ILF neurofeedback in Reading
Support for nervous-system regulation
ILF neurofeedback is a gentle form of neurofeedback used to support nervous-system regulation.
People often consider ILF neurofeedback when they are struggling with sleep difficulties, overwhelm, reactivity, hypervigilance, shutdown, brain fog, fatigue, or difficulty recovering after stress.
I offer ILF neurofeedback in person in Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire, within a relational therapeutic practice informed by trauma, nervous-system regulation, and careful formulation.
What neurofeedback is
Neurofeedback is a non-invasive self-regulation training process.
During training, the nervous system receives real-time information about its own activity. Over time, it can use that information to move toward greater stability, flexibility, and regulation.
The aim is not to force the brain to change, consciously control it, or correct “abnormal” brainwave patterns.
Instead, the brain and nervous system are given feedback they can respond to.
You do not have to “do it right”. The training does not depend on effort, analysis, or conscious control.
My current neurofeedback work is centred on ILF neurofeedback. I have also completed formal training in frequency-based neurofeedback and Neurofeedback for ADHD, and I am continuing my training in this field.
This broader learning informs how I think about regulation, while keeping the work I currently offer clear, careful, and appropriately paced.
This may be for you if
You may recognise that:
your sleep is disrupted or unrefreshing
you feel easily overwhelmed, reactive, or unable to settle
your mind races, scans, or stays on alert
you feel shut down, foggy, fatigued, or hard to mobilise
stress takes a long time to recover from
psychotherapy feels harder because your nervous system is already under strain
For some people, shutdown is not simply tiredness.
It can feel like going blank, withdrawing, losing access to words, or appearing to function on the outside while feeling collapsed or unreachable inside.
ILF neurofeedback may be relevant when the nervous system seems caught in patterns of over-activation, under-activation, or instability.
How ILF neurofeedback works
ILF stands for Infra-Low Frequency neurofeedback. It works with very slow frequencies and is used to support the brain’s underlying regulatory systems.
One way to understand ILF neurofeedback is that the brain is given information about its own timing and activation patterns.
This feedback may help the nervous system adjust how it moves between activation, settling, alertness, and recovery.
The training itself is usually quiet and undramatic. It does not usually involve deliberately revisiting traumatic memories during the training itself.
Over time, ILF neurofeedback may support a more stable baseline in areas such as:
sleep
emotional steadiness
concentration
resilience
recovery after stress
overall capacity
ILF is not a stand-alone cure or a quick fix. It is a way of supporting regulation gradually, with careful attention to how your system responds.
Where ILF neurofeedback may be relevant
ILF neurofeedback may be relevant when difficulties involve nervous-system strain or instability, including:
chronic stress, anxiety, or panic patterns
hypervigilance, startle responses, or feeling constantly on edge
trauma-related symptoms
sleep disruption or unrefreshing sleep
emotional reactivity, shutdown, numbness, or swings between too much and too little activation
fatigue, brain fog, concentration difficulties, or reduced day-to-day capacity
stress-related physical tension or sensitivity
ADHD-related regulation difficulties
I am most likely to consider ILF when nervous-system strain is making daily life — and sometimes psychotherapy itself — harder to benefit from.
Adapted from ILF neurofeedback clinical training materials.
Neurofeedback and psychotherapy
For some people, greater nervous-system steadiness can make therapy feel more accessible.
As overwhelm, reactivity, or shutdown begin to reduce, there may be more capacity to stay present, reflect, feel, think clearly, and engage with difficult material without becoming flooded or disconnected.
I see ILF neurofeedback as foundational regulation work rather than a replacement for psychotherapy.
It may help create more capacity for the therapeutic process by supporting sleep, arousal regulation, emotional steadiness, and recovery after stress.
In my practice, ILF neurofeedback is usually offered within a clear psychotherapeutic frame, so that any changes or emerging responses can be understood in context, paced carefully, and integrated into the wider work.
Where someone is already working with another psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or relevant clinician, I may also offer neurofeedback alongside that work where this seems clinically appropriate and there is enough clarity about how the work is being held.
Assessment and formulation
Effective neurofeedback is not just a matter of placing sensors on the scalp and applying a standard protocol.
Before and during ILF neurofeedback, I build an integrated picture of how your nervous system appears to be functioning.
This may include:
symptoms and current difficulties
sleep and arousal patterns
attention and concentration
emotional regulation
shutdown responses
dissociation
stress recovery
body tension
trauma history
current capacity
how you respond to the training itself
This assessment helps guide the choice of placements, training frequency, dose, and pacing.
The aim is to understand what kind of support your system seems to need, rather than assuming the same approach will suit everyone.
Because I offer neurofeedback within a psychotherapeutic practice, these decisions are also held within the wider clinical formulation.
The question is not only “which placement might help?”, but also:
What needs to happen for this person to become more stable, more present, and more able to benefit from therapy?
How we decide whether ILF neurofeedback is appropriate
ILF neurofeedback is not offered as a one-size-fits-all intervention.
Before neurofeedback begins, we consider whether it fits your current needs, symptoms, capacity, and wider therapeutic plan.
For some people, ILF may be useful as part of a stabilisation phase. For others, psychotherapy alone may be more appropriate.
In some cases, ILF may support the nervous system enough for deeper therapeutic work to become more possible later.
The decision is made carefully, based on your presentation, your goals, and ongoing review of how your system responds.
What happens before we start?
Before neurofeedback begins, you will complete a questionnaire covering common symptoms and nervous-system patterns.
This gives us a practical baseline and helps us notice change over time.
We then monitor the areas that seem most relevant, such as:
sleep
arousal
mood
energy
stress recovery
emotional steadiness
overall capacity
This keeps the process individualised, reviewable, and grounded in what is actually happening.
What happens in a session?
In a session, small sensors are placed on specific areas of the scalp to read brain activity.
The sensors do not deliver electrical stimulation.
You sit in a comfortable chair, usually watching a screen and listening to sound. A vibrating cushion can also be used if helpful.
Your brain receives moment-to-moment feedback through visual, auditory, and sensory signals.
Sessions are usually carried out with eyes open, while sitting comfortably.
The process is not hypnosis, trance work, or guided imagery.
We pay close attention to how you respond during and after sessions.
If you feel unusually tired, wired, headachy, emotionally stirred, or unsettled after early sessions, we adjust the dose, placement, or training frequency promptly.
The process is always guided by how your system is responding, rather than by pushing for progress.
How the training is personalised
ILF neurofeedback is tailored through:
placement
training frequency
dose and pacing
ongoing review of sleep, arousal, mood, energy, and stability
The aim is not to apply a standard protocol, but to find what genuinely helps your system.
Because nervous systems respond differently, careful tracking matters.
Small adjustments can make a significant difference to whether the training feels settling, activating, tiring, or helpful.
Practicalities
ILF neurofeedback is available in person only in Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire
Sessions are usually 50 minutes
For some people, an initial course of around 10–20 sessions can be a useful starting point
We review as we go, so the process stays guided by what is happening in practice
We go slowly, prioritising sleep and stability over pushing for progress
For current fees and practical arrangements, please see:
You may also find these helpful
Individual therapy ›
For a fuller sense of how psychotherapy may support anxiety, overwhelm, shutdown, and recurring patterns.
Trauma therapy ›
If trauma, chronic stress, shutdown, dissociation, or nervous-system strain feel central to what you are living with.
Approaches I integrate in therapy ›
For more detail about how ILF neurofeedback sits alongside relational, trauma-informed psychotherapy.
FAQ ›
For common questions about therapy, neurofeedback, and starting work together.
Further reading
Neurofeedback Advocacy Project ›
Clinical and academic research and advocacy
If you are considering ILF neurofeedback
If you are curious about ILF neurofeedback, you are welcome to book a free 20-minute consultation.
You can tell me a little about your sleep, stress sensitivity, attention, energy, emotional regulation, and how your system responds under pressure.
We can then think together about whether ILF neurofeedback may be relevant, whether psychotherapy is the better place to begin, or whether a combination of both may be appropriate.
If we decide to begin, the early sessions give us more time to understand your nervous-system patterns, current capacity, and what kind of support may be most useful.
There is no pressure to continue.