Even though neurofeedback has been around for more than 40 years with numerous studies demonstrating its effectiveness, it still hasn't gained much acceptance. There are multiple reasons. Most medical doctors and mental health professionals don't know much about neurofeedback, nor do they understand all its implications and impact. Since it's not a subject they learn in their professional training, it’s not part of their toolbox. Healthcare providers generally won't recommend a therapy until they understand it and feel more comfortable with it. There's a bit of a chicken and egg problem.

There's another practical issue worth mentioning. No single profession claims neurofeedback. It crosses multiple disciplines in psychiatry, neurology, psychology, mental health, even sleep medicine and special education, but it isn't part of their traditional toolbox. With few exceptions, the medical schools and graduate programs have not incorporated it into their training and research. Without having a profession as a champion, it's hard to thrive. It's the nature of today's healthcare.

Why is the field of neurofeedback growing despite these challenges? Because individual clinicians from every discipline learn about it from their patients, from the media and from their colleagues, and they hear that it helps. The learning curve is significant. Few medical doctors and mental health professionals have the time or inclination to delve into the extensive research about neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a technical field, and the studies can be complex and not easy to digest. Who has time for that?

A neurologist that I know told me that he spent several years going through the research until he could be very confident that he really knew the research and that it had solid research behind it. In addition, until a clinician sees just how rapidly improvements can occur in patients, it's kind of hard for them to believe the impact. They are used to medications and therapy and other options. They're not used to the concept that the brain can change itself and can significantly improve symptoms which before could only be tackled with medications or intensive therapy.

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