by June Portnoy

Envision your autistic daughter sitting among her peers behaving like all the other children in the group.  Picture your bipolar son no longer needing medication to control his mood disorder.  If these images seem too good to be true then you’ve never been to the Achievement and Wellness Center, owned and operated by licensed psychologist, Dr. Maria DiDonato.

Dr. DiDonato uses neurofeedback, a form of biofeedback, to subconsciously train the brain to increase a desired brainwave frequency.  As a result, she’s able to successfully generate cognitive, behavioral and emotional improvements in both children and adults.

“I see neurofeedback as a method of improving the software of the brain,” says Dr. DiDonato.  “I train the brain to communicate internally and regulate specific regions of the brain. Some regions are trained to calm down while others are trained to be activated.”

Dr. DiDonato initially conducts a very through diagnostic assessment to determine which brainwaves are over or under produced.  A sensor is placed on a patient’s head, which picks up their brainwaves.  The patient is then presented with a videogame, like Pac-Man, to watch on a TV video monitor.  Dr. DiDonato watches the patient’s brainwaves on a therapist’s computer screen.  She rewards the brain for producing the desired brainwaves with beeps and points from the video game.

“It’s so humanly natural and easy to change the brain by asking it to produce another response that’s more desirable,” says Dr. DiDonato.

Since the brain changes without any conscious involvement, neurofeedback is effective with very autistic children.

“Neurofeedback offers a very high success rate,” says Dr. DiDonato.

It has been highly effective in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/attention deficit disorder (ADHD/ADD), autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, as well as learning disabilities.  In many cases, patients no longer need medicine to function normally after being treated with neurofeedback.  The neurofeedback process is safe and non-invasive.  It requires no medication and creates no discomfort.

A large portion of the Achievement and Wellness Center’s clientele consists of children.  Neurofeedback can be used to treat kids who are as young as three.  As with any treatment, you must continue coming back for neurofeedback until your brain learns to produce the desired brainwaves on its own.  It’s a training process and as the brain learns to respond appropriately, you will need fewer treatments.  At first you’ll see temporary results, but with continued treatment, the effect will become long-term.

Neurofeedback is far from a new trend.  It dates back to the early 1960s when the U.S military and UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) developed this form of biofeedback to prevent jet pilots from having seizures from the exposure to jet fumes.

Dr. DiDonato learned neurofeedback directly from Barry Sterman, one of these UCLA developers.  Her background includes nine years of working as a school psychologist in the Neshaminy School District.  She has been practicing psychology for over 20 years.  Dr. DiDonato is currently offering free consultations if you mention this article when you come see her.

“I can help you or your child, so you can be free from having emotional, cognitive or behavioral problems,” says Dr. DiDonato.

To schedule your appointment at the Achievement and Wellness Center, located at 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 703B in Yardley, call 215-321-9501.

Also visit www.achievewell.net.

PHOTO CAP: Dr. Maria DiDonato uses neurofeedback to successfully generate cognitive, behavioral and emotional improvements in both children and adults.