Re: Hemispheric Dominance question

December 19, 2003

Hi Everyone

I have recently done an assessment on a person who is completely left handed

except for writing and she was coerced into using her right hand as a child by

her teachers. Whenever she would write with her left hand, they would take the

pencil and put it in her right hand - she got the idea that it was " bad " to

write with her left hand and complied. She is ambidextrous now with all

acitivities (preferring her left) but it's easier to write with her right hand

because of all the practice.

My questions are two: She has had severe terminal insomnia since 11-12 years

old - could that have to do with beta being " forced " to elevate in the naturally

non-dominant hemisphere? She wakes up after a few hours and then has frequent

awakenings throughout the rest of the night. Her presentation is anxiety,

panic, rumination, tension and worry (in reference to her husband being

diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago) which has not been helped by medication

or therapy for 10 years. He is in remission and she still can't enjoy their

time together because of her anxiety. During our first few sessions I taught

her breathing, coping skills and targetted some material with EMDR which seemed

to be at the root of her OCD tendencies and her stated unwillingness to accept

what is happening in her life. This did help and she is doing better than she

ever has. She wants to use the NFB to address the insomnia as well as the

anxiety. Her objective assessment looks like depression - alpha higher on the

left - her alpha production is excellent with eyes closed and diminishes with

eyes open by at least a third. It is higher in the back as it should be. Her

beta is higher on the left and in the back than in the front. I think her brain

is reversed which would make this consistent with anxiety and makes more sense

with her symptoms. She doesn't write with a " hook " as someone suggested to look

for. She is adopted so we don't know what her genetic heritage is. My thought

is to first train beta down in the back along the Z line which may encourage the

brain to normalize without training on one side or the other. In the assessment

her right brain activated more than the left at each spot assessed - but I find

this is common with assessments even when dominance is not in question. How

would you proceed to address the insomnia - and what would you look for if the

wrong hemisphere is being trained?

Thanks for any help you can give

Tegan

Could it be that the high Theta EO is mostly eyeblink artifact? At the T sites, or in front, this would make sense.

theta down with eyes closed

I have another quesion. A client who is a 51 y.o. female who presented with depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and childhood trauma is getting good results from NFB. Almost by accident we discovered that her theta goes down dramatically when she closes her eyes. This happens when we are inhibiting theta and hibeta and rewarding lobeta at the temporal sites.

Is this as unusual as it seems to me? Any thoughts?

Thanks. Lynn

December 19, 2003

:

I want to give you some feedback from a psychotherapist’s view.

This vignette suggests major fear of abandonment which I find common among adoptees.

I believe the incident with her husband was a triggering event for

PTSD, not OCD. I would be interested in seeing what her temporal lobes look

like. I have found that even when the numbers are within normal according to

Pete’s excellent assessment that distinctive imbalances between high beta

at T3 vs. T4 may still be there. Even if that is not the case, I would suspect

that the issue may be Limbic since it goes back at least to 12 yrs old. That

coupled with an adoption makes me think that the Limbic System is involved as

well maybe the Cingulate (as suggested by the OCD-type symptoms). In other words,

the longer the stressor may have been in someone’s life, the more likely

the more primitive part of the brain is the source.

With the stated symptoms and when the assessment is not definite, I

have had excellent success with T3/4 and Fz SMR at the same time. You don’t

have to worry about dominance with this protocol either. Another excellent protocol

is M2/FP1. The idea, at least in my mind, is to get the midbrain to clam down

as much as possible by coming at it from as many directions as a 2 channel

device will allow. This does not mean that you ignore the frontal alpha. You

may want to address that later if she has depressive symptoms.

Mark

From: etegan@...

[mailto:etegan@...]

Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 4:02 AM

Subject: Re:

Hemispheric Dominance question

Hi Everyone

I have recently done an assessment on a person who

is completely left handed except for writing and she was coerced into using her

right hand as a child by her teachers. Whenever she would write

with her left hand, they would take the pencil and put it in her right hand -

she got the idea that it was " bad " to write with her left hand and

complied. She is ambidextrous now with all acitivities (preferring her

left) but it's easier to write with her right hand because of all the practice.

My questions are two: She has had severe

terminal insomnia since 11-12 years old - could that have to do with beta being

" forced " to elevate in the naturally non-dominant

hemisphere? She wakes up after a few hours and then has frequent

awakenings throughout the rest of the night. Her presentation is anxiety,

panic, rumination, tension and worry (in reference to her husband being

diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago) which has not been helped by medication

or therapy for 10 years. He is in remission and she still can't enjoy

their time together because of her anxiety. During our first few sessions

I taught her breathing, coping skills and targetted some material with EMDR

which seemed to be at the root of her OCD tendencies and her stated unwillingness

to accept what is happening in her life. This did help and she is doing

better than she ever has. She wants to use the NFB to address the

insomnia as well as the anxiety. Her objective assessment looks like

depression - alpha higher on the left - her alpha production is excellent with

eyes closed and diminishes with eyes open by at least a third. It is

higher in the back as it should be. Her beta is higher on the left and in

the back than in the front. I think her brain is reversed which would

make this consistent with anxiety and makes more sense with her symptoms.

She doesn't write with a " hook " as someone suggested to look

for. She is adopted so we don't know what her genetic heritage is. My

thought is to first train beta down in the back along the Z line which may

encourage the brain to normalize without training on one side or the

other. In the assessment her right brain activated more than the left at

each spot assessed - but I find this is common with assessments even when dominance

is not in question. How would you proceed to address the insomnia - and what

would you look for if the wrong hemisphere is being trained?

Thanks for any help you can give

Tegan

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unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:

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December 19, 2003

Pardon my ignorance, but where is M2?

LynnMark Waller <m.waller@...> wrote:

:

I want to give you some feedback from a psychotherapist’s view. This vignette suggests major fear of abandonment which I find common among adoptees.

I believe the incident with her husband was a triggering event for PTSD, not OCD. I would be interested in seeing what her temporal lobes look like. I have found that even when the numbers are within normal according to Pete’s excellent assessment that distinctive imbalances between high beta at T3 vs. T4 may still be there. Even if that is not the case, I would suspect that the issue may be Limbic since it goes back at least to 12 yrs old. That coupled with an adoption makes me think that the Limbic System is involved as well maybe the Cingulate (as suggested by the OCD-type symptoms). In other words, the longer the stressor may have been in someone’s life, the more likely the more primitive part of the brain is the source.

With the stated symptoms and when the assessment is not definite, I have had excellent success with T3/4 and Fz SMR at the same time. You don’t have to worry about dominance with this protocol either. Another excellent protocol is M2/FP1. The idea, at least in my mind, is to get the midbrain to clam down as much as possible by coming at it from as many directions as a 2 channel device will allow. This does not mean that you ignore the frontal alpha. You may want to address that later if she has depressive symptoms.

Mark

From: etegan@... [mailto:etegan@...] Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 4:02 AM Subject: Re: Hemispheric Dominance question

Hi EveryoneI have recently done an assessment on a person who is completely left handed except for writing and she was coerced into using her right hand as a child by her teachers. Whenever she would write with her left hand, they would take the pencil and put it in her right hand - she got the idea that it was "bad" to write with her left hand and complied. She is ambidextrous now with all acitivities (preferring her left) but it's easier to write with her right hand because of all the practice. My questions are two: She has had severe terminal insomnia since 11-12 years old - could that have to do with beta being "forced" to elevate in the naturally non-dominant hemisphere?

She wakes up after a few hours and then has frequent awakenings throughout the rest of the night. Her presentation is anxiety, panic, rumination, tension and worry (in reference to her husband being diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago) which has not been helped by medication or therapy for 10 years. He is in remission and she still can't enjoy their time together because of her anxiety. During our first few sessions I taught her breathing, coping skills and targetted some material with EMDR which seemed to be at the root of her OCD tendencies and her stated unwillingness to accept what is happening in her life. This did help and she is doing better than she ever has. She wants to use the NFB to address the insomnia as well as the anxiety. Her objective assessment looks like depression - alpha higher on the left - her alpha production is excellent with eyes closed and diminishes with eyes open by at least a third. It is higher in the back

as it should be. Her beta is higher on the left and in the back than in the front. I think her brain is reversed which would make this consistent with anxiety and makes more sense with her symptoms. She doesn't write with a "hook" as someone suggested to look for. She is adopted so we don't know what her genetic heritage is. My thought is to first train beta down in the back along the Z line which may encourage the brain to normalize without training on one side or the other. In the assessment her right brain activated more than the left at each spot assessed - but I find this is common with assessments even when dominance is not in question. How would you proceed to address the insomnia - and what would you look for if the wrong hemisphere is being trained? Thanks for any help you can give Tegan

December 19, 2003

Mastoid bone behind the right ear. It's one of the standard reference sites for monopolar hookups.

Pete

RE: Hemispheric Dominance question

Pardon my ignorance, but where is M2?

Lynn

December 19, 2003

Lynn:

If you run your finger along the top of

your right ear toward the back of your head there is an indentation about a

half an inch behind the top of the ear on the mastoid area. That’s M2.

Mark

From: Lynn Rutherford

[mailto:rutherfordl@...]

Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 11:46 AM

Subject: RE:

Hemispheric Dominance question

Pardon my ignorance, but where is M2?

Lynn

Mark Waller

<m.waller@...> wrote:

:

I want to give you some feedback from a psychotherapists view.

This vignette suggests major fear of abandonment which I find common among

adoptees.

I believe the incident with her husband was a triggering event for

PTSD, not OCD. I would be interested in seeing what her temporal lobes look

like. I have found that even when the numbers are within normal according to

Petes excellent assessment that distinctive imbalances between high beta

at T3 vs. T4 may still be there. Even if that is not the case, I would suspect

that the issue may be Limbic since it goes back at least to 12 yrs old. That

coupled with an adoption makes me think that the Limbic System is involved as

well maybe the Cingulate (as suggested by the OCD-type symptoms). In other

words, the longer the stressor may have been in someones life, the more

likely the more primitive part of the brain is the source.

With the stated symptoms and when the assessment is not definite, I

have had excellent success with T3/4 and Fz SMR at the same time. You dont

have to worry about dominance with this protocol either. Another excellent

protocol is M2/FP1. The idea, at least in my mind, is to get the midbrain to

clam down as much as possible by coming at it from as many directions as a 2

channel device will allow. This does not mean that you ignore the frontal

alpha. You may want to address that later if she has depressive symptoms.

Mark

From: etegan@...

[mailto:etegan@...]

Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003

4:02

AM

Subject: Re:

Hemispheric Dominance question

Hi Everyone

I have recently done an assessment on a person who

is completely left handed except for writing and she was coerced into using her

right hand as a child by her teachers. Whenever she would write

with her left hand, they would take the pencil and put it in her right hand -

she got the idea that it was " bad " to write with her left hand and

complied. She is ambidextrous now with all acitivities (preferring her

left) but it's easier to write with her right hand because of all the practice.

My questions are two: She has had severe

terminal insomnia since 11-12 years old - could that have to do with beta being

" forced " to elevate in the naturally non-dominant

hemisphere? She wakes up after a few hours and then has frequent

awakenings throughout the rest of the night. Her presentation is anxiety,

panic, rumination, tension and worry (in reference to her husband being

diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago) which has not been helped by medication

or therapy for 10 years. He is in remission and she still can't enjoy

their time together because of her anxiety. During our first few sessions

I taught her breathing, coping skills and targetted some material with EMDR

which seemed to be at the root of her OCD tendencies and her stated

unwillingness to accept what is happening in her life. This did help and

she is doing better than she ever has. She wants to use the NFB to

address the insomnia as well as the anxiety. Her objective assessment

looks like depression - alpha higher on the left - her alpha production is

excellent with eyes closed and diminishes with eyes open by at least a

third. It is higher in the back as it should be. Her beta is higher

on the left and in the back than in the front. I think her brain is

reversed which would make this consistent with anxiety and makes more sense

with her symptoms. She doesn't write with a " hook " as someone

suggested to look for. She is adopted so we don't know what her genetic

heritage is. My thought is to first train beta down in the back along the Z

line which may encourage the brain to normalize without training on one side or

the other. In the assessment her right brain activated more than the left

at each spot assessed - but I find this is common with assessments even when

dominance is not in question. How would you proceed to address the insomnia - and

what would you look for if the wrong hemisphere is being trained?

Thanks for any help you can give

Tegan

To

unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:

-unsubscribe

December 19, 2003

Thank you for your suggestions, Mark. I will definitely put that approach on

the protocols to try list. When you do SMR at FZ do you use an earlobe

reference? I don't have her assessment at home but temporal beta/hibeta wasn't

identified as a problem in Pete's assessment. It is still worth looking at the

bipolar hookup and seeing what's going on there. The cingulate is definitely

worth looking at also as you suggested. Thanks again for responding and I'll

let you know what happens.

>

> Wrom: YUCDDJBLVLMHAALPTCXLYRWTQTIPWIGYOKSTT

> Date: 2003/12/19 Fri PM 12:05:17 EST

> < >

> Subject: RE: Hemispheric Dominance question

>

> :

>

> I want to give you some feedback from a psychotherapist's view. This

> vignette suggests major fear of abandonment which I find common among

> adoptees.

>

> I believe the incident with her husband was a triggering event for PTSD, not

> OCD. I would be interested in seeing what her temporal lobes look like. I

> have found that even when the numbers are within normal according to Pete's

> excellent assessment that distinctive imbalances between high beta at T3 vs.

> T4 may still be there. Even if that is not the case, I would suspect that

> the issue may be Limbic since it goes back at least to 12 yrs old. That

> coupled with an adoption makes me think that the Limbic System is involved

> as well maybe the Cingulate (as suggested by the OCD-type symptoms). In

> other words, the longer the stressor may have been in someone's life, the

> more likely the more primitive part of the brain is the source.

>

> With the stated symptoms and when the assessment is not definite, I have had

> excellent success with T3/4 and Fz SMR at the same time. You don't have to

> worry about dominance with this protocol either. Another excellent protocol

> is M2/FP1. The idea, at least in my mind, is to get the midbrain to clam

> down as much as possible by coming at it from as many directions as a 2

> channel device will allow. This does not mean that you ignore the frontal

> alpha. You may want to address that later if she has depressive symptoms.

>

> Mark

>

> _____

>

> Wrom: ZRCLBDXRQBGJSNBOHMKHJYFMYXOEAIJJPHSCRTN

> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 4:02 AM

>

> Subject: Re: Hemispheric Dominance question

>

> Hi Everyone

> I have recently done an assessment on a person who is completely left handed

> except for writing and she was coerced into using her right hand as a child

> by her teachers. Whenever she would write with her left hand, they would

> take the pencil and put it in her right hand - she got the idea that it was

> " bad " to write with her left hand and complied. She is ambidextrous now

> with all acitivities (preferring her left) but it's easier to write with her

> right hand because of all the practice.

>

> My questions are two: She has had severe terminal insomnia since 11-12

> years old - could that have to do with beta being " forced " to elevate in the

> naturally non-dominant hemisphere? She wakes up after a few hours and then

> has frequent awakenings throughout the rest of the night. Her presentation

> is anxiety, panic, rumination, tension and worry (in reference to her

> husband being diagnosed with Leukemia many years ago) which has not been

> helped by medication or therapy for 10 years. He is in remission and she

> still can't enjoy their time together because of her anxiety. During our

> first few sessions I taught her breathing, coping skills and targetted some

> material with EMDR which seemed to be at the root of her OCD tendencies and

> her stated unwillingness to accept what is happening in her life. This did

> help and she is doing better than she ever has. She wants to use the NFB to

> address the insomnia as well as the anxiety. Her objective assessment looks

> like depression - alpha higher on the left - her alpha production is

> excellent with eyes closed and diminishes with eyes open by at least a

> third. It is higher in the back as it should be. Her beta is higher on the

> left and in the back than in the front. I think her brain is reversed which

> would make this consistent with anxiety and makes more sense with her

> symptoms. She doesn't write with a " hook " as someone suggested to look for.

> She is adopted so we don't know what her genetic heritage is. My thought is

> to first train beta down in the back along the Z line which may encourage

> the brain to normalize without training on one side or the other. In the

> assessment her right brain activated more than the left at each spot

> assessed - but I find this is common with assessments even when dominance is

> not in question. How would you proceed to address the insomnia - and what

> would you look for if the wrong hemisphere is being trained?

> Thanks for any help you can give

> Tegan

>

December 19, 2003