feedback-led viewing can be therapeutic, not overstimulating. Finally, we highlight what sets our approach apart: transparent explanations, human connection, and a commitment to meeting each client where they are so the science translates into everyday wins.

If you’re ready to explore a safe, non-invasive way to improve focus, calm, and sleep, hit play, subscribe for more brain health insights, and share this episode with someone who could benefit. Have a question about your specific symptoms? Leave a review with your question or send us a message—we may feature it next.

To learn more about BRAINTOPIA Neurofeedback Centers visit:
https://www.BraintopiaCenters.com
BRAINTOPIA Neurofeedback Centers
Multiple locations across the Dallas–Fort Worth area
972-640-7022

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to Brainstorm, the Brain Topia Podcast, hosted by Sandra Hooper Murcott, founder of BrainTopia Neurofeedback Centers. With locations across the Dallas Fort Worth area, BrainTopia helps children, teens, and adults improve brain function through advanced neurofeedback brain training. On this podcast, we explore the science of brain health and real-world solutions for symptoms linked to anxiety, ADHD, sleep challenges, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance. This is Brainstorm, where understanding your brain is the first step toward lasting change.

SPEAKER_02:

Neurofeedback teaches it how to send better ones. Welcome everyone. I'm Chelsea Earlywine, co-host and producer here in the studio with Sandra Hooper Murcott, founder of Braintopia Neurofeedback Center. Sandra, how's it going today? Great. We're happy to be here. Good, good. Well, Sandra, let's get started. Can you walk us through today's question? What is neurofeedback and how does it work?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. So what is neurofeedback? It's a modality that ultimately works to get brain waves into organized patterns. So there's different reasons environmental, psychological, uh physical, and metabolic that get our brain waves potentially out of organized patterns. And neurofeedback at its very simplest form gets those back into working the way that they're meant to.

SPEAKER_02:

So what types of brain wave patterns are you typically looking for during a session?

SPEAKER_01:

Great question. So we are actually we we first start with mapping five different brain waves across 14 different areas of the brain. And then we're when we go into neurofeedback therapy, we're monitoring those five brain waves. They're called delta, theta, alpha, beta, and high beta. And so throughout a neurofeedback session, there's certain thresholds that we want to see those in. Depending on where the client is coming to us, depending on what their symptoms are and what they're experiencing, those will be out of range, in range. We where everything is very specific to the client. So ultimately, we are watching how those brain waves respond to audio and visual stimuli as they're going through their neurofeedback session.

SPEAKER_02:

So, how does that real-time feedback help the brain learn new healthier patterns?

SPEAKER_01:

Great question. So the brain is constantly taking in stimuli and having to respond. That's what our central nervous system does. And so what happens is as the brain is the brain likes to be in patterns, everything just like most other parts of our body and our our lives. And so it gets in certain patterns. Unless we do something to disrupt those patterns, whether positive or negative, because there can be positive or negative disruptions, the brain is going to stay in those patterns. So what neurofeedback is doing is basically being a disruptor in the most positive way possible to cause change. And what it's doing, we'll we'll go into more of like the details of what neurofeedback looks like when you're doing a session, but what it's doing is putting the brain into a position where it has to respond and teaching the brain to respond effectively instead of in a state of dysregulation.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, that's so interesting. So, what type of symptoms or challenges tend to improve with that neurofeedback training?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, in another video, we're going to talk about our how we start our process, which is the QEG brain map. But that is the the the tool that we use to help to know where the client is starting. And so as when we know where the starting point is, as they're as they're doing their neurofeedback, we can gauge things that are happening. And so different symptoms arise for different people depending on where they are. So it's it's hard to answer that question because it literally changes for everybody. And it's very specific and very symptomatic based on what the person is experiencing.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay, I see. So how long does it typically take for clients to notice some level of meaningful change?

SPEAKER_01:

So our protocol, so what we once we get the brain map, we put them into what we call a protocol. And a protocol is 30 sessions. So this is not, it's important to note that neurofeedback is not something, it's not shock therapy. It's not something that you come in once or twice to do because we're literally retraining the brain into a different pattern of behavior. So it takes time. And so typically we like to say we want to underpromise and over-deliver. So we say between session eight and 12 is where we start to see change happen. And in our protocol, if we have a 30-session protocol, it's really separated into three different steps. The first step is just priming the brain, getting the brain realizing that a change is coming. The second step is going to be starting to create those new patterns of behavior. And that third step will be uh locking in that pattern of behavior. So really we'd like to say within the first month, people see pretty significant changes depending on what their symptoms are. Each session is 30 minutes of active training time. And what this, what the client is actually doing, it's it's quite lovely. I mean, I'm biased, but I love, I love a session. You're sitting in a comfortable recliner and you're watching a TV show. And a lot of parents, especially that have kids coming in, are saying, Well, screens, isn't that something that causes dysregulation? Potentially, but it's how we uh we we meet the client and the where they are, and that is oftentimes on a screen. And so we use that screen and um make sure that we are using that for good. So what they're getting is audio and visual stimulation from the screen. What they're watching is not the the important part, but it's that we keep their focus on the screen so they're getting that feedback.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, that's so interesting. So to close out today's session, what makes Braintopia's approach unique compared to other neurofeedback programs?

SPEAKER_01:

That people ask us that a lot. And I would say the number one thing is relationship and individuality. So the technology that we have is amazing, but there's a lot of there's a lot of companies that have amazing technology. And I think what what sets us apart is the ability to truly make relationships with families, meet them where they're at, and and explain in a way that helps them understand. It takes this scientific, you know, kind of abstract concept that that few would understand. And we have a way to explain it to them so that they know what's happening and that they really are confident in it. And building that relationship is the first step.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, I love that. Well, Sandra, thank you so much for breaking this down. This is such a foundational part of what you do at Braintopia, and we appreciate your input, and we'll see everyone next time.

SPEAKER_00:

You've been listening to Brainstorm, the Braintopia podcast. If you or someone you love is struggling with symptoms associated with anxiety, ADHD, sleep issues, or focus challenges, neurofeedback may offer a safe, non-invasive path forward. To learn more about Braintopia Neurofeedback Centers and our locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, visit BraintopiaCenters.com or call 972-640-7022. That's BraintopiaCenters.com or 972-640-7022. Thank you for listening. We'll see you next time.