There are a few companies that have sold neurofeedback instruments directly to the public. Other companies sell their neurofeedback equipment to dealers, and their dealers sell the equipment directly to the public. There are questions whether these actions are permissible or in violation of FDA guidelines.

Regardless of the FDA, non-licensed individuals or consumers can find a way to get neurofeedback equipment, even though they’re not licensed providers. If they are using it for personal use, we strongly recommend that they have supervision from an experienced neurofeedback provider.

The vast majority of neurofeedback providers are licensed clinicians. There have been cases of individuals opening practices and offering neurofeedback without a license. Some of these people, particularly people in the field prior to 2000, have gone through extensive training, may have credentials and appropriate education, and may provide a high level of service. These people (a small number) are not a problem.

Can a licensed provider offer neurofeedback without appropriate training and expertise? Absolutely.  However, at least they can be reported to their licensing board if a problem occurs. If someone is unlicensed, there may be little recourse.

The real problem: “Treatment without a license.”

What happens if an individual who is not licensed and has minimal training starts offering neurofeedback to others? If they offer it for stress reduction or for peak performance, some in the field argue it may not be a problem. Neurofeedback is, after all, self-regulation training. There’s no history of long-term adverse effects.

Others argue that neurofeedback is a powerful modality, and that there’s a potential for undesired effects if you don’t really know what you’re doing or what you’re seeing in terms of ongoing response assessment.

It’s clear if an individual offers to train autism, bipolar disorder, depression, or ADD with neurofeedback, that’s a problem. Most licensure boards would call that “treating without a license”.  No individuals should be offering such services. There have been a few cases where unlicensed individuals have been reported to licensure boards and action taken.

So far, neurofeedback treatment by an unlicensed individual is an isolated problem, but it can occur. If licensed professionals and the public stay vigilant, they can stop most inappropriate actions from occurring.