Neurofeedback Alpha-Theta Course Outline

Outline for Alpha-Theta Course
(Content in the course recording may not be presented in the linear fashion shown below, but the outline will give you an idea of the content covered)

Day 1 — Three Hours from 4:00 – 7:05 pm (Eastern Time)
with a 5 minute break from 5:30 -5:35pm

1. What is alpha theta training?
2. History of alpha theta training. Studies using alpha theta for substance abuse recovery.
3. What mental heal issues is Alpha Theta training used for? What about personal enhancement like increased creativity and deepened meditative states?
4. Creating a safe, comfortable, therapeutic environment –
   a. Headphones vs Speakers, which has the best effect
   b. Type and position of chair for increased relaxation
   c. Music does it help or interfere?
5. Clinician preparation – inducing your own state of relaxation. Can your state impact the client’s state and their ease of entering alpha theta brain wave activity?
6. When is the client ready for Alpha-Theta?
7. Discussing alpha-theta early on in the standard neurofeedback training process.
8. How to prepare the client – often less is more. What to say, not to say.
9. Do you stay in the room? Deciding what works best for each client. Listening and individualizing your therapeutic approach.
10. Is it helpful to precede alpha-theta with progressive relaxation or Heart Rate Variability training – or just start with alpha theta?
11. Using guided visualizations and scripts as part of the introduction to enhance therapeutic goals.
12. How long do you train the client (duration of session) to reinforce alpha theta brain wave activity?
13. How many sessions and how often do you need to do alpha-theta to optimize it’s effectiveness?
14. Do you mix alpha theta with standard EEG Neurofeedback or do you dedicate a number of sessions to alpha theta alone?
15. Using alpha theta with children.
16. Discussion of sleep and sleep issues. How to tell if the client went to sleep.
17. Using guided visualizations as part of the introduction.
18. Answering “How did I do?” Talking with the client about their session. What to share and not share.
19. How to Export Graphs for review. Send graphs for second class course.

Day 2 — Three Hours from 4:00 – 7:05 pm (Eastern Time)
with a 5 minute break from 5:30 -5:35pm

1. A brief review or research. Peniston, Gruzelier, Scott.
2. Review of practice training sessions. What did you notice? What was the outcome? Does anything need to be modified for improved outcome?  Examining graphs.
3. More on how to debrief/process the session with the client.
4. Watching for abreactions and how to prepare for that possibility. Are there steps you can take to help minimize abreactions? Communication style, therapeutic relationship, progressive relaxation, carefully chosen scripts, imagery used and adjusting frequency.
5. What is known as bad alpha?
6. Review Sleep again. How to deal with clients who chronically fall asleep. How important is it?
7. Why is Alpha Theta underutilized? Do we have a bias that keeps us from using it well?
8. Are there any contraindications to using alpha theta?
9. Follow up discussion to scripting.
10. Further discussion about finishing sessions with stabilization or some activation training for increased mood. Watching for delayed depression.
11. Discuss cases.
12.  Discuss cases & more review of graphs.
13. Extra Long Alpha-Theta sessions. Are there benefits or drawbacks?
14. Advanced – Alpha-Theta 2 channel, or Alpha-Theta Synchrony.