Every plan at Illumea is tailored to your unique life. Your journey begins with a full assessment by our staff — including an interview, personalized brain scan, and mental testing. This allows us to develop a customized program of stimulation, electrode placement, and session duration. During your program, your plan is continually fine-tuned by our staff who closely monitor your progress in alignment with your personal goals established in parallel with the care team.
Step 1
Initial Consultation & Assessment
60 to 90 minutes
Your neurostimulation experience is designed to be personal, supportive and transformative. Our goal is to help you function better so you can feel better.
Your journey begins with a consultation with a licensed clinician to outline the process, review your medical history, current issues and goals, and to answer any questions. This includes a full mental and emotional evaluation.
Key to this assessment is measuring brain deviations to help pinpoint where neurostimulation can be most effective. This includes deviations in brainwave frequency bands — such as excess slow-wave activity (theta or delta) in areas associated with attention and processing speed, or dysregulation in alpha and beta patterns linked to focus, relaxation, and emotional regulation — that a standard clinical interview would not capture.
To help ensure a smooth and successful first appointment, we’ve put together a few helpful guidelines below. If you have any questions, our team is always here for you.
Please come well hydrated.
Please arrive with clean, product-free hair (no oils, sprays, or styling products).
Please try to get a good night’s rest.
Take all medications exactly as prescribed by your provider or existing health care team.
Avoid drinks or products that contain caffeine.
Unless otherwise directed, please avoid antihistamines, cold medications, or other sedating drugs, as they may cause drowsiness.
Please avoid strenuous exercise on the morning of your QEEG consultation.
Alcohol and other substances can affect your brain’s natural activity and may impact your results, so we recommend refraining from these before your baseline QEEG, sessions, and follow-up visits.
Step 2
Personalized Wellness Planning
1 to 3 days after consultation
After careful review of your assessment results, a customized program is developed.
This includes selecting the best neurostimulation approach and determining the ideal electrode placement and stimulation levels. Specific concerns will be targeted.
Once the plan is ready, we’ll schedule your sessions and provide a calendar and preparation guidelines.(Session and scheduling options are available to meet your needs, ranging from as few as ten sessions over a compact period of 5 days to up to 20 sessions that could be spread over 6 weeks)
Step 3
First Appointment Orientation and Setup
60 minutes
Designed to ease you into the process, you’ll relax in a comfortable chair after a wellness check and screening electrodes will be placed using a fitted cap or adhesive pads, depending on your program.
The program starts at a low level and is adjusted until your comfort level is reached. Hydration and electrolytes will be available if desired.
Step 4
Standard Wellness Sessions
30 to 45 minutes each
After the electrodes are placed and calibrated, you’ll experience active stimulation in the form of gentle electrical pulses ranging from 20 to 35minutes.
We encourage you to describe what you’re feeling and ask questions. During the session, you may read, meditate, enjoy media offerings from our state of the art entertainment system, or engage in structured cognitive exercises provided by our staff, depending on your program.
As your brain adapts, you may notice changes immediately or it may take several sessions or more, depending on your unique anatomy and protocol alignment.
At the end of each session, you’ll be assessed and asked about your current state. You may be asked to track feelings and emotions or perform certain light activities.
Step 5
Wellness Monitoring & Completion
Weekly
Throughout the process, you’ll be closely monitored with weekly check-ins and periodic testing. At the halfway point, you’ll be evaluated to see if your program needs to be adjusted. You will also be asked to keep a daily journal of your symptoms, moods, sleep, digestion and mental activity.
Final session plus 2 to 4 weeks post-program
At the end, you’ll undergo a final comprehensive assessment, with results compared to your initial baseline, and discuss improvements, persistent issues and next steps. This will also occur if more than 6 months’ time passes from the last QEEG/ERP assessment.
You’ll get personalized post-program recommendations and follow-up visits may be suggested to help sustain your progress. Based upon your personal wellness goals and ongoing discourse with the care team, you also may elect to undergo additional annual services or transition into a regular maintenance program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Preparing
The most important thing to do is get a full night’s sleep. Your brain’s electrical activity is significantly affected by fatigue and arriving well-rested ensures the most accurate recording possible. Please also avoid alcohol the night before your appointment as it can alter brainwave patterns.
We recommend avoiding vigorous exercise for 2-3 hours before your appointment. Intense physical activity can temporarily change brain activity, heart rate, stress hormones, and mental alertness, which may affect QEEG measurements and your response to neurostimulation. Light activities such as walking or gentle stretching are generally fine. Arriving well-rested, hydrated, and in your normal state helps us obtain the most accurate and meaningful results.
Please come in with clean, dry hair and no hair products of any kind. This means no styling cream, gel, mousse, hairspray or dry shampoo. Products create a barrier between the sensors and your scalp, which can interfere with the quality of the brain map recording.
We ask that you not drink any caffeine on the day of your QEEG brain map, or at most just one cup. Caffeine affects your brain’s electrical patterns and can affect the accuracy of the recording. If you normally rely heavily on coffee, try to reduce your intake a day or two before the appointment to minimize any withdrawal effects.
Yes. Please eat a normal meal before coming in. Low blood sugar can affect your focus and brainwave activity, and arriving hungry may compromise the quality of your recording. Avoid arriving drowsy, as well; if you feel unusually tired, taking a quick walk or getting some fresh air before your appointment can help.
In most cases, yes, continue taking your medications as prescribed. However, some clinicians prefer to record a baseline brain map both on and off certain medications (such as stimulants for ADHD). Please let us know what medications you are currently taking when you book your appointment and your clinician will advise you on the best approach for your specific situation.
Beyond any completed intake paperwork, we suggest:
A hat, hairbrush or hair tie/clip for managing the gel in your hair after the session
A list of any current medications and dosages
Any relevant medical records or prior assessments
Questions you’d like to discuss with your clinician
During the Session
Individual training sessions typically last 30 to 45 minutes. Following your initial QEEG, you will have a consult with a provider, at which point your baseline, goals and process will be discussed from a team perspective of a shared pathway to reach the desired end state. For regular weekly visits, clients meet with the technician, who will take down basics of post-session and session-to-session changes.
Very little is asked of you consciously. Your brain does most of the work. You may be asked to simply sit quietly, watch a screen or listen to tones. Your clinician will guide you through exactly what to expect. The most helpful thing you can bring is a relaxed, open attitude and a rested mind.
After Your Session
Most people feel calm, clear-headed or mildly tired after a session, similar to how you might feel after meditation or light exercise. Occasionally, particularly in early sessions, some clients clients notice a temporary increase in tiredness, vivid dreams or mild headaches as their brain adjusts. These effects are generally short-lived. Your clinician will check in with you about how you’re feeling and adjust the training protocol if needed.
Yes. Neurostimulation does not impair your ability to drive.
No strict restrictions apply after most sessions. That said, it’s generally a good idea to stay well-hydrated, avoid heavy alcohol consumption and prioritize good sleep following your sessions. Your brain is doing subtle organizational work between appointments and rest supports that process. If your clinician has given you specific post-session guidance, follow that advice.
Your Treatment Journey
The number of sessions varies depending on the nature and severity of your concerns, how your brain responds to training and your individual goals. Many clients begin to notice changes within five sessions, with meaningful improvements often consolidating between 10 and 20 sessions. Your clinician will give you a personalized estimate after reviewing your brain map and will track your progress throughout.
Most treatment plans consist of two to three sessions per week on average. Your clinician will recommend a schedule that fits both your therapeutic needs and lifestyle. Customization is also provided for to fit unique preferences or goals, such as one session per day for ten days; two sessions per day for 5 days for 1-2 weeks, and many other options.
Neurostimulation is a training process, much like physical therapy or learning a new skill. Consistency and patience are important. Your clinician will check in regularly to monitor your progress and adjust the protocol as needed.
Many clients experience improvements that last well beyond the end of their treatment program because the brain has genuinely learned new ways of regulating itself. Just as with physical therapy, however, some individuals benefit from occasional “booster” sessions to maintain their gains, especially during periods of high stress or after illness. Your clinician will discuss what to expect for your particular case.
At this time, we are cash pay only.
Ready to Feel Clearer, Steadier, and More Like Yourself?
If you’re curious whether neurostimulation is the right fit, the next step is a consultation. We’ll talk through your goals, your symptoms, and what a wellness plan could look like before you commit.
