About Northwest Biofeedback Center

The neurofeedback services offered by Dr. Joseph N. O’Donnell and the staff at Northwest Biofeedback Center have helped people in the Chicago area since 1991. Patients in Des Plaines, Schaumburg, Glenview, Northbrook, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect and other cities throughout the region have turned to this form of biofeedback to help treat several different types of mental and physical health issues.

What to Expect

During your first initial contact with us, which in most cases is over the phone, we will explain treatment and be happy to answer any questions about that treatment, as well as billing and other related topics. The next appointment, in most cases, is the QEEG (or brainmap). During this visit a comprehensive intake interview will be held and a brainmap will be administered. This is a recording of your brainwave activity from the surface of the scalp with your eyes closed and then your eyes opened. Once we have the data collected an analysis and interpretation are performed. This usually takes about five business days and a result feedback session is scheduled after the brainmap. During the feedback session, we will discuss findings and treatment options. The map will be able to determine if there is a part of the brain that is “misfiring” or not communicating with the rest of sites to cause any unwanted symptoms. Based on the brainmap there might be one or more areas of the brain that show deviation from the norm. With the help of neurofeedback, we can normalize or enhance these areas of interest. A neurofeedback session is about 30 minutes long and we usually see the client twice a week.

Who Said Video Games are Bad?

We pair up the neurofeedback sessions with science-based, sophisticated software that uses video games as a training tool. Video games may just turn out to be a blessing after all. As a parent, you may question the wisdom of letting your child play video to treat hyperactivity, but a closer look reveals solid reasons for this approach. Think about it for a moment; what better way is there to get a kid to go to the doctor than by using a video game as the treatment delivery system of choice? After all, there’s an entire generation of gamers out there just waiting to get to the next level. Here’s a brief example of how this simple reward system works. A child has electrodes attached to the scalp or wears a helmet that monitors brainwave activity. On screen, a boat sits by the edge of the lake. The goal of the child is to move the boat from one side of the lake to the other, let’s say from the boathouse to a pier. The joystick has been removed and in effect, the child’s brainwave activity becomes the controller. So, if we want to get a fidgety and highly excitable kid to learn to sit more calmly and focus, the only way for the child to get the boat across is to learn how to be totally relaxed. Without this, the boat simply won’t move. The more relaxed and focused the child is, the greater control he/she has over the boat. He or she gets auditory rewards (beeps and tones) and visual feedback (points/game plays). Benefits of neurofeedback services can last long after patients walk out of a session. Patients will learn techniques that will stay with them the rest of their lives. Neurofeedback services can restore you or your loved one’s proper brain function in much the same way physical therapy can help to restore muscle control after an injury. Our experts take the time to thoroughly answer all of our patients’ questions and are always ready to provide friendly, professional service. When you visit our facility, you’ll encounter a relaxed environment designed to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

Contact Us About Neurofeedback Services

If you would like to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment, contact Joseph N. O’Donnell & Associates visit out contact us page or fill out the form below.