In nearly two decades at the Scottsdale Neurofeedback Institute (SNI) we have only rarely seen mild adverse reactions to neurofeedback. Infrequently we have had clients report that they feel tired, spacey, have a headache or are more irritable than normal. The research over the years has shown that clients who are left handed, 10 – 15% of the time have a reversed right frontal dominance instead of the normal left frontal dominance. This reversed dominance can cause the individual to experience adverse effects to the normal neurofeedback treatment, presenting with increased depression / irritability. This unfortunately can not be predetermined, and can only be identified by observing these adverse effects from the normal treatment . Fortunately, these adverse reactions are most always quickly reversed.

We at the SNI know how powerful neurofeedback can be as we have seen dramatic changes in the lives of individuals, thus we realize that neurofeedback practiced by inexperienced clinicians could be detrimental to the client and exacerbate the symptoms, e.g. someone with depression becoming more depressed. This is why all the clinicians at the Scottsdale Neurofeedback Institute are required not only to have a minimum of a Masters degree in Mental Health, but to complete a one year residency program under the supervision of the clinical director and former president of the International Society for Neurofeedback & research (ISNR), Bob Gurnee. Our clinicians are experienced enough to realize when the training protocol needs to be changed.