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Posted on March 12 2010
As a 38 year-old husband, father of four, and leader of an organization I had a lot of responsibilities so I figured that my anxiety was normal. I struggled to turn my brain off at night and therefore I couldn’t fall and stay asleep. So, almost two years ago, I started to take Xanax to turn me off and get some rest. The anxiety I had was always present and it made me feel like I was in a rush and it made me blow things out of proportion.
My wife encouraged me to pursue “Ready To Focus” and seek some relief. During my first visit my anxiety was seen clearly in the numbers as I went through an assessment. (Ready To Focus Clinical Director) Brad Oostindie explained that my mind is stuck in the “fight or flight” mode and that they could help.
As I began the program I wondered how watching DVDs would help me, but as I went through the program I found myself more focused, less uptight and finally able to sleep. I got off the Xanax and my wife commented about the changes she saw in me. Finally the runaway train of my mind got under control and now I’m “Ready to Focus.”
Thanks to “Ready to Focus” for your support and good work!
Posted on September 28 2009
Our daughter started neurofeedback when she was 8 years old going into 4th grade. We noticed she was having a hard time with everyday tasks such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing her teeth…etc. She basically didn’t know what to do next. Her school work was also a struggle for her, especially math. She told us that the numbers were all mixed up in her head. She also had very bad migraine headaches that she was on medication for to help prevent them. She was also moody, somewhat depressed because she felt stupid because of her schoolwork. We suspected ADD.
I had never heard of neurofeedback before. I am a pharmacist and the treatment was medication. I never knew that there was this alternative. Our family doctor knows Brad Oostindie and suggested that we try this instead of putting her on medication right away. I was so happy because I see the side effects of these medications in kids everyday and I did not want my daughter to have to go through that.
It took a while before we actually saw results. I was getting a little frustrated, but Brad told me to hang in there. It was probably about 9 weeks at 2 half-hour sessions per week when we saw the results. It was amazing. One day she was the moody, frustrated girl and the next she was happy, ready to go to school and start learning.
We had about 15 weeks of therapy. We have the home version and refresh in the summertime. The equipment is easy to use and convenient. I also put my other daughter on it just because even though she does not have ADD.
Our daughter is off her migraine medication and the headaches are almost non-existent. She never had to be put on ADD medication and is doing great. She is going into 7th grade and last year she had all “A’s” and one “B+”. She loves school and cannot wait to start this fall. It has been a slow road to basically “catch her up” and relearn some things, but it has been worth the hard work. We are so proud of her!
Posted on August 21 2009
During my elementary years, particularly 3rd through 5th, my teachers seriously impacted how I viewed myself. For years I struggled with feelings of inadequacy with the deep-seated lie that I was actually dumb and stupid. Over the years through God’s grace I have found healing and restoration from a destroyed self-esteem. But there was one more piece to the puzzle – something I hadn’t considered – how those childhood years affected my ability to learn.
You see, I love to learn, but reading a book meant going back to read what I had just read, conversation with a friend meant asking questions that had already been answered, listening to a lecture found me leaving class with my head spinning, studying for an exam meant many laborious hours. The question wasn’t how long I stuck with something, because I was diligent to persevere through whatever. The question was how much I absorbed and retained from that book, conversation, lecture, or review. It all came about while I was working on finishing a college degree last year. Studying for an exam or writing a paper triggered the same panic and anxiousness I had struggled with throughout all my school years.
The Ready to Focus option was something I had to explore. I had no idea what that meant, but I was willing to give it a try. After my initial testing to see how my brain waves were working during focus, it was discovered that my brain would work really hard to focus (at an anxiety level), but then give up and jump over to a zoned out state even while I tried to remain focused. I couldn’t believe how well Brad’s description fit what I experienced every time I read a book, studied for an exam, etc. No wonder I was having trouble - jumping from anxiety to zoned out - a pattern, Brad says, that I probably developed as a grade-schooler. I just always thought that was how it worked for me. I always figured I had some sort of learning disability that I would never be able to overcome, of course, proving my teachers correct.
After 32 half-hour sessions of neurofeedback I have retrained my brain waves to function at the healthy ideal levels my brain was made to function all along. Experientially, I could tell I was improving, but the real clincher was when I saw the before and after graphs that showed my improvement.
I am both amazed and grateful that God would bring healing down to the very core of my brain waves—my God-given cognitive potential. My brain waves are fixed and I am a bona fide student and learner without the panic and anxiety I experienced for so many years!
Posted on August 21 2009
I had terrible headaches just about every day for the better part of a decade. I tried doctors, chiropractors, and several other things and nothing seemed to help. It was getting a bit frustrating. After my first neurofeedback session my headaches were gone! I literally felt certain muscles in my head relaxing during the session and when I got done I knew that I had found the key to fixing my headaches. I was able to discontinue the use of the beta-blocking medication that would occasionally give me some relief, because I just didn’t need it anymore!
Aside from helping my headaches neurofeedback has been an incredible way to learn how to focus, breath, and be in a much better mental zone than I’ve ever been in. I’ve been amazed at how much more effective I am at work and in every other way when my brain is properly focusing.
I’m usually a skeptic about these types of things and if I had not experienced it for myself I’m not sure I would have believed it could be so beneficial. I can’t say enough about neurofeedback. I wish everyone could do the training!