How Brainwave Training Can Help Improve Academic and Athletic Performance.
[Dr. Tom Woodman and Dr. Laura Pardue are excited to announce the opening of Next Level Neurofeedback at the Connecticut Sportsplex this summer. They are Board Certified in both Chiropractic and Neurofeedback, and both doctors have personally experienced the tremendous benefits that neurofeedback can provide. Dr. Woodman has long desired to bring these services back to his beloved hometown of North Branford. Below is his introductory letter that explains his experience with neurofeedback, discusses some of the applications for neurofeedback, and outlines the academic and athletic enhancement programs that they will be offering this summer.]
Neurofeedback therapy (NFB) is a unique form of exercise that helps develop and organize the neurological networks within the brain, making the brain itself operate more efficiently and produce more desired patterns of brainwave activity. My partner (Dr. Pardue) first came across NFB in 2010 when she was looking for a drug-free way to help her with the panic attacks and the horrible anxiety that she suffered from. After careful consideration, she decided to do it, and after 30 sessions of this “brainwave training” her panic attacks were gone and her anxiety was reduced by “about 95%”. All of this was life changing for her. She also was happier and was sleeping better, was procrastinating less and more productive. Quite frankly, she was shocked at how this improved her life.
I began my own training shortly after she finished her program. Being 37 years old at the time, I was hoping that NFB would help improve sleep issues and mild anxiety that I had developed later in life, as well as improve my focus and concentration, which I struggled with since childhood). After 28 sessions, many of these issues were significantly better. But the changes I realized elsewhere in my life were much more significant to me – my personal relationships were now deeper and more meaningful; I was able to break repeating patterns that hindered my personal development; and I was just happier in life. My story doesn’t end there. Four months later, my outdoor soccer league resumed after a long winter break, and I shocked at the changes that I discovered with my soccer performance. My position awareness, depth perception, emotional reactions and general timing all improved dramatically, and I was able to get into “the zone” much quicker and for longer periods of time than what I was previously used to. That season alone, I scored more goals off my head than I had in the prior 10 seasons combined. And according to my teammates, I was easier to play with. These changes were significant and noticeable to me and those familiar with my game, and all of it occurred without any conscious effort on my part – it was instinctive.
It turns out that I wasn’t the only one to recognize the benefit that brainwave training could have on sport performance. In 2006, the Italian men’s soccer team used NFB to help them win the World Cup that year; the Canadian Olympic Committee endorsed neurofeedback for all of their athletes during the 2010 Winter games held there; Kirk Cousins and Josh McCown both did brainwave training just prior to their respective “breakout” seasons; and Kerri Walsh Jennings did it prior to her winning her last Gold Metal. Even ESPN has done segments highlighting the benefits that this type of training can have on sport performance. Understanding what I know now, this all makes sense – more efficient brains allow you to be more present, have less anticipatory worry, and lets you simply flow with the game.
Neurofeedback has experienced a significant boom in recent years. Of the 2,039 peer-reviewed studies involving neurofeedback, 93% of them have occurred in the last 11 years. It has been shown to improve attention, executive functioning, and reading/spelling skills; it has helped improve cognitive deficits in elderly patients; and it has helped surgical residents recover from the “burnout” that is common within that population. The wide array of applications for NFB similar to how physical therapy can help a variety of different physical conditions – when different networks are not working efficiently, different presentations develop.
Neurofeedback training can also help students with academic performance as well. Not only can this therapy help improve focus and concentration, but there are specific protocols that can help improve reading comprehension and emotional regulation. When all this training gets put together, preparation is better, focus is better, and it is easier to understand what is being asked for, and most students report being much more relaxed during exams. We have seen this help many students at various grade levels, including “older students” that have used NFB to help them with licensing exams, professional certifications and passing medical boards. [If you wanted to read people’s experiences with us, please visit the testimonial page on our website.]
Thirty years ago, I graduated from NBHS. In high school, I was academically strong but didn’t fully apply myself; I was gifted athletically but was insecure and lacked self-confidence; and personally, I was also immature, defensive and defiant. We have worked with several adolescents over the last 12 years that demonstrate what I just described in myself, and the maturation, growth and development that parents report (and that we observe) is incredibly rewarding for us. Brainwave training can help people reach the “Next Level” and realize their fullest potential, and we would love the opportunity to help you and your family experience this as well.
We will be providing neurofeedback services at the Sportsplex four days a week for seven weeks over the summer, and we have created “performance enhancement programs” that are based on various studies that have shown to help enhance academic, athletic, and personal performance. These programs are intended for “well-adjusted individuals” who want to elevate their performance and give them an “edge” over others. For more complicated cases, we might suggest having a qEEG evaluation done, which we can provide. This provides information about an individual’s specific brainwave patterns, and also provides individualized training protocols for that person. We have space for approximately 20 individuals at this location, so space is limited. We do also offer training in Norwalk, and also offer at-home training options using the same systems that we use in-office.
"I highly recommend this program as it has helped my son in a number of areas of his life. His focus, work ethic, rationality and emotional reactions are all much better. Overall, he is a more mature, responsible and independent person since doing neurofeedback. In school, both his grades and SAT’s considerably improved, and has since transferred to a much more challenging school (and doing incredibly well). And while COVID prevented him from football competitions, his performance in other sports have improved considerably as well. If your child is struggling, I encourage you to learn more about this program." - father of a 17 year old North Branford student.
[About the Author: Dr. Tom Woodman, DC began offering chiropractic services in Fairfield county in 2005. In 2010, he was introduced to neurofeedback therapy and he quickly changed the course of his professional development. In 2012, he became “Board Certified in Neurofeedback” through BCIA, and then in 2015, he began teaching 12-hour continuing education seminars on Functional Brain Development, Neuroplasticity and Neurofeedback. He has lectured throughout the country, has taught Grand Rounds at Norwalk Hospital, and has mentored other healthcare providers seeking Board Certification. He is considered an expert within the field of neurofeedback. For more information, please visit www.nextlevelneurofeedback.com – or call or office at (203)316-8212.]
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