• You will be sitting in a comfortable chair.  The therapist will attach sensors at different locations on your scalp, ears, and possibly your hands.   To guarantee a good connection, some paste will be placed on the skin.  This may feel cool and will be cleaned off at the end of the session. 

• During the session, you will be asked to observe a screen or monitor or to close your eyes.  You will be aware of sounds that come and go at times.  If you find any of the displays or sounds to be annoying, you should mention this to your therapist.  Often, these sounds or displays can be quickly changed to something more pleasing.

• Relax!  If your eyes are open, notice any changes on the visual display.  If there are any sounds or tones, allow them to be present.  If you find the sounds or display to be irritating, let your therapist know this.

• Your therapist will monitor the sensor readings to observe general trends and to adjust settings as appropriate. During the first several training sessions, it is best for your therapist to be present during the entire training session.  After several sessions, some clients prefer to be alone during parts of their training and may ask to do so. Others find the continual presence of the therapist to be more comfortable.  You may want to make your wishes known about this during the training.  

• Inform the therapist if you feel any unpleasant feelings or sensations such as, agitation, strong emotions, headaches, or sleepiness.  When such feelings or sensations, occur, a minor adjustment in the settings can be helpful to make the experience more comfortable.

• During deep relaxation (alpha-theta) training, clients may have different experiences at some points during their sessions.  These may be some or all of the following:
  
  

  • Increased alertness
  • drowsiness
  • dream-like visual images
  • old memories resurfacing with mild or strong emotions
  • feeling cool or chilly
  • releases of muscle tension (muscle twitches)
  • subjective sensations of falling

• After many sessions of deep relaxation training (alpha-theta) some clients may report intolerance to alcohol or addictive drugs and may experience flu like symptoms after drinking.

• During Beta/SMR training, clients often experience some or all of the following sensations during or after a session:
  
  

  • Increased alertness
  • Sleepiness
  • Decreased Impulsivity
  • Agitation (In Rare Cases)
  • Improved Sleeping Patterns
  • An improved ability to remain calm under stress

• After biofeedback training sessions, it is important to discuss with your worker how you feel.  Clients who feel sleepy, sluggish, or less than alert should inform their therapist before leaving the office.  It is important that clients feel completely alert if they will be driving after leaving their sessions.  Clients should be prepared to remain at the office for a while or arrange to get a ride home. Often some brief training at higher frequencies at the closing of a session can help clients be alert and focused.
   
• In rare circumstances, clients may need to delay their departure or obtain a ride home if they feel sleepy or less than alert.  Clients must not drive if there is any impairment in their ability to drive safely. Just as you would not want to drive when too sleepy late at night, it is important it be absolutely safe to operate your vehicle.

• Some people may begin to notice some differences in how they feel at the first session. However, it is more common for effects to be gradually noticeable within 5-10 hours of training.

By signing below, you are indicating that you have read and understood the above information for you or your child.

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