Neurofeedback and Psychotherapy
We use an approach that combines psychotherapy and brain science. Working at this dynamic intersection of brain and mind we help clients resolve long-standing issues using drug-free and non-invasive therapies. While psychotherapy opens the mind and calms emotions, neurofeedback regulates the brain. Together, they create lasting change.
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Connect with us
Location
923 Laguna St., Suite B
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Call us
805-395-8848
Depression
Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Pain
Neurofeedback treats:
Overwhelm / Stress
Traumatic Brain Injury
Migraine / Headache
Insomnia
Peak Performance Training for Athletes, Musicians and Meditators
Attentional Disorders
Autoimmune Disorders
Eating Disorders
Memory and Learning
Post Concussion Syndrome
What is a session like?
Our center has two Neurofeedback treatment rooms. Our therapists start with an intake from the patient before Neurofeedback begins. During the Neurofeedback session, we modify brainwave activity subconsciously using a painless, non-invasive treatment approach that allows us to gain information about the patient’s brainwave activity and use that information to produce positive changes in brainwave activity. During a session patients are trained through the use of computerized biofeedback equipment to change their brainwave activity.
Neurofeedback / Biofeedback
Just as computer language is composed of simply zeros and ones, the brain is composed of stop and go neuronal impulses. Whether it’s a computer or a brain, the combination of these basic functions is infinitely complex. Within the brain we have excitatory (go) and inhibitory (stop) neurons.
Each brain is incredibly profound and unique. Adult brains consist of approximately 100 billion neurons. Each neuron has up to 10,000 connections and they all fire at speeds of 1/1,000 of a second. If you’ve ever felt triggered, or swept away in the grip of a strong emotion, you now have a glimpse of the powerful and complex mechanism operating underneath.
A healthy, safe and relaxed brain is relatively balanced but when this delicate balance is disturbed, various conditions, such as anxiety, depression and many others arise.
Neurofeedback restores choice by helping the brain regulate itself and develop new circuitry which has the possibility to resolve long standing issues permanently. The beauty of Neurofeedback is that it taps into the brain’s innate intelligence and capacity so this is accomplished in a drug-free, non-invasive way.
Psychotherapy / Cognitive Therapy
As a trauma-informed, client centered practice, we use a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities to meet each client where they are.
In Cognitive Therapy sessions we seek to help patients overcome difficulties by identifying and changing dysfunctional thinking, behavior, and emotional responses. This involves helping patients develop skills for modifying beliefs, identifying distorted thinking, relating to other in different ways, and changing behaviors. Treatment is based on collaboration between patient and therapist and on testing beliefs. Therapy may consist of testing the assumptions which one makes and identifying how certain of one’s usually unquestioned thoughts are distorted, unrealistic and unhelpful. Once those have been challenged, one’s feelings about the subject matter of those thoughts are more easily subject to change.
Hypnotherapy
“ Hypnotherapy (sometimes called hypnotic suggestion) is a therapeutic practice that uses guided hypnosis to help a client reach a trance-like state of focus, concentration, diminished peripheral awareness, and heightened suggestibility. This state is similar to being completely absorbed in a book, movie, music, or even one's own thoughts or meditations. In it, a person is unusually responsive to an idea or image, but they are not under anyone’s “control.” Instead, a trained clinical hypnotherapist can help clients in this state relax and turn their attention inward to discover and utilize resources within themselves that can help them achieve desired behavioral changes or better manage pain or other physical concerns. Eventually, a client learns how to address their states of awareness on their own and in doing so, gain greater control of their physical and psychological responses.”
- Quoted from Psychology Today
Meditation / Mindfulness
Meditation is a practice in which the person performing meditation focuses on a thought, mantra, object or activity to produce a calm, clear and stable state. In meditation people practice being and staying in the present moment, acceptance and a nonjudgemental mind. This is a practice of awareness, mindfulness and breath can also be a large part of meditation.
Meditation can be used to help alleviate a variety of symptoms such as stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. Sometimes Meditation includes a variety of different Somatic (body) techniques to help deepen a person’s body awareness and create lasting positive patterns.
Our
Therapists
Dr. Clark Elliot, the founder of the Santa Barbara Neurofeedback Center, earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Fielding Institute, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and has a M.S in Special Education. In his practice he uses a variety of modalities to help patients resolve conflicts or difficulties in their lives and effectively blends the use of neurofeedback (a form of biofeedback), psychotherapy and therapeutic hypnosis. He has successfully treated adults and children for: ADD/ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, addictions, pain control, migraine headaches, phobias, PTSD and sleep disorders, such as restless leg syndrome.
Over the years, Dr. Elliott has worked in family counseling agencies, mental institutions and outpatient clinics. He has also led therapy groups of Vietnam vets, supervised interns at a local counseling center, led Hypnosis training groups for therapists and provided educational consulting. Dr. Elliott is an active member of EEG Spectrum International, a corporation promoting and conducting research in biofeedback and neurofeedback, whose vision it is to promote the achievement of full human potential through brain-based self-regulation techniques.
Elizabeth Kelleher MA, AMFT, received a Masters Degree in Depth Psychology Counseling from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She is certified in Neurofeedback, Hypnotherapy and as a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher. Ms. Kelleher uses an artful blend of these modalities to meet each client wherever they are in their journey toward health.
Elizabeth has a trauma informed approach when working with people at a crossroads, in a crisis, in recovery, or transition, as well as those suffering the historical impact resulting from developmental trauma. She has seen that difficult emotions and experiences are felt in the body, the mind, and the heart. The combination of psychotherapy, neurofeedback, hypnotherapy and mindfulness - shared in an organic and unique way with each person - allows clients to develop a larger perspective, increase distress tolerance, and self-compassion. Long standing issues loosen up and can resolve with this whole person approach to therapy. She has experience working with many conditions, such as Anxiety, Attentional Issues, Developmental Trauma and PTSD, Addictive Disorders, Depression, Relationship Issues, and more. Helping clients to find freedom from habitual mind states and painful patterns is a way to cultivate emotional balance that leads to healthier relationships with self, others, and the world.
Our Mission
To provide an integral approach to care for psychologically distressed and traumatized people using a combination of psychotherapy, neurofeedback, mindfulness, and education. With this approach we aim to improve the health and well-being of our clients so they may go on to lead healthy, happy, and productive lives.
Our Vision
We envision a world where all people are compassionately nurtured to reclaim their inherent well-being after experiencing trauma, neglect, and psychological distress. We provide an environment that values the importance of addressing the mind, the body, and the spirit in a way cultivates lasting emotional balance.
What our Patients are saying about Neurofeedback