Anxiety and depression
From overwhelmed to in control
Understanding the root cause of anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression don’t just appear out of nowhere—they are often the result of the brain’s electrical networks getting stuck in maladaptive patterns. In anxiety, survival circuits in the limbic system (especially the amygdala) can become overactive, producing high-beta brainwaves that keep the nervous system on constant alert.
This creates a state of hypervigilance where even minor stressors feel overwhelming.In depression, the opposite often occurs: circuits in the prefrontal cortex slow down, producing underactive brainwave patterns that leave the mind struggling to generate motivation, energy, and positive mood.
This is where qEEG brain mapping plays a critical role. Much like an EKG maps the heart, qEEG records and visually maps the brain’s electrical activity across all regions. By comparing your results to a large database of age- and gender-matched norms, qEEG can identify areas that are overactive, underactive or dysregulated.
For someone with anxiety, the map may show excess high-beta activity in specific networks. For depression, it may reveal slowed alpha or theta activity in frontal regions tied to drive and emotional regulation. These objective measurements take the guesswork out of treatment and point directly to the circuits driving the symptoms.
Beyond just identifying brainwave imbalances, qEEG brain mapping also connects them to contributing factors like trauma, chronic stress, concussions, poor sleep, or even nutritional deficiencies. This deeper insight reframes anxiety and depression not as character flaws or weaknesses, but as biological patterns that can be observed, understood, and changed. By making these hidden dynamics visible, qEEG provides the foundation for personalized interventions—like neurofeedback—that restore balance to the brain’s networks and give people the chance to reclaim calm, motivation, and resilience.
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Anxiety and Depression
Growing scientific evidence shows that neurofeedback can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by directly targeting the brain’s electrical activity—helping rebalance neural networks involved in mood and emotion regulation.
- In a randomized controlled trial, participants who received EEG neurofeedback saw significant improvements in both depression and anxiety symptoms. ([Link] [Link])
- A recent meta-analysis revealed a large effect size (g ≈ 0.91) for neurofeedback in reducing depressive symptoms. ([Link])
- Reviews of the literature find consistent positive support for neurofeedback in treating anxiety disorders—suggesting it may offer a viable alternative or complement to medication. ([Link])
- A 2024 systematic review confirmed that neurofeedback not only reduced symptoms during treatment but also showed even stronger effects at follow-up. ([Link])
- Targeted neurofeedback was effective in reducing anxiety traits and depressive symptoms in patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). ([Link])
These studies show that neurofeedback offers a personalized, non-invasive pathway toward longer-term relief and resilience beyond traditional treatments.
Neurofeedback and therapy form a powerful one-two punch for anxiety and depression. Neurofeedback addresses the brain’s underlying electrical imbalances—the root cause—while therapy focuses on entrenched behaviors and thought patterns. Without correcting the physiology, talk therapy tends to manage symptoms rather than resolve them. But once neurofeedback has fine-tuned neural activity, therapy can then more effectively reshape habits, thoughts, and coping strategies. Together, they enable faster, more enduring relief—neurofeedback unlocks the brain, and therapy helps break the habits.
Our process begins with a quick, non-invasive qEEG brain map—think of a cap with 21 sensors capturing your brain’s electrical activity in just 15–20 minutes while you relax in a comfortable chair. Your map is compared to a large, age-matched normative database to uncover areas where dysregulated is causing anxiety or depression. This objective, visual brain map reveals the hidden neurological roots causing emotional dysregulation. Your brain map then guides a targeted, personalized plan to address the root cause of your symptoms. This can include addressing cellular nutritional deficiencies and/or recommendations for neurofeedback to retrain brain networks back to normal function.[Click here to schedule your brain map now.]
Yes, continue to take your medications prescribed by your doctor. We know how medications affect your brain map and can account for this when reviewing the results.
Even though EEG brain mapping has hundreds of research studies, currently, insurance does not pay or reimburse for EEG brain maps. The current insurance model is to prescribe medications solely based on symptoms and history. EEG technology is still a few years away from being considered a “main stream” medical diagnostic tool. However, the Brain Performance Center has recently reduced the price for a full EEG brain map to only $500 (the price for the last 5 years has been $975). This helps make it an affordable, out-of-pocket brain health investment.
