NEUROFEEDBACK in a few key points
In response to feedback from patients who have been misdirected to neurofeedback consultations and have had disappointing experiences, it is necessary to clarify some points to help individuals make informed decisions. Neurofeedback is currently unregulated in France.
Neurofeedback, which translates to “feedback” in French, involves providing feedback on neurological activity, specifically brain activity, collected through methods such as electroencephalography (EEG) or other imaging techniques used in research, such as fMRI and MEG.
This means that one must receive a visual and/or auditory feedback of this activity in order to learn how to regulate it. (There is no magical software that solves all disorders in the same way without active participation, and without a professional present during the session.)
Both Neurofeedback and Biofeedback are biomedical devices that do not require qualifiers or adjectives to justify their use.
The pseudo-scientific language used by some websites and social media hides major commercial interests aimed at selling software, services, and training.
Terms like “practitioner,” “neurotherapist,” or membership in an association do not provide any proof of the competence of the individuals promoting them.
Only accreditation from the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), obtained through an examination in English, validates a set of required competencies in terms of university degrees, professional ethics, additional training, and years of specialization/supervision.
<a style=”color: #45477a;” href=”https://www.bcia.org/index.php?option=com_mcdirectorysearch&view=search&id=2003192#/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://www.bcia.org/index.php?option=com_mcdirectorysearch&view=search&id=2003192#/</a>
A Biofeedback-Neurofeedback session has specific rehabilitation goals based on personalized protocols, which are part of a care plan in addition to other treatments and/or medication. The effectiveness of these sessions is well-documented for certain disorders, but not for all (beware of endless lists of solved problems that are claimed).
Therefore, do not hesitate to ask, in the interest of transparency, whether the person you are consulting with genuinely possesses the necessary skills and independence in the diagnostic process to work with such devices.
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