Evvy Shapero

Evvy Shapero received her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. She has been affiliated with the EEG Institute and working in private practice for the past eighteen years. She mainly works with pain, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, migraines, sleep disorder and panic disorder. She creates an atmosphere of genuine concern and warmth toward her clients. Together they create a treatment plan based on individual needs.

Evvy has been a team member for the Comprehensive Pain Management Program with Dr Prager since 2006. She has had advanced training in EEG Biofeedback and stress Management. Evvy is also a certified clinical hypnotherapist. She is a member of Association for Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback and International Society for Neurofeedback & Research. Evvy teaches the Alpha/Theta practicums at the EEG Institute in addition to assisting with all other practicums and courses.

Outside of neurofeedback, Evvy has a special interest in Glamour Project, a 501 (c) (3). In 2009 it was founded by Evvy and her friend Kara Fox. Its mission is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless women through kindness, compassion and photography. (www.glamourproject.org)

Neurofeedback is applied neuroscience – it is a fairly new frontier in helping people to make positive change in their lives particularly in the realm of fear, anxiety, unfocused, disengaged and dysregulated.

Neurofeedback addresses brain dysregulation. We use the latest technology to train the brain to correct faulty brainwave activity. We think of Neurofeedback as a brain exercise. Like a muscle, the brain gets stronger the more you train it. Since your brain controls every nerve system, muscle and organ in your body, when it works at maximum efficiency, you feel better and perform better. Lack of self regulation usually relates to behaving badly, erratically and often dangerously. The Othmer Approach is based on the extensive research and experience of two pioneers in this field Sue and Siegfried Othmer. It is based on symptoms rather than diagnosis. It is individualized depending on the clients needs and their response to the training. Due to brain plasticity, it can be successfully used at any age.

Electrodes are applied to the scalp to listen in on brainwave activity. Brainwaves occur at different frequencies from slow waves to fast waves and each speed has its own function. Slow brainwaves (delta and theta) reflect the brain is under-aroused or functioning at reduced capacity for mental efficiency. This occurs during sleep, daydreaming and when areas of the brain go “off line” to take up nourishment. High levels of delta and theta in specific areas of the brain can be associated with learning disabilities, depression and/or inattention.

When your brain produces predominantly faster brainwaves (alpha and beta), it is more fully aroused, alert and focused. The neural networks are fully engaged to process information. Beta brainwaves need to be dominant for controlling attention, behavior, organization, emotions and basic learning functions. However, too many fast waves, in specific areas of the brain can cause anxiety, aggression, irritability and other physical symptoms.

We process the signal by computer and we extract information about certain key brainwave frequencies. We show the ebb and flow of this activity back to the person, who attempts to change the activity level. Some frequencies we wish to promote others we wish to diminish. We present this information to the person in the form of a video game. The person is effectively playing the video game with his or her brain. Eventually the brainwave activity is “shaped” toward more desirable, more regulated performance. The frequencies we target and the specific locations on the scalp where we listen in on the brain are specific to the conditions we are trying to address and specific to the individual.

Neurofeedback is a learning process – you learned to swim or to ride a bike, you never really forget that. Generally speaking, if you do enough training your brain should be able to hold the gains. If we are talking about degenerative conditions or when we are working against continuing insults to the system, we might need to continue training because the brain is not capable of holding the gains.

Neurofeedback helps your brain become more resilient and less vulnerable to triggers. But the susceptibility remains.