For you to become a neurofeedback practitioner, the requirements for neurofeedback certification need to comply. You need to figure out the additional info such as the prerequisite education necessary to get the BCIA neurofeedback certification.
Prerequisite education
If you are a candidate for the neurofeedback practitioner, you must hold a bachelor’s degree or a higher degree from a regionally accredited academic institution, which can be obtained in a BCIA-approved healthcare field. The licensed RNs are accepted or candidates with the A.A. degree. The BCIA-approved healthcare fields may include:
- Psychology
- Nursing (including licensed 2-year registered nurses)
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Social work
- Counseling
- Rehabilitation
- Chiropractic
- Recreational therapy
- Physician’s assistant (with license or certification or license)
- Exercise physiology
- Speech pathology
- Sports medicine
There are the following fields that require a master’s degree, such as:
- Music therapy
- Counseling Education
- Credentialed doctors of medicine are accepted. There are credentialed special education teachers that are certified to work in educational environments. The Certification Review Committee will ask for Degrees in healthcare fields aside from the ones mentioned above. Here is a list of the prerequisite education:
- Didactic Neurofeedback Education. It is a 36-hour course that candidates should meet by:
- Three semester-hour university course completion
- BCIA-accredited training program completion
- Earn 36-hour BCIA-approved workshop credits
The didactic education covers the BCIA Blueprint of knowledge areas:
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- Basic Neurophysiology and Neuroanatomy
- Orientation to Neurofeedback
- Research
- Treatment Protocols
- Instrumentation and Electronics
- Professional Conduct
- Psychopharmacological Considerations
- Patient Client Assessment
- Treatment Implementation
- Current Trends in Neurofeedback
- Practical Neurofeedback training. It is 25 contact hours with a BCIA-approved mentor with a minimum of 20 minutes sessions.
- Personal neurofeedback for 10 sessions demonstrating self-regulation
- Patient/client treatment for 100 sessions
- Case conference presentation for 10 sessions
- Physiology/Human Anatomy Course. It is a comprehensive course in human anatomy, human biology, physiology, or neuroanatomy from a BCIA-accredited program.
- Credential/License for Independent Practice. Treating a psychological or medical disorder, holding a current healthcare license in a BCIA-approved healthcare field is required, which is issued by the state; agree to work or practice under the supervision of a credentialed healthcare professional.
- Written Examination. It is a 3-hour objective examination that covers the Blueprint areas. Examinations are offered in several locations or by special exam with the use of a proctor for an additional fee.
Meeting certification requirements
There is a sequence to meet the certification requirements that every individual should take to become a candidate through submitting the application letter along with the documentation of the educational prerequisites:
- Physiology/anatomy course
- Didactic neurofeedback education
- Mentored clinical neurofeedback training
- Written examination
If you want to become a neurofeedback practitioner, you have to go through all these prerequisites for you to be prepared for the profession that you are about to take. Congratulate yourself now!
