Who we help · Anxiety

Anxiety — understanding how it shows up in the brain.

A clear, plain-English look at what anxiety is, how it can register on a qEEG, and where our work fits within an evidence-based plan led by your GP and a psychologist.

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What it is

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the body's threat-detection system in a state of chronic over-activation. It is not a character flaw, a weakness, or a sign that something is broken. It is a physiological pattern — and patterns can be worked with.

Around one in four Australians will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, and at any given time around 14% of adults are navigating one [1]. The most common presentations include:

  • Generalised anxiety — persistent worry across multiple domains, restlessness, difficulty switching off, sleep disturbance, muscle tension.
  • Panic — sudden, intense surges of fear with strong physiological symptoms (racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness).
  • Social anxiety — disproportionate fear of evaluation, scrutiny, or judgement in social or performance situations.
  • Health anxiety — preoccupation with bodily sensations and the meaning we give them.
  • Trauma-related anxiety — covered separately on the PTSD page.

The shared feature is the body and brain being held in a state of chronic over-arousal — an alarm system that is firing when nothing is actually wrong, or that won't switch off after the stressor has passed. The work, in any clinical setting, is to help the system come back down to baseline.

What this can feel like

Three patterns we see — and how they tend to land in real life.

qEEG markers are statistical, not diagnostic. But many of the people we see with anxious patterns describe something like the lines on the right.

qEEG marker

High beta in resting states

What people describe

"My engine idles too high. Even when nothing's happening, something is."

qEEG marker

Reduced alpha at eyes-closed rest

What people describe

"I'm tired but wired. Bed is where my brain finally clocks on."

qEEG marker

Sensorimotor over-arousal

What people describe

"Small things land hard. A short email feels like a slammed door."

Composite descriptions — not testimonials. AHPRA s133 compliant.

In the brain

What a qEEG can reveal about anxiety.

qEEG cannot diagnose anxiety. It can, however, give us a structured picture of patterns that frequently accompany the experience of being anxious.

Excess high-beta activity

The most reproducible EEG marker associated with anxiety is elevated high-beta (20–30 Hz) power across central, frontal, and sometimes temporal sites [2]. High-beta is the brain's "scanning, alert, processing" rhythm. A small amount is normal and useful. When it dominates the resting EEG, it often correlates with the felt experience of being unable to settle.

Reduced alpha

Alpha (8–12 Hz) is the brain's "rest with eyes closed" rhythm — what the cortex does when it's not being tasked. Many anxious people show reduced alpha power, particularly with eyes closed. The brain doesn't know how to coast.

Sensorimotor over-arousal

The sensorimotor strip — a band running across the top of the head — is where vigilance lives in EEG terms. We often see elevated activity here in people who describe themselves as "always on."

What this is and isn't

These are statistical tendencies, not diagnostic tests. Plenty of people with anxiety show none of these patterns, and plenty without anxiety show them. The point of looking is not to confirm the diagnosis — your GP and psychologist do that. The point is to understand what your particular brain is doing, so we can build a personalised plan.

Our approach

How we work with anxiety.

We start with a qEEG to see the brain-activity patterns most often associated with anxiety — elevated high-beta across central and frontal sites, reduced alpha at rest, sensorimotor over-arousal. From there we build a non-invasive plan drawn from five clinician-led modalities, sequenced to what we measure rather than a template.

  • Neurofeedback — operant training of brain rhythms toward better self-regulation.
  • Biofeedback — heart-rate variability training and direct work with the autonomic nervous system.
  • Functional neurological exercises — vestibular, ocular-motor, and balance drills that challenge specific neural pathways.
  • Neuro-nutrition — nutritional foundations for brain and nervous-system health.
  • Mind-body work — somatic and breath-based practices that reinforce regulation between sessions.

Sessions are tracked, the plan is revisable, and you leave each appointment knowing what changed and why.

How this fits with your other care. First-line care for anxiety in Australia is CBT or ACT delivered by a registered psychologist, with or without medication from a GP or psychiatrist. Our work sits alongside that. We coordinate when helpful and refer when clinically appropriate.

Care pathway

A typical anxiety pathway with us.

The shape varies. The sequence below is what most people experience.

  1. Step 1 · Online · From $47

    Brain Health Assessment

    A 14-network online assessment with a personalised 30-day plan. The lowest-friction way to see whether what you're experiencing has signature patterns we recognise.

  2. Step 2 · In-clinic · $1,097

    qEEG Brain Map Deep Dive

    A 19-channel qEEG, ERP testing, and a 1-hour clinical review with Dr Ash. This is where we actually see what your brain is doing under the experience.

  3. Step 3 · 10-week programme · $4,997

    Core Integration Programme

    20 sessions of swLORETA neurofeedback plus biofeedback, sequenced for what your map shows. Reassessment at the end. Three months of Tier 2 included.

  4. Step 4 · Ongoing

    Step down or maintain

    Some people graduate out of clinical care entirely. Others step down into the membership tier with periodic top-up sessions and reassessment. Always your call.

Book a consultation See full pricing
Evidence & research

What the literature says about anxiety and neurofeedback.

A short, honest reading list. We hold ourselves to the acceptable-evidence standards in AHPRA's advertising guidelines, which means we cite peer-reviewed work and acknowledge where the evidence is mixed or limited.

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Anxiety-related conditions affect approximately 17% of Australians aged 16–85 in any given 12-month period.
  2. Pavlenko, V.B., Chernyi, S.V., & Goubkina, D.G. (2009). EEG correlates of anxiety and emotional stability in adult healthy subjects. Neurophysiology, 41(5), 337–345.
  3. Hammond, D.C. (2005). Neurofeedback with anxiety and affective disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 14(1), 105–123.
  4. Mennella, R., Patron, E., & Palomba, D. (2017). Frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback for the reduction of negative affect and anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 92, 32–40.
  5. Goessl, V.C., Curtiss, J.E., & Hofmann, S.G. (2017). The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 47(15), 2578–2586.
  6. Schoenberg, P.L., & David, A.S. (2014). Biofeedback for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 39(2), 109–135.

Citations above are illustrative for the prototype build. Final references will be reviewed and updated by Dr Ash and the content team before publication.

Keep reading
Blog · Anxiety

What a qEEG can — and can't — tell us about anxiety.

A plain-English walkthrough of the brain-rhythm patterns that show up in people with chronic anxiety, and the limits of what a single map can show.

8 min read · Dr Ash Connell
Concern

Depression — a related concern.

Anxiety and depression share more than people realise. Read about how depression shows up in the brain, and where our work fits.

Who we help · Mood & regulation
Treatment

qEEG brain mapping.

The signature assessment that opens every plan. What it measures, what it shows, and what to expect on the day.

Treatment · Signature
FAQ

Common questions about anxiety care.

Is neurofeedback for anxiety actually evidence-based?

There is a growing peer-reviewed literature on neurofeedback and biofeedback for anxiety, with several meta-analyses finding moderate effects [5, 6]. The evidence is not as strong as for established first-line treatments like CBT or SSRIs, and we don't claim it as a primary treatment. We offer it as a non-pharmacological adjunct that some people find useful.

Will neurofeedback replace my anxiety medication?

No. Medication decisions are between you and the prescribing GP or psychiatrist — never us. We work alongside whatever pharmacological care you're on, and we'll happily communicate with your prescriber if you'd like us to.

I haven't seen a psychologist yet. Should I start there or with you?

For most people new to anxiety care, we recommend starting with a GP and a registered psychologist. Once you have that pathway in place, our work is most useful as an adjunct. If you're not sure, book a consultation and we'll talk it through honestly.

How many sessions before I notice a change?

It varies, and we don't promise outcomes. Most people doing the 10-week Core Integration Programme begin to notice shifts in regulation, sleep, or general baseline somewhere between weeks 4 and 8. Reassessment at the end gives us a clear before-and-after on the brain measures themselves.

Can you do this online?

The Brain Health Assessment, biofeedback coaching, and clinical telehealth consultations can all be done online. The 19-channel qEEG and in-clinic neurofeedback require a visit to Camperdown or Geelong.

Is any part of this covered by Medicare or private health?

Brain-health assessment and neurofeedback aren't covered by Medicare. Some private health funds offer rebates for chiropractic consultations under specific item codes — check with your fund using the codes we'll provide on your receipt. Mental Health Care Plans cover psychology consultations through your GP, which we encourage independently.

What if I'm in crisis right now?

Please contact your GP, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or in an emergency call 000. We are not a crisis service.

Take the first step

Start with a conversation, or with the online Assessment.

A consultation is the right starting point if you'd like to discuss your situation directly. The online Assessment is the lowest-friction way to see your brain patterns first.

Book a consultation Start online Or call (03) 5593 2934 →

Scope of practice. Dr Ash Connell (Chiropractor) is registered with AHPRA. Clinical services at The Healthy Brain Clinic are delivered under additional certifications in qEEG, neurofeedback, and biofeedback. The work described on this page is offered as an adjunct to — not a replacement for — first-line evidence-based anxiety care delivered by a GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

If you need urgent support, contact your GP, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or in an emergency call 000.

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