Hi,
I am so glad to see George and Len on this list. They are both superb clinicians and decent human beings.
*edit*
I do not have anything to hide but I do not think it is appropriate to go into all of my training here but would be happy to share it back channel. Suffice it to say that my teachers were Joel Lubar, Ph.D., Steve Fahrion (Menningers), Steve Stockdale, Ph.D., Margaret Ayers, Eugene Peniston,Ph.D. RObert Thatcher, Ph.D. and I do not endorse Othmer style training of ILF (not to be confused with ILS which is great) and have testified in court in civil and criminal related matters to what we are discussing here.
So lets look at a few simple steps.
1. If the presenting problem is anxiety one should start with a licensed mental health practitioner.
2. BCIA is a minimum requirement, barely.
3. One can inquire as to software and hardware used and the number of clients seen over how many years.
4. Ask for the names of their trainers or teachers and call them.
5. Search the ISNR and BCIA websites and AAPB for research on your particular disorder and the Applied Neuroscience or Neuroguide website which has a wealth of information. AAPB has a monograph out on evidence based practice in neurofeedback and it is organized alphabetically by symptom or disorder. Read your portion and see if your practitioner will be doing that. He may not and that may be OK but he has to have a good rationale based on some science for doing what he is doing.
6. MOST IMPORTANT inquire as to the science behind the neurofeedback that is being practiced and ask for some of the science that you can access on the web and have it explained to you. This is part of informed consent. See also pubmed.
7. Cory Hammond has published a nice up to date paper on What Is Neurofeedback and I believe it is available free on the ISNR site somewhere.
Len is a real gentleman and an honest man and when asked he will tell you he does not know why LENS works and last we spoke he told me it is experimental.
You can consult Leslie Sherlin's article also on the ISNR website about operant conditioning and neurofeedback which is the accepted model in training and ask the practitioner how his or her training conforms to the laws of operant conditioning.
Look for proof of concept of the technique used and ask about the training in that technique and who supervised the person. FOr example, I practice LORETA NFB extensively, but in my consent form I list the proof of concept research but say it is still experimental despite it being used by the US Army and Marines and Airforce for returning vets with head injury and PTSD (an anxiety disorder).
I hope this helps.
Jerry Gluck
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho
I agree with Gerald Gluck, Ph.D., LMFT that it is important to properly vet any professional before undergoing therapy.
The problem is there is very inadequate information made available by most professionals.
For example, Google Gerald Gluck, Ph.D., LMTF and try to find a thorough CV. There is paragraphs of his personal claims and work hiistory and where he studied and/or taught, but there are scant references to his training. What is his Ph.D in? What was his Ph.D. Thesis? What specific neurofeedback training has he had and which systems does he use?
Other than BCIA-EEG, his CV shows nothing to compare him to any other BCIA-EEG practitioner. The BCIA-EEG certification does notestablish high credentials. I have found many BCIA-EEG certified practitioners who have no more than a bachelors degree. Some with a Masters in counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy, some a Ed.D. etc.
How is someone supposed to vet a practitioner? Plus, with the volitional and non-volitional neurotherapies both claiming to be neurofeedback, the lines become very blurred.
Please help us understand.
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