Trauma is prevalent and can have a devastating impact on the community. In fact, research indicates that in Florida alone, one in three women and one in five men have experienced sexual violence in their lifetimes. Moreover, 38% of women and 29% of men in Florida have experienced domestic violence in their lifetimes too (NISVS, 2017). Together with Resilient Retreat, a new and innovative center based in Sarasota, The Brain Wave Center is conducting a joint study to evaluate if and how neurofeedback is helpful for survivors. 

In the psychological community, it is known that abuse (e.g., domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, trafficking or stalking) can have adverse effects on the victim’s well-being. Continuous exposure to the stress of abuse can negatively affect the brain and body. These negative effects can be seen in different regions of the brain through brainwaves which can lead to PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Given this knowledge, neurofeedback retrains a person’s brainwaves to minimize or subside the effects of PTSD, anxiety and depression. Several research studies have suggested that neurofeedback can be helpful for trauma survivors (e.g., van der Kolk et al., 2016; Brown, Clark, & Pooley, 2019). Our partnership is seeking to help survivors and gauge the effectiveness of neurofeedback as part of a complete wellness plan. 

Currently, Resilient Retreat is looking for 20 survivors of abuse who can dedicate time to complete 20 neurofeedback sessions (40 minutes each) and two brain scans (two hours each). If you are 18 or older and have experienced some kind of abuse in your lifetime, neurofeedback could be an ideal fit. There is no cost to you for participating.

 

To find out if you are eligible, call 941-343-0039 or visit ReslientRetreat.org. For more information on neurofeedback, call 941-552-4500 or visit BrainWaveCenters.com.