7 Skills of a Brain Trainer
- Quickly and accurately find sites on the head based on the international 10/20 system.
- Quickly and effectively set up your equipment, and have a full understanding of your equipment.
- Recognize artifact in the EEG signal and minimize it in assessment and training sessions.
- Assess the client’s symptom constellation, goals and brain activation patterns and use them to create and test a training plan to move the client in desired directions at a minimum of cost.
- Educate the client and support system about brain training in terms they understand.
- Evaluate and report performance and activation changes in a timely and understandable way.
- Determine when to change protocols and when to terminate training.
About Peter Van Deusen
Peter Van Deusen began training his own brain in 1993 and studied the theories, philosophies and techniques of many leaders in the field of brain training. With no clinical background, but impressed by the changes that occurred in his own life, he began working with clients and built his practice to 4 sites in metro Atlanta. In 2001 he began training other professionals, as well as home users. He has presented throughout the US, Europe and South America. Since 2007 he has focused on developing video training materials and training via the phone and internet. The assessment tools he has developed are used by thousands of brain trainers around the world.
What Makes Brain-Trainer’s Approach Unique?
Pattern Based
Brain-trainer’s Whole-Brain Training approach to neurofeedback is based on the fact that common patterns of activation in the brain tend to be linked to specific sets of strengths and weaknesses. We are constantly tracking the work of researchers who identify such EEG patterns and adding them to our system. Our assessment tools link subjective (strengths and weaknesses) and objective (brain patterns) information to suggest training strategies. Our Assessment Service provides expert assistance in determining likely training strategies for your brain or your clients’ brains.
Avoids Labels
Drawing on years of experience with thousands of clients, we do not find it is necessary or even useful to diagnose people according to a “pathology” model. Diagnoses are often just descriptions of symptoms. They rarely guide the brain trainer toward the best strategy.
We believe there is no “perfect” brain, and that most of us aren’t just seeking to be “normal.” We focus on defining the client’s desired changes and seeing how the client’s brain patterns stand in the way. That information defines how the brain needs to change in order to grow. We know people all over the world who are using HEG and EEG biofeedback to successfully deal with the issues underlying such labels as ADD, ADHD, bipolar, depression, anxiety, learning disability, and brain injury.
Practical and Hands-On
Much of what is published and taught about neurofeedback is theoretical. Brain-trainer’s Whole-Brain Training focuses on teaching the 7 Skills of the Brain Trainer—practical skills required to DO neurofeedback training. Brain-trainer Training Videos and Workshops combine theory with practice, letting you learn at your home or office, reviewing the material as often as you wish. Brain-trainer Training is organized around 7 practical skills we believe—based on more than a dozen years of working with clients—will make you an effective trainer.
Cost Effective and Independent
Brain-Trainer’s goal is to offer you low-cost neurofeedback equipment and software options that are highly effective, whether you are a professional or a home trainer. You can spend as much as $10,000 or as little as $1,000 for essentially similar biofeedback equipment and software.
Because Brain-Trainer has distribution agreements with various manufacturers, we are aware of new options and technology before the market is. We can offer up-to-date advice from a broad point of view. If you order one of our training packages, you will get everything you need to get started with EEG training, and can pay in several installments. Even if you choose not to buy from us, check out the options.
Because we work for no manufacturer, we are free to offer objective analysis of the pros and cons of each option we recommend, based on our hands-on use of the equipment.