Neurofeedback & EMDR For
Children & Teens
At Wellspring Brain Care, we take a unique, compassionate approach for young brains. Children’s brains guide every thought and feeling, yet kids can’t always explain what’s off. We listen to the brain itself. First, we map your child’s brain activity with a quick EEG assessment (the Wellspring Insight™ – Brain Map). This non-invasive map shows us where your child’s brain may need support.
Then we create a personalized training plan. Using neurofeedback sessions and child-friendly EMDR therapy, we help kids learn calm focus and process stress, so they can thrive. This brain-based care goes beyond talk therapy, leading to real, lasting change.
Our Services
1
Wellspring Insight™
Brain Map
Every lasting change starts with understanding. We begin by creating a brain map for your child. This is a simple, EEG-based assessment. Your child just wears a soft cap for a few minutes while watching fun videos, and it shows which brain waves are too fast, slow, or uneven. From this personalized map, we see where your child’s brain needs “nourishment” (for example, areas tied to attention, anxiety, or learning).
2
Wellspring Brain Training™
In-Office and At-Home
Based on your child’s brain map, we design a comprehensive training program. This always includes regular neurofeedback sessions: children play a computer game or watch a cartoon while special sensors give real-time feedback to the brain. When the child’s brain stays in a calm, focused state, the game rewards them , essentially teaching the brain to find balance. We often combine this with EMDR sessions if there are stressful memories to address. We offer flexible options: in-office training with our team, hybrid programs, or guided at-home kits so therapy can continue between visits.
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Wellspring Shop™
Health & Wellness
We also provide resources to support your child’s journey. Our Wellspring Shop offers carefully chosen tools and activities for kids: for example, relaxation games, focus-enhancing apps, supplements, or mindfulness kits. Everything in the shop is aimed at helping your child practice what they learn in therapy, reinforcing healthy brain habits. Whether it’s a fidget toy for calm or a fun memory game, parents can find extra support items to complement our therapy plans.
Is Neurofeedback or EMDR
right for your child?
Neurofeedback and EMDR are versatile, drug-free therapies that help many children. We see positive results in kids facing challenges like anxiety, ADHD, trauma, behavioral issues, sleep problems, and school difficulties. Here’s how each therapy helps:
How Do Children & Teens Benefit from Neurofeedback Brain Training?
Neurofeedback helps almost any child who needs better focus, mood, or self-control. For example, children with ADHD often see big improvements in attention and behavior. In practical terms, during sessions your child simply watches a favorite show or plays a video game, and the computer rewards their brain when it stays calm and alert. Over time, kids “learn” what calm focus feels like. This can lead to noticeable benefits: better concentration in class, calmer responses at home, and even improved sleep as the brain quiets itself. Neurofeedback is gentle and non-invasive, with no side effects, just positive brain learning.
How Do Children & Teens Benefit from EMDR?
EMDR is particularly powerful for children who have experienced trauma or overwhelming stress (such as abuse, accidents, bullying, or losses). It’s also great for kids with anxiety or upsetting negative beliefs about themselves. EMDR works by safely reprocessing difficult memories: children focus on a calm image or feeling while gently following the therapist’s cues (like side-to-side lights or tapping). The hard memories become less vivid and distressing. In our practice, many kids report feeling lighter, calmer, and less fearful after just a few EMDR sessions. Importantly, EMDR is done at the child’s pace. They never have to relive the worst of the experience unless they’re comfortable.
Children Facing Anxiety or Behavioral Challenges:
Neurofeedback: Calms the nervous system so anxious or hyperactive kids learn to self-regulate. By “training” the brain to produce calmer waves, children often become less reactive. Tantrums may decrease and mood swings can even out. Parents often notice their child sleeping more peacefully as the brain settles into a healthy rhythm.
EMDR: Helps children move past fears, worries, or upsetting events. If a child has anxiety tied to a memory (like a bad day at school or a scary doctor visit), EMDR gives them tools to think about it safely and let it go. Over time, the memory loses its power and the child feels more confident and relaxed.
Children Dealing with Trauma or Adversity:
Neurofeedback: Trauma can leave a child’s brain on high alert. Neurofeedback gently guides the brain back to balance by reinforcing relaxed brain states. This makes everyday life feel safer: children may concentrate better at school and have fewer angry outbursts at home.
EMDR: Specifically designed for trauma, EMDR helps kids process what happened without becoming overwhelmed. It’s like helping the brain file the upsetting event away so it doesn’t keep popping up in the present. Research has confirmed EMDR significantly lowers PTSD and anxiety symptoms in children. Children often stop having nightmares or flashbacks after EMDR, because the memory no longer scares them.
Children with Level 1 Autism, ADHD, or Attention Difficulties:
Neurofeedback: A well-studied tool for ADHD, neurofeedback gives kids real-time feedback to improve focus. By guiding their brain toward the brainwave patterns of attention, many children show marked gains in focus and impulse control. In everyday life this means better homework habits and fewer disruptions.
EMDR: While EMDR doesn’t directly treat ADHD, it can help any feelings that come with it (like low self-esteem, frustration, or stress). For example, if a child is upset about struggling in school, EMDR can clear the anxiety around that experience so they feel more motivated and less anxious about school.
Parents Seeking Gentle, Non-Drug Options:
Neurofeedback: We know parents often want safe alternatives to medication. Neurofeedback is completely drug-free and non-invasive, no needles or pills. We simply place soft sensors on your child’s head (they barely feel them). It’s very safe and child-friendly, used clinically for decades with no long-term side effects.
EMDR: Also an entirely non-drug therapy. Children do not have to talk about the details if they don’t want to. In EMDR, they might focus on an image or safe place while we guide them through simple eye movements. Many kids actually enjoy the process (some find it a bit like a game). It’s gentle and tailored to the child’s comfort level.
Children Striving for Better School or Athletic Performance:
Neurofeedback: Even kids without a diagnosis can benefit. By sharpening focus and reducing stress, neurofeedback helps students and young athletes perform at their best. Think of it as “brain gym”. Kids learn to produce their own peak brain states. In practice, parents often report higher test scores, improved memory, and even smoother coordination in sports after neurofeedback.
EMDR: If a driven child feels “stuck”, perhaps struggling with performance anxiety, perfectionism, or a bad loss, EMDR can help. It clears the mental blocks and negative thoughts that hold them back. After EMDR, teens often feel a boost in confidence and a renewed ability to concentrate on their goals without fear.
Ready to see if Neurofeedback or EMDR are right for your child?
Schedule your free Insight Call today!
Personalized Care
We're a Safe Space for Children & Teens Support
At Wellspring Brain Care, we provide personalized, kid-friendly care at every step. We treat each child and family with warmth, respect, and patience. Children often start therapy feeling shy or nervous, so we make our office welcoming, with friendly staff, a play area, and often fun, game-like therapies.
Parents are fully involved. We explain every step in simple terms and teach you how to reinforce your child’s new skills at home. Because every brain is unique, we design a brain-training plan just for your child’s needs and pace.
Our founder, Crystal Turman (a veteran and licensed social worker), leads our team of experts trained in pediatric neurofeedback and EMDR. Wellspring Brain Care is a certified by the National Neurofeedback Network (NNN) and we hold certification through the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA). These credentials mean we follow the highest standards in training and ethics.
You can trust that your child is in good hands. We’ll celebrate every milestone together, as we guide your family toward a brighter, healthier future.
FAQs
Q: How does neurofeedback help children?
Neurofeedback is like a “workout for the brain.” Tiny sensors on your child’s head monitor their brainwaves while they play a game or watch a show. Whenever the brain stays calm and focused, the game rewards them (for example, a character moves or a point is scored). Over time, the brain learns to naturally stay in those calm, focused states. Children don’t need to talk about anything difficult during neurofeedback – they just have fun and get better at concentration. Studies show this process leads to real improvements in attention, self-control, and mood for kids.
Q: What is EMDR and how is it done with children?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a special therapy to help kids process strong emotions or memories. For children, we adapt it to be very gentle. The child might focus on a calm image or safe place while the therapist guides their eyes back and forth (or uses gentle taps). This helps the brain re-organize a tough memory so it doesn’t feel so scary anymore. Kids don’t have to share every detail of a trauma if they don’t want to – they might just think of a picture or their feelings. It’s quite safe and actually many kids find it helpful or even kind of fun. Research shows EMDR significantly reduces PTSD and anxiety symptoms in children, and major health organizations recommend it for young trauma survivors.
Q: What issues can neurofeedback and EMDR help my child with?
Both therapies are very flexible. We’ve seen benefits for kids with anxiety or phobias, ADHD or focus issues, sleep troubles, behavioral challenges, learning difficulties, and any history of trauma or stress. Neurofeedback directly trains the brain for better focus, calmer behavior, and improved sleep. EMDR helps kids work through upsetting experiences, fears, or negative beliefs. Together, they can also improve things like school performance and overall confidence. Essentially, if a child’s struggles involve how they think, feel, or pay attention, these therapies can offer support.
Q: Are these therapies safe for children and are they backed by science?
Absolutely. Both neurofeedback and EMDR are drug-free and non-invasive, making them very safe for kids. We have decades of clinical experience with them. Studies confirm they work: for example, one review found neurofeedback gave lasting improvement in attention and behavior for children with ADHD. Clinical trials also show EMDR greatly reduces PTSD and anxiety in young people. In fact, the World Health Organization recommends EMDR for childhood trauma because of this strong evidence. We use protocols designed for kids and follow all safety guidelines. You can trust that these methods are well-researched and effective for children.
Q: How young can children be for neurofeedback or EMDR?
We work with kids of all ages, adjusting our approach to their level. Neurofeedback typically works well with preschoolers and up (around age 6 and older) since they can sit for short periods. EMDR has been adapted for even very young children. Research shows it’s effective in children from about age 4 and up. Of course, every child is unique. We may involve parents during sessions for younger children and use games or drawings as needed. If you have concerns about your child’s age or readiness, we’ll discuss the best plan. In general, early intervention can lead to better outcomes, so we’re happy to work with little ones too.
Q: Do children have to talk about their problems a lot?
Not really. One big advantage of these therapies is that children often don’t have to explain every feeling or story in detail (which many kids find hard). In neurofeedback, there’s no talking therapy at all – it’s all done through the brain-training games. In EMDR, the therapist does guide the child through thinking about something upsetting, but it’s done very carefully. For example, we might use a child’s drawing or a storybook as a starting point, and the child only shares what they feel comfortable with. The focus is on their feelings in the moment and building coping skills, rather than recounting every detail of the past. Most children actually feel relieved that they don’t have to “tell their whole story” – they just learn to feel better about it under safe guidance.
Q: How long will it take to see results?
Every child is different, but many families notice positive changes fairly quickly. In neurofeedback, some parents see small improvements within 5–10 sessions (often the first signs are better focus, mood, or sleep). The most significant gains usually build by 15–20 sessions. EMDR can also bring relief after just a few sessions if a child’s issues are clearly linked to a specific event. After treatment, the benefits tend to last because the brain actually learns new patterns (unlike a medication that stops working when you stop taking it). We’ll track your child’s progress with follow-up brain maps and feedback, and adjust the plan to make sure the improvements stick.
We look forward to being a part of your wellness journey!