✓ Fact checked by: Dr. Glen M Doniger, PhD
Have you ever wondered which books sit on the shelves of neurofeedback practitioners?
The ones that teach you the history of neurofeedback and its different approaches, but also help you decide on the best system for your practice. These books are based on knowledge, not marketing claims.
If you're interested in reading material that can help you use neurofeedback effectively, check out this list of the top five neurofeedback books. They are packed with valuable information, case studies, step-by-step instructions, protocols, logs, and sample scripts.
1.Getting Started with Neurofeedback by John N. Demos
"The book is replete with excellent clinical examples." - Dick A. Gerardi, Ph.D., BCN, Clinical Associate Professor
In Getting Started with Neurofeedback John N. Demos offers a step-by-step guide for professional health care providers who wish to begin with neurofeedback and experienced clinicians looking for a concise guide.
You may learn:
How neurofeedback works
When neurofeedback is the therapy of choice
Why should you add it to your existing healthcare practice
What kind of training you should get
What type of equipment you should buy
The first part of the book will introduce you to the world of neurofeedback, its history, and its scientific basis. Presented studies can help you apply what you're learning, and demos take the mystery out of the assessment process. You will also be able to see charts and examples of topographic brain maps.
2. A Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of the New Brain Wave Biofeedback by Jim Robbins
“At the heart of this riveting story are the people whose lives have been transformed by neurofeedback." - Publishers Weekly
Jim Robbins traces the fascinating story of neurofeedback development, from its discovery to its growing application across the country and worldwide. He offers many case studies, accessible scientific explanations, and personal accounts.
In A Symphony in the Brain, Robbins introduced Dr. Barry Sterman, whose 40 years of research supports neurofeedback to treat epilepsy, to Jesse DeBoer, who was born with severe brain damage.
Jesse DeBoer can now, at 19, function on the level of a learning-disabled person. He also introduced school principal Linda Vergara, who teaches grade school students to train their brains instead of using Ritalin to treat attention deficit disorders.
A Symphony in the Brain can help your clients understand the process that their brain is going through. Moreover, it may serve as an excellent resource if you want to clarify the process of neurofeedback to others.
3. Neurofeedback: The First Fifty Years by James R. Evans, Mary Blair Dellinger, and Harold L. Russell
This book brings together the monumental contributions of renowned researchers and practitioners in an unprecedented, comprehensive volume.
In Neurofeedback: The First Fifty Years, pioneers in the field share their views and contributions to neurofeedback history.
This book provides both personal and historical perspectives regarding important past and present neurofeedback developments. It also includes chapters noting the contributions of deceased neurofeedback pioneers.
Neurofeedback: The First Fifty Years is an excellent read for anyone who wants a broad orientation to the field. The information presented in the book may be of most value for neuroscientists, neurologists, neurophysiologists, cognitive and developmental psychologists.
4. The Neurofeedback Book 2nd Edition: An Introduction to Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology
"This is a must-read for anyone interested in neurofeedback, and one that objectively and comprehensively addresses some of the inaccurate criticisms of this field." - M. Barry Sterman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, UCLA
The Neurofeedback Book 2nd Edition: An Introduction to Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology provides a broad and updated overview of the field of neurofeedback. It includes comprehensive sections on relevant neuroanatomy, as well as theoretical functional physiology.
This book may help readers understand basic theory, neuroanatomy, and the basics of frequencies. It has everything a beginner needs for getting started using evidence-based approaches grounded in years of clinical experience.
Still, it offers valuable content for non-beginners: "You will be surprised by how your clinical performance will improve if you utilize the tips and techniques in this book," said Vietta Wilson, Ph.D., Senior Scholar, York University.
5. Handbook of Neurofeedback: Dynamics and Clinical Applications by James R. Evans
"This is probably one of the most complete neurofeedback books on the market." - Christopher J Graver, Ph.D., ABPP-CN
Handbook of Neurofeedback offers practical information on the history of neurofeedback, theoretical concerns, and applications for a variety of disorders encountered by clinicians.
Topics discussed include:
Implications of network models for neurofeedback
The transition from structural to functional models
Client and therapist variables
Treatment-specific variables
Tomographic neurofeedback
Applying audio-visual entrainment to neurofeedback
EEG patterns and the elderly
Nutrition and cognitive health
ADHD definitions and treatment
Attention disorders
Autism disorders
The neurobiology of depression
QEEG-guided neurofeedback
Using case studies, the field's pioneers and most experienced practitioners discuss emerging topics, general and specific procedures, training approaches, and neurofeedback efficacy theories. This book may be an essential professional resource for anyone practicing or interested in practicing neurofeedback.
Summary
If you're interested in adding neurofeedback to your practice, check out these five neurofeedback books:
A Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of the New Brain Wave Biofeedback by Jim Robbins
Neurofeedback: The First Fifty Years by James R. Evans, Mary Blair Dellinger, and Harold L. Russell
The Neurofeedback Book 2nd Edition: An Introduction to Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology
Handbook of Neurofeedback: Dynamics and Clinical Applications by James R. Evans
Are you considering adding neurofeedback to your clinic? You can complete a remote, BCIA accredited qualification course. Learn more about how to get a neurofeedback qualification.
Dr. Doniger is a cognitive neuroscientist with two decades of experience in the neurotech industry. He holds a PhD from New York University and has been involved in studies of visual perception, cognitive training, neurofeedback, and neurostimulation using behavioral and neuroimaging techniques in a variety of research and clinical settings.