qEEG Brain Mapping for Brain Training
qEEG brain mapping is a recording of your brain’s electrical activity, taken with sensors on the scalp and compared to a reference database.
At The Balanced Brain in North Hollywood, we’ve used qEEG to guide neurofeedback training for clients across the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles since 2007.
Brain mapping takes 45 minutes to an hour, including sensor setup and a 20-minute recording. It’s one part of your first assessment visit, about 3 hours in all, which also includes cognitive, attention, and heart rate variability testing. It’s non-invasive, it’s the first step of our brain training program, and it is not diagnostic.
After analysis is completed, you will receive a written report which we will review with you on Zoom and provide a recording of that review.
What qEEG Measures
qEEG measures electrical activity in the brain and how different regions communicate with each other.
Unlike MRI or CT, which show the brain’s structure, qEEG shows patterns in how your brain is functioning while it’s recorded.
This gives us insight into how your brain responds moment to moment, and how stable or flexible those patterns are over time.
Why Brain Mapping Matters
Many people come to us knowing how they feel, but not understanding why their brain keeps responding the way it does.
Brain mapping helps us move beyond guesswork.
Rather than assuming every person with stress, poor focus, sleep disruption, or emotional overwhelm needs the same approach, qEEG allows us to look at how your brain is actually functioning.
Some brains become stuck in patterns of overactivation and hypervigilance. Others struggle with underactivation, inconsistent regulation, or inefficient communication between regions involved in attention, emotional regulation, and executive functioning.
This information helps guide training decisions so neurofeedback is individualized to your nervous system patterns, not based on generic protocols.
qEEG is not used to diagnose medical or psychiatric conditions. It is one of the tools we use to better understand brain performance, regulation, and adaptability.
Interpreted by an Experienced Practitioner
Brain mapping is only useful when it’s interpreted correctly.
At The Balanced Brain, assessments are guided by experienced practitioners who understand how to translate patterns into a
practical training approach.
Terah Chesbro, who leads this part of the process, has extensive experience working with qEEG data and integrating it into
individualized neurofeedback programs.
Her role is not simply to review data, but to understand how each brain is functioning
and how those patterns relate
to real-world challenges with
focus, sleep, stress, and performance.
How Brain Mapping Works
We record brain activity from multiple sites across the scalp for 10 minutes with eyes closed and 10 minutes with eyes open.
The data is then cleaned and analyzed to remove noise and identify meaningful patterns.
Non Invasive
Sensors only record activity. Nothing is sent into the brain.
Comfortable Process
You sit quietly while we record brain activity under different conditions.
Functional Information
We look for patterns in regulation, attention, and communication between brain regions.
Training Guidance
The results help us design a more individualized neurofeedback plan.
What to Expect During a qEEG recording
The recording itself takes 20 minutes: 10 minutes with your eyes closed and 10 minutes with your eyes open. You simply sit comfortably and relax. With sensor setup and cleanup, brain mapping takes 45 minutes to an hour.
Sensors are placed on the scalp using conductive paste to record electrical activity from different regions of the brain. Nothing is sent into the brain during the process — the sensors only measure activity. Your recordings are then compared to a normative database.
Most people find the process comfortable and surprisingly simple.
The goal is not to “pass” or “fail” a test. We are gathering information about how your brain regulates attention, arousal, flexibility, and communication patterns under different conditions.
What We’re Looking For
We’re not looking for diagnoses—we’re looking for patterns.
Specifically, how different parts of the brain are:
overactive or underactive
stable or inconsistent
communicating effectively or inefficiently
These patterns help us understand how your brain is regulating and where training should begin.
We also look at how higher-level systems—like attention, decision-making, and self-regulation—are functioning and how well they integrate with more automatic brain processes.
What a qEEG Can’t Tell You
A qEEG is a snapshot. Brain activity shifts with sleep, time of day, food, caffeine and stress, so one recording shows how your brain was working that day. It isn’t a fixed verdict about you. We use the map to decide where training starts, then adjust session by session based on how your brain responds and, most importantly, the changes you notice in daily life. A better-looking map isn’t the goal. Sleeping, focusing and handling stress better is.
The qEEG is the starting point, not the whole program. At The Balanced Brain, brain mapping guides neurofeedback training that’s paired with health coaching and lifestyle support, because lasting change depends on more than the sessions in the chair.
We also look at how higher-level systems—like attention, decision-making, and self-regulation—are functioning and how well they integrate with more automatic brain processes.
What is the Difference between EEG and qEEG?
EEG records electrical activity in the brain. qEEG brain mapping helps identify patterns in brainwave activity, timing, asymmetry, and connectivity. We use that information to better understand how the brain may be regulating itself and to guide neurofeedback training.
Can qEEG diagnose anxiety, ADHD, or depression?
No. qEEG brain mapping is not a diagnosis and does not replace medical evaluation. At The Balanced Brain, it is used as part of a functional brain training assessment, not as a standalone medical test.
Is qEEG safe?
Yes. qEEG is non-invasive and only records electrical activity from the scalp. Nothing is sent into the brain during the process.
Why combine qEEG with neurofeedback?
Brain mapping helps guide training decisions so neurofeedback can be individualized to the person rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
How long does a qEEG take?
Brain mapping takes 45 minutes to an hour, including setup. The recording itself is 20 minutes (10 minutes eyes closed, 10 minutes eyes open). It’s done during your first assessment visit, which runs about 3 hours because it includes other assessments. See all assessments →
Is a qEEG the same as a medical EEG?
No. A medical EEG is ordered by a physician and read by a neurologist, often to look for seizure activity. Our qEEG is part of a brain training assessment and is not a substitute for a medical EEG.
See How This Fits Into the Full Process
Last Update: June 2026