Brain Signals

What happens when curiosity becomes a career—and when you keep following the questions even when the answers lead you somewhere unconventional?

In this episode of Brain Signals, David Ims sits down with Tom Collura, a pioneer in neurofeedback and brain-based wellness, founder and president of BrainMaster Technologies, and clinical director of the Brain Enrichment Center in Ohio.

Tom's path into neurofeedback was anything but straightforward. Influenced from childhood by his parents' interest in philosophy, science, and the relationship between mind and health, he went on to study philosophy of science and biology, earn a PhD in biomedical engineering, work at Bell Labs, and develop EEG technology at the Cleveland Clinic.

But throughout his career, he kept coming back to the same underlying question: How can we better understand—and work with—the brain?

Tom shares the experiences that eventually led him to neurofeedback, including his early work with EEG and attention, his introduction to SMR and alpha-theta training, and the decision to leave a secure career and build what would eventually become BrainMaster.

He also discusses why neurofeedback and QEEG have remained controversial, why he believes practitioners should stay technically rigorous while continuing to experiment, and how listening to clinicians and patients helped shape the development of BrainMaster technology.

One of the most powerful parts of the conversation is Tom's story about a young woman who had been labeled with ODD and bipolar disorder. Through QEEG and cognitive assessment, Tom identified significant memory difficulties that helped reframe what her family had understood as defiance. Neurofeedback became part of her work toward improved memory and self-regulation—and eventually, her family began seeing meaningful changes in how she responded to everyday situations.

The conversation then moves into some of Tom's broader ideas about neuroregulation, neuroplasticity, consciousness, brain goals, and the relationship between what our brains are trying to accomplish and what we consciously want for ourselves.

Throughout it all, one theme keeps returning: keep asking questions, keep learning, and don't be afraid to follow a path that isn't already mapped out.

In this episode, David and Tom discuss:

• Tom's unusual path from philosophy and biology to biomedical engineering and neurofeedback
• How his childhood shaped his interest in the mind-brain relationship
• His early EEG research and experiments with attention
• His years at Bell Labs and the lessons that shaped his approach to innovation
• His work developing digital EEG technology at the Cleveland Clinic
• The origins of BrainMaster Technologies
• Tom's first experiences with SMR and alpha-theta neurofeedback
• Why he chose to pursue clinical training later in his career
• How QEEG can provide perspectives that may go beyond conventional diagnosis
• A powerful clinical case involving memory, behavior, and neurofeedback
• Why Tom believes there is still significant work to be done validating neurofeedback
• Remote and home-based neurofeedback training
• The ongoing controversy surrounding QEEG and neurofeedback
• Neuroplasticity, neuroeducation, and self-regulation
• The relationship between brain activity and behavior
• Why listening to clinicians and users helped shape BrainMaster technology
• Tom's philosophy of innovation: do it, fix it, try it
• His ideas about the brain having goals that may not always align with our conscious goals
• Consciousness, free will, and the mind-brain relationship
• Using AI as an educational tool for neuroscience
• Why Tom believes every day is an opportunity to keep learning

Thanks for listening to Brain Signals powered by ISNR.

ISNR is a non-profit organization. Sponsorships are vital to furthering the cause of all things neuroregulation, including Brain Signals. We appreciate our gracious sponsors and thank them for their contributions.

Special thanks to our sponsor Connect My Brain. Check out their Website, Products, and Podcast.

What happens when we stop thinking of the brain as something that simply needs to be “fixed” and start thinking of it as something we can learn to regulate?

In this episode of Brain Signals, David Ims sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Dick Genardi, who has spent decades working in behavioral medicine, neurofeedback, health psychology, chronic pain, anxiety, and brain-based therapies.

Dr. Genardi shares the experiences that led him from meditation and hypnosis into neurofeedback, including powerful early cases that showed him just how much the brain and body can influence one another. He discusses his work with patients dealing with stroke-related movement difficulties, chronic pain, anxiety, OCD, and neurological challenges—and what those experiences taught him about the brain’s capacity for change.

The conversation explores why neurofeedback is more than simply treating symptoms. It can help people develop the skill of self-regulation, become more aware of what is happening in their own nervous system, and develop greater cognitive flexibility. Dr. Genardi also explains why he sees neurofeedback as inherently integrative, incorporating factors such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, language, and self-talk.

David and Dr. Genardi discuss the connection between relaxation and anxiety, the importance of listening to patient data in real time, and the distinction between reducing pain and reducing the emotional suffering that can become attached to pain.

They also talk about the evolution of neurofeedback technology, the importance of coordinated care, and why practitioners need to remain curious rather than becoming overly attached to a theory or treatment plan.

And finally, Dr. Genardi shares a lesson from martial arts that beautifully captures his philosophy of lifelong learning: no matter how good you become, always remember that you are a beginner.

In this episode:

• How hypnosis and meditation led Dr. Gnnardi toward neurofeedback
• What a young stroke survivor taught him about brain and motor retraining
• Why neurofeedback can be understood as a learned skill
• Relaxation-induced anxiety and why regulation can feel unfamiliar
• The relationship between the brain, body, lifestyle, and self-talk
• Neurofeedback and the treatment of chronic pain and the “suffering network”
• How anxiety and OCD can affect attention and brain function
• Why patient data should guide treatment rather than simply confirm a theory
• The importance of reassessment and adapting treatment in real time
• Cognitive flexibility and learning to respond differently to different situations
• Why coordinated, multidisciplinary care matters
• The evolution of neurofeedback technology
• The importance of staying curious and continuing to learn

Dr. Genardi’s experiences offer a compelling perspective on neuroregulation: the goal isn't simply to make the brain perform better, but to help people develop greater awareness, flexibility, and ability to regulate themselves in the context of real life.

Thanks for listening to Brain Signals powered by ISNR.

ISNR is a non-profit organization. Sponsorships are vital to furthering the cause of all things neuroregulation, including Brain Signals. We appreciate our gracious sponsors and thank them for their contributions.

What if understanding the brain requires looking beyond symptoms and diagnostic labels to the electrical patterns that reveal how it actually functions?

In this episode of Brain Signals, David Ims sits down with Jay Gunkelman, one of the most experienced and influential voices in EEG and neurofeedback. With a career spanning more than five decades, Jay shares the unconventional path that led him into applied psychophysiology, from building early EEG equipment and working with patients in a state hospital to helping advance quantitative EEG (QEEG) and neurofeedback around the world.

Jay explains why he believes brain-based measurements can offer a more individualized understanding of the mind than diagnostic categories alone. He explores the concept of endophenotypes, the relationship between brainwave patterns and behavior, and how EEG-informed approaches may help clinicians make more personalized decisions about treatment.

The conversation also reveals the curiosity and creativity behind Jay’s work. He reflects on the clinical experiences that kept him committed to the field, the importance of recognizing patterns across thousands of EEGs, and why collaboration is essential when studying something as complex as the human brain.

Whether you're a clinician, neurofeedback practitioner, or simply curious about how the brain works, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the history, possibilities, and ongoing questions of neuroregulation.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• How Jay Gunkelman found his way into EEG, biofeedback, and neurofeedback in the early 1970s
• The early challenges of developing EEG technology and building a new field of practice
• What endophenotypes are and how they may connect genetics, brain activity, and behavior
• Why Jay questions the limitations of relying on diagnostic labels alone
• How EEG and QEEG can inform more individualized approaches to neurofeedback and treatment
• The importance of pattern recognition, clinical experience, and ongoing scientific inquiry
• How brainwave activity relates to attention, intention, perception, memory, and arousal
• What decades of clinical experience have taught Jay about the complexity of the brain
• Why curiosity, collaboration, and mentorship continue to move the field forward

A central takeaway: The brain is extraordinarily complex, and no single person or diagnostic framework can capture all of it. By combining careful measurement, clinical insight, and collaboration, practitioners can continue exploring more individualized ways to understand brain function and support human well-being.

Brain Signals is powered by the International Society for Neuroregulation and Research (ISNR). The views expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent ISNR or its sponsors. This conversation is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

ISNR is a non-profit organization. Sponsorships are vital to furthering the cause of all things neuroregulation, including Brain Signals. We appreciate our gracious sponsors and thank them for their contributions.

Special thanks to our sponsor Connect My Brain. Check out their Website, Products, and Podcast.

What if a mental health diagnosis tells you something important about a person—but not nearly enough?

In this episode of Brain Signals, David speaks with licensed mental health clinician, author, and neurotechnology specialist Penijean Gracefire about neuroregulation, brain mapping, and neurofeedback.

Penijean challenges the idea that the goal of mental health care should simply be to get people to conform to the expectations of the systems around them. She explores how easily we can move from asking “What is wrong with you?” to asking a much more useful question: “How does your brain work, what have you experienced, and what would you like to be able to do differently?”

Together, David and Penijean discuss:

• Why diagnoses such as ADHD or complex PTSD can provide useful information while still telling us very little about the whole person
• The limitations of trying to fit diverse human experiences into diagnostic categories
• How school, work, and other systems can unintentionally define differences as deficits
• Why being unable to function within a particular environment doesn't necessarily mean something is “wrong” with you
• The importance of understanding individual strengths as well as challenges
• How brain mapping can provide another piece of information alongside a person's history, symptoms, and lived experience
• We need mind, body, and brain to understand the whole person
• The role of neuroplasticity and the possibility of changing patterns in the nervous system
• The difference between helping someone function better and simply making them conform
• Why curiosity—and a willingness to question established frameworks—can lead to better care

One of the central ideas of this conversation is beautifully simple: there are many valid ways for a human brain to develop and interact with the world. The question isn't necessarily whether someone fits the expected mold. The question is whether they are able to build a life that meets their needs for connection, safety, significance, and meaning.

And sometimes, understanding the person requires looking beyond the box.

Learn more about Penijean Gracefire: Penijean.com

Thanks for listening to Brain Signals powered by ISNR.

ISNR is a non-profit organization. Sponsorships are vital to furthering the cause of all things neuroregulation, including Brain Signals. We appreciate our gracious sponsors and thank them for their contributions.

Special thanks to our sponsor Connect My Brain. Check out their Website, Products, and Podcast.

Brain Signals is a new webinar and podcast series designed to make neuroregulation more visible, accessible, and relevant. Neuroregulation refers to a constellation of techniques and tools that measure and enhance brain performance to support health and functioning.

Through engaging conversations with providers and researchers, the series will explore why neurotherapy and neuroregulation matter—for personal, clinical, and collective wellbeing. In addition to chatting with experts, everyday people will share their personal stories of how neuroregulation has positively changed their lives.

Host David Ims (a licensed mental health counselor and neuroregulation specialist) will highlight the “why” behind neuroregulation, and the impacts of retraining the brain to sharpen focus, lift mood, ease worry, balance emotion, or improve sleep.

With the right mixture of data, research, and technology, anyone’s brain signals offer insights into one’s self-understanding. This can be deployed to strengthen mental resilience and regulation, complementary of personal background or experiences.

On Brain Signals, you will hear how your neural hardware and mental software interact. If you have ever wondered how you can gently support your brain to work better in daily life and improve your mental health and overall wellness, this one is for you. Stay tuned!