The Protocol Guide by Susan F. Othmer has been the indispensable standard work for all those who (want to) work with Neurofeedback according to Othmer.

The now current 7th edition contains clinical knowledge about the new extended ILF HD range, revised symptom profiles and the new ILF synchrony training.

ILF Neurofeedback, alpha-theta and synchrony training are explained in a clear and understandable way on the basis of theoretical principles of diagnosis and symptom profiles.

Readers will learn clearly which training frequencies and electrode positions are suitable for different indications and how these can be systematically expanded with ongoing therapy.

Indispensable reference book

The protocol guide is equally suitable as a reference book for experienced users and as an introduction to neurofeedback. It is suitable for anyone considering integrating Neurofeedback into their treatment spectrum. You will gain a profound insight into the theoretical principles and the practical symptom- and client-centered work that characterize this highly effective and individual Neurofeedback method.

We also recommend the protocol guide as a valuable reference book for your daily work during the preparation of a course, but at the latest after completion of a basic course. Clearly arranged and compact, it contains practical knowledge:

• for the assessment of medical findings
• for the recognition of patterns of misregulation
• around symptom categories related to neurofeedback training variables
• to all relevant indicators for starting positions and training frequencies
• for performing 1- and 2-channel ILF neurofeedback and 1- and 2-channel alpha-theta neurofeedback
• for 2-channel synchrony training as well as Alpha, Gamma and ILF synchrony training

It can also be used as an aid for communication with clients.

You can order the protocol guide from us immediately at a price of 179.00 Euro / 199.00 CHF plus VAT and shipping. Please use our contact form with subject "Protocol Guide".

Therapist's comments

"The Othmer method is an integral part of my therapeutic work. This technique is an invaluable aid in dealing with the various clinical diseases. The protocol guide has a fixed place on my desk and I consult it regularly".
Lina Guertin, MD, MBA,
Specialist in Psychiatry and Neurology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, USA

"(...) The protocol guide has become an essential part of our treatment plans - an indispensable reference book in the field of Neurofeedback".
Dr. psych. Rick Harris, clinical psychologist, USA

"(...) Without neurofeedback I can no longer imagine my work. This procedure represents the most reliable and fastest acting measure for the permanent relief of massive PTSD symptoms. The growing ability for self-regulation, which I have observed in hundreds of cases, is simply revolutionary"
Dr. phil Anna Benson, clinical psychologist specializing in post-traumatic stress disorders, USA

"In my practice for neuropsychiatric integrative medicine I have tested various techniques of brain training. The technique that has clearly proven to be the most intuitive, practical and effective is the Othmer method. I have used it to help patients with a wide variety of diagnoses, including seizure disorders, brain injuries and autistic spectrum disorders. The protocol guide is one of my most valuable resources"
Doreen McMahon, MD, General Practitioner, USA

About Susan F. Othmer - in brief

Effective and modern Neurofeedback is inseparably linked to the name Susan Othmer. In the last 30 years she has personally worked with several thousand clients and trained more than six thousand doctors, psychologists and therapists in Neurofeedback according to Othmer. With her untiring commitment and her striving for ever more effective treatment protocols, she and her husband Siegfried Othmer have shaped the development of modern Neurofeedback like no other. From the beginning in the 1980s and the original work with standard protocols to ILF-HD Neurofeedback, alpha-theta and synchrony training, which enables individual, symptom-based and therefore highly effective neurofeedback.

More about the history and development of the Othmer method can be found in our timeline and here

How we learn - The importance of feedback

People can learn almost anything. The prerequisite is that there is a feedback between what is wanted and what is achieved. For example, we cannot learn to ride a bicycle if we do not feel any leaning. Most of the functions of our body and psyche, on the other hand, we cannot directly perceive or consciously influence. They are controlled automatically, such as blood pressure, skin conductance, body temperature and many others. If such a function does not work properly anymore or even fails completely, there is hardly any possibility to train it, because there is no direct influence. This is where biofeedback comes into play.

Biofeedback - Feedback of physical signals

In biofeedback, the variable to be trained is measured and processed with suitable devices - usually special sensors - and "shown" to the available senses. Usually optical or acoustic feedback signals are used for this purpose. One area of application for biofeedback is, for example, incontinence. If the sphincter muscle no longer functions properly and those affected cannot feel it, it is difficult to train it or motivate it to work better. The function (bio-) can however be measured with a probe and shown to the patient (-feedback). This simple procedure then enables the muscle to be trained directly.

Where is biofeedback used?

Biofeedback can be combined in many ways with various methods of psycho- and physiotherapy. Just by measuring body signals, such as heart rate, muscle tension, breathing, skin conductance, the patient can be shown very well how the body reacts to certain topics, thoughts, inner images or suggestions.

In this sense, biofeedback can be seen as a psychophysiological mirror, which very impressively illustrates the connections between body and psyche and thus represents an important contribution to psychoeducation. Biofeedback is also used above all - as already illustrated by the example of incontinence - as training in which patients learn to influence vegetative bodily functions in a targeted manner in a desired direction with the help of visual feedback on the monitor. This is called biofeedback therapy. The main areas of application are:

• Stress Management Training
• Relaxation training
• Support in the therapy of psychosomatic disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Migraine
• Pain therapy
   

What does biofeedback have to do with neurofeedback?

We have seen that biofeedback applications are based on capturing body signals (bio-) and feeding them back to the body (feedback) in order to use them for therapeutic purposes. The same applies to the brain, where it is called neurofeedback. We cannot directly feel or influence any of the many functions or dysfunctions of the brain. Neurofeedback therefore uses the EEG to derive selected signals of our own brain activity and reports them back via a monitor and loudspeakers. The recording of the signals and evaluation in real time is of course technically quite demanding and behind modern neurofeedback procedures there is a lot of clinical knowledge about the different neurofeedback methods, finding the right training frequencies, electrode positions and also symptom observation.