Case Study: Desiree, 45, Sleep Issues, Productivity

Desiree’s daughter Monica, 10, suffered from severe intractable epilepsy, with up to twenty awakenings per night due to heavy seizures.  While working with Monica, we also did neurofeedback training with Desiree.  

Effectively, Desiree was in a state of constant alert and hypervigilance due to her daughter’s persistent condition that could demand her attention at any point.  With neurofeedback training, Monica’s frequency and strength of seizures was gradually declining, however they were still capricious.  Desiree’s marriage had suffered strain and she was in the process of an amicable divorce, while planning a relocation with her two children.  Having been a freelance journalist for various publications, she was keen to start writing again, not least to regain her self-confidence.  Deprived of sleep and positive outlook, she found it impossible to set aside time to focus on this project, and in general felt like her life was all about reacting, rather than having a semblance of control.  

A brain map showed various trauma markers – when we’re not expanding, or feeling that we’re progressing, we begin ruminating about the past, worrying about the future, and this has neural correlates.  There’s a tendency to feel judged, which added a prickliness to her demeanor and alienated many.  Her ability to self-soothe was also impaired, contributing to her restlessness at night.  Brain areas relating to planning and focus were dysrythmic, and social boundaries suffered.  We began a personalised approach, with the holistic aim of restoring sense of self.  

During the brain map itself, Desiree, usually energetic, became instantly drowsy, a phenomenon we often see with sleep deficiencies.  She enjoyed the first session, watching a movie she’d been wanting to see for a while, and followed up with a series episode that she found superficial in its depiction of family life.  Her temper had already visibly changed, and she felt a sense of groundedness and confidence.  That night, Desiree describes her sleep as the best she had in a long time: 

“I felt so calm last night!  And slept like there were magnets between me and the bed.  10 hours straight.” 

We continued with two sessions per week, and Desiree’s improvements became visible in many ways:  First, her self-esteem had risen, as had her outlook.  The prospect of hope, combined with recuperative sleep, gave her new energy.  Distractibility morphed into disciplined attention to what was needed by whom, a particular challenge in the mornings, and a better sense of anticipation of next needs.  Desiree felt better able to make longer term plans, sequence events and necessary steps, and carve out time in her busy day for herself.  She was using this to further her writing, which she now felt she could sit down and concentrate on for hour segments; also, her social life improved with her demeanor.  Feeling liked and popular, she had rejoined a book club, as well as a meditation retreat group that had social elements.  Less reactive, her presence had changed from agitation to purposeful calmness.  This drew people in, as did her more measured approach to new people, and she found that she was also managing the school run meetings with other mothers in a way where she didn’t feel late, judged and subservient, but took pride in her children’s progress and engaged only in productive conversations.  Desiree had changed her trajectory and was arranging her environment in a way that was supportive, constructive and largely overseeable.