As this young man, Cayden Bechtel, and his parents discovered, neurofeedback can be extremely effective in reducing anxiety. At Center for Brain we have successfully treated hundreds of children and adults suffering from anxiety issues. Read on to learn what it did for one Illinois boy whose unrelenting fears left him barely able to function. (Pictured with neurofeedback practitioner Kim Briggs of the Brain Training Center in Fairfield, Illinois).
Terrorism Fears Ruining Youngster’s Life Reduced with Neurofeedback
by Mike Cohen
Like millions of other youngsters these days, 11 year-old Cayden Bechtel of Mt. Vernon, Illinois worries about becoming a victim of random violence. Unlike many other youngsters, however, his worry, particularly about shooters in public places, escalated to the point that he could barely function. When he was around 9 years old Cayden began living in a constant state of anxiety that prevented him from going to school or doing activities normal for a child his age.
“(Cayden) experienced debilitating fear every time we were in strange places or around a lot of people,” said his mother Joyce Bechtel. “He also struggled with focus issues, therefore academics were not his strong suit.”
When out in public Cayden didn’t want to leave his parents’ side, often insisting on holding hands with them. Using a public restroom was an ordeal for him. He couldn’t manage school and had to be homeschooled.
Counseling and EMDR training (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy) did not work.
In March of 2015 Cayden began neurofeedback treatment with Kim Briggs of the Brain Training Center in Fairfield, Illinois. Kim, a speech pathologist and adjunct professor at Frontier Community College, was trained in neurofeedback by me at Center for Brain.
“Within a month or so, we saw a noticeable change in Cayden’s anxiety,” Joyce said. “He was less fearful on a daily basis and even started feeling more comfortable away from us for short times; for example, he could go to the restroom alone in public if I was waiting outside the bathroom for him.
“Then we noticed that if he could see us, he was fine. He didn’t need to be holding our hand. He quit worrying about shooters in public places and felt more at ease when we left home.”
Cayden was even able to go back to public school this year. He had been struggling with math, so Kim used part of the neurofeedback sessions to target areas of the brain that involve math. After a month Cayden’s math grades improved, as did his other grades.
Cayden continues having periodic “tune up” sessions and has happily been getting back to the business of being a normal 11 year-old.
consultation
If you or a child you love is experiencing problems related to anxiety and fear I urge you to schedule a consultation to help determine if I think we can help.
For an appointment or for more information call: 561-744-7616 or email info@centerforbrain.com.