Meet Juan Ricardo Diaz, a Myndlift clinician. Diaz has been providing neurofeedback since 2002, and used Myndlift to expand his practice. He offers Myndlift to his clients as part of an entirely remote, customized neurofeedback brain training program.
Juan Ricardo Diaz, MFT, NFP, a thriving Myndlift clinician shares his insights about starting his own successful, completely remote neurofeedback practice.
Tell us a little about you and your remote neurfeedback practice
I’ve been doing Neurofeedback since 2002. When I started, I used to work mostly with children on the spectrum (ASD), with ADHD, and learning disabilities. While I still treat this population, they currently only make up around a quarter of my clientele.
Now, most of my time is spent working with a broader population of clients. My clients range from 4 to 90 years old and suffer from issues including sleep disorders, migraines, anxiety, depression, Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Since 2010, I have also been working with athletes for peak performance training. I have trained professional golfers, basketball players, ice skaters, gymnasts and soccer players to improve their performance using neurofeedback.
Why did you start using Myndlift?
Even before I found Myndlift, my aim has been to offer all my clients and potential clients the chance to train their brains in the comfort of their own home or office, while being closely monitored by professionals with decades of experience.
I had been looking for a home-based system which is sophisticated, but still easy-to-use, for a while when I found Myndlift. I quickly realized that the
"Myndlift platform would allow me to offer my clients the benefits of neurofeedback training at a lower cost and over a shorter period of time than in-clinic neurofeedback."
I was excited to discover that Myndlift shared the same goals as me in making neurofeedback more accessible and affordable."
How do you determine a therapy plan for patients remotely?
Due to distance, the majority of my remote patients are assessed by a questionnaire of symptoms and goals. Their training plans are established based on standardized protocols proven to work for those symptoms and/or achieve those goals.
Some of my clients have the possibility to do a Brain Map (qEEG assessment) locally and share the results with me. In these instances, I create a customized protocol based on the results of the Brain Map.
How do you stay in touch with your remote patients?
"With the help of the email notification feature on the dashboard, I am able to know when my client is doing a session."
Tracking Progress with Myndlift: A clinician reviews a client's brain activity and performance trends using the Myndlift Clinical Dashboard, enabling informed and precise neurofeedback interventions.
When I’m notified that my client is doing a session, I usually log in and take a brief look at the currently running session to be sure everything is well connected and running smoothly.
After my clients have answered their questionnaire presented by the symptom tracker, and are done with the session, I send them an email or text encouraging them to keep up the good work and, when relevant, to congratulate them for the big improvement.
If they have any specific or technical needs, I contact them via different platforms such as Skype, FaceTime, or GoToMeeting, depending on their needs and the technology available to them.
How do you manage the logistics of home neurofeedback training - hardware, packaging, payments from clients?
I use a well documented spreadsheet to keep track of each patient’s logistics. I use it follow up with the dates, sessions, progress, and payments of each specific client.
"I set alarms and reminders on my calendar to follow up when needed and make sure I am on top of each case."
How have you managed to successfully market remote neurofeedback to clients?
If you can offer clients a secure and low-cost option to make improvements in areas they are looking for, the sales process becomes quick and easy.
After many years of promoting and selling my services as a neurofeedback practitioner, I’ve learned that where there’s a need, there’s a will to commit.
Who are the clients looking for at home neurofeedback training?
The majority of the clients I treat are people that want to improve their focus, concentration and attention, as well as those who want to minimize their stress levels, anxiety or regulate their mood. These people choose home training, as they are sometimes recommended to do more sessions that can be done easily in the clinic. They also choose this option because it is more affordable, convenient and saves them time.
Could you share some of your patient’s experiences using Myndlift?
My very first client used the system for two months. When she started, she rated the severity level of all of her 6 primary symptoms as a 5 on a 1-5 scale. At the end of her training, she finished with 1’s and 2’s and feeling great! She told me that she had previously tried many different types of therapies, but with no luck.
"Home brain training with Myndlift enabled her to go back to her “normal” life, where she feels happy and is able to carry out her regular tasks at home and at her job."
Another patient of mine, a 7-year-old boy with severe anxiety and socialization issues, also had a very positive experience. After just two months of training, his father reported huge improvements in both of these areas - he is now going to a new school, he is very calm, and has made a lot of new friends.
Real-Time Tracking: A boy wears a training headband while playing
a game on the Myndlift app at the clinic, allowing continuous monitoring
of his brain activity.
What are the challenges you face with at home neurofeedback training?
I would say there are two big challenges, usually with two different types of people. The first is that it’s hard for some people to commit to do the training on a consistent basis. Another is when dealing with people who are not tech-savvy or are tech-phobic, because they can get stuck in very simple situations, regardless of how simple or easy to use the system is.
I deal with these challenges, by setting myself reminders to follow up with my clients to encourage them to continue their training sessions consistently. For those that are not too tech-savvy,
"I make sure to give them the necessary time and patience to explain to them how the system works and help them overcome their challenges."
What do you believe are the benefits of remote neurofeedback training?
Home training provides clients with the option to train their brains on a daily basis and from the comfort of their homes. It is easy to use, they are able to choose the best time of the day do the training, and in addition, they don’t have to deal with the burden of traffic, limited time schedules and the expenses of in-clinic visits.
Juan Ricardo Diaz is one of the thousands of clinicians who use Myndlift to provide digital mental health care to their clients.
Apart from benefits such as a reduced dropout rate due to the fact that clients can use the system from the comfort of their homes, and cost-effectiveness, Myndlift empowers clinicians through premium care and comprehensive scientific materials to foster their clients’ journey and assist in growing their practices.
All of these benefits make at-home neurofeedback a powerful tool that sets a neurofeedback clinic apart from others and offers more to clients, moving you closer to the forefront!