This is a long overdue review for The Balanced Brain. I had been looking into Neurofeedback in Los Angeles area for over a year. I have always been intrigued with how wonderful our brains are and just wanted to improve anxiety that had been part of me since childhood, along with improving my brain performance in general. I would tell myself I just wanted to feel "normal". I went through a very difficult experience late last year that left me with high levels of anxiety and severe PTSD. In all honesty, I felt broken. I was in survival mode for many months. My goal was to get better without medication. I did thorough research and finally decided to go with The Balanced Brain and I am so glad I did. From the very beginning, John was incredibly knowledgeable, attentive, and compassionate. He took the time to listen, understand my needs, and provide thoughtful guidance throughout the process. I was very nervous during the intake process and my very first appointment. The team helped ease my anxiety. They were very caring and reassured me that my brain wasn't broken. My thought process was a mess. I was a mess. Instead of a one-size-fits-all program, they adjust the training based on how your brain responds. I loved this because my brain was being trained based on MY needs. The team took the time to really understand my history and how my brain and nervous system were functioning. They also look at lifestyle, nutrition, stress, and other factors that affect brain performance. A combination of tools were helpful to the Neurofeedback sessions, such as coaching with Madison, lifestyle guidance, HeartMath, bloodwork to go in depth the health of my brain and body, etc. What I appreciate most is that the focus isn't just on symptoms, it's about helping your brain learn to regulate itself better. This was huge for me. The changes were gradual but meaningful. I started sleeping better, felt calmer during stressful situations, my resilience increased. Instances where I'd be triggered were no longer a thing. I can even go to the nail salon now without anxious thoughts! Everyone at the office is very friendly and professional. They were all very supportive and genuinely interested in helping me improve. I am eternally grateful for them being by my side through it all. I even got to meet some wonderful people also doing Neurofeedback. Sharing stories and experiences was one of my faves! I officially finished my 60th session and plan on continuing in the future for maintenance. John (and the entire team) create a welcoming and supportive environment where you feel cared for as a person, not just a client. His generosity, patience, and dedication truly reflects the kind of human being he is. He is incredible! I am very grateful for the support and positive experience I had working with him. Give the Balanced Brain a try, you will NOT regret it. It has been the best thing I have ever done for myself! read more

The entire team here is truly exceptional! Not only are they highly knowledgeable, but they are also genuinely delightful to work with. I looked forward to seeing them every session. If you're looking into Neurofeedback, I highly recommend setting up a consultation with John. Doing Neurofeedback, especially with The Balanced Brian team, has been one of the best decisions I have made. read more

"Cleared the floor so I can do my dance" The Balanced Brain team is the best! I was thinking to myself "What the heck is neurofeedback??" That is, until I ran out of options and took the leap to try it for my panic attacks and anxiety. As I moved through the process it was hard to understand what it was doing but there was a growing calmness instead of anxiety every day. I was living in a constant state of fight or flight and neurofeedback helped me get a very strong baseline of calmness every day. I'm literally amazed at how it works and has stayed. Therapy, medications, but nothing has worked like neurofeedback. I highly recommend John and the team at The Balanced Brain and neurofeedback. They changed my life! read more

The Balanced Brain - Zen 3 - Health Coach Near Me - North Hollywood, California

A few years ago, I was struggling with severe depression and my antidepressants were no longer working. I was desperate for help. When I first heard about neurofeedback, the idea of making changes to my brain sounded scary, but I was at the point where I was willing to try anything. I am so glad that I found John Mekrut and his team. They are kind, knowledgeable, and answered all of my questions--even the silly ones. Thanks to neurofeedback, I am now much less depressed and successfully weaning myself off of antidepressants. Neurofeedback treatments at The Balanced Brain have lowered my anxiety, improved my ability to focus, and made it easier for me to take good care of myself. Now, even when life is stressful, I feel resilient and have a sense that I will make it through. I highly recommend The Balanced Brain to anyone coping with anxiety, depression, ADHD, or other mental health issues. This place has been life-changing for me. read more

The Balanced Brain changed our lives! The entire team is remarkable, professional and have a wealth of knowledge to share. I can't say enough good things about the individualized care they give my son. John has gone above and beyond to ensure my son gets the specific treatments he needs in an environment that is safe, comfortable and above all, caring. Without going into details about why my son started his sessions here, I will tell you that within a short amount of time we saw real, lasting changes. He no longer experiences crippling emotional states. He's focused, in control. It has improved our family dynamic and our lives in ways I cannot begin to express - except to say that starting our sessions with John has been the BEST decision I have ever made as a parent. On top of all that, during this crazy time of COVID, they provide a clean and safe environment to continue treatment. I'd give 10 stars if I could. read more

[Warning: the following review is way too long, but I'm not editing it down. Just take it as evidence that I can follow one train of thought from beginning to end again. I'll give John Mekrut all the credit.] So I'd been dragging myself out of ADD hell for the last few months after 2013 started with a clatter and a smash and what was left of my marbles scattered when my building underwent noisy renovations all summer long. I'd diagnosed myself with ADD about ten years ago in the aisles of some big bookstore while reading Driven to Distraction and whatever was on the shelf next to it. Those books described how my brain worked and explained that time when I was in college & couldn't concentrate for more than three minutes at a time when I was trying my very hardest to write a paper one night . . . Looking back now, it's clear that I was depressed and needed a break from school and some TLC from someone who knew what they were talking about. I didn't get that for a long time. Thankfully, I'm not shy about looking for it anymore; I don't have that kind of time to waste. Ain't nobody got time for that. So when my stress levels shot through the roof this year and my attention span went straight to hell, I spent a few months scrambling & playing tricks with myself -- systems for everything. Timers, lists, rewards, internet-blocking programs, anything to keep my monkey mind from keeping me away from work. What used to take me 6 hours in a day was taking 12. I wasn't sleeping. I needed solutions. I went to the doctor and got a prescription for Adderall. That was a life-saver for a while; it did with one little pill what all my tricks might do on a good day if I did everything right. But it screwed with my sleep and gave me toxic sweat, and made me kind of hard-edged and made my forehead hurt -- my frontal lobe was sore. Tired. But I was getting work done again, and I didn't have to work so hard to make it happen, and I kinda needed those all-night binges to get caught up, so it was a good solution. In the meantime, I called my therapist. My beloved sage who does teletherapy with me from her tower overlooking Forest Park in my hometown of St. Louis. She did what she does so well--sliced right through the Gordian knot and set me straight again. So that was nice. I went one radical step further then: signed up for neurofeedback therapy, a three-times-a-week, 20-session commitment to something I'd never heard of before. I read up on it, trusted the process, trusted John Mekrut, and showed up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to watch movies with electrodes stuck to my head. For a month and a half, I didn't see much difference. And then I did, and it was dramatic. My head was clear. I wasn't impulsive, or compulsive, or distracted or anxious. I was calm, and I could work and prioritize and plan my day again. And sleep at night. At night! What a beautiful thing. I'm a big-guns kind of girl. When I figure out what the problem is, I go for it with all I've got. This can be disconcerting, I've been told. All I know is that when all you've got is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, and that can't possibly be an accurate assessment. So you might say I collect tools. It seems to me like brain training taught me what it feels like to do one thing at once. I didn't even know how that felt for a while there -- in times of great stress, my brain just plain forgets how. Doing neurofeedback therapy with John showed my brain how to find the zone & stay in it. Since my sessions with John stopped, I've been trying to reproduce the zone I got into when I was watching movies in his office. I'm figuring out some ways in. Today when I was doing laundry and wishing I could be working instead, I wanted to stay present, so I started singing. I needed something kind of mindless that I knew all the words to, so I sang the lullaby I've been singing to my little one lately--Down to the River to Pray, from Oh Brother Where Art Thou. And tonight when my attention was beginning to wander as I was working, I thought about what I wanted to be doing (editing a novel) and thought about how I could practice that . . . so I got in the bathtub with a novel to let my brain get used to reading one book at a time, and not switching over to a different window on the computer to see what was happening in my email account or on Facebook. Totally worked. Everything is practice. I can practice being distracted and divided, or I can practice doing one thing. And when I can't figure out how to practice doing one thing, I'll go back to John for a tune-up, like I did last week -- and it totally worked again. I'm sold. read more

give him 10 stars, John deserves 'em. ADHD does not need to be medicated - you can train the brain to focus on what matters and disregard the rest. My 7 year old went from distracted and disruptive to a focused and intent learner with normal classroom behavior. Teachers, friends and family have noticed the changes in my awesome little man and I'm so happy I gave neurofeedback a shot before buying into drug therapy. No side effects, no life-long prescriptions, his brain is actually becoming stronger every session. read more

Before I met with John, my life was a wreck. Since our first e-mail exchange he has showed nothing but compassion for my military service and conditions. I couldn't focus, sleep, remain happy or at peace before I started doing NFB. 11 sessions in and I want to cry thinking of the progress I have made! I am happy, energetic, positive and myself AGAIN. I can't believe I was missing out on this for years. John saved my life in so many ways. He is also very flexible and works with your schedule. NFB works! I will never take medication again. Thank you for this life-changing experience!!! read more

I have suffered from frequent, severe, debilitating migraines for the last 20 years. After trying literally EVERY treatment, supplement, and "cure" out there, I began doing neurofeedback with John at The Balanced Brain. As a huge skeptic, I never expected it to work and would sit there with the sensors on my head thinking, "Well, this is ridiculous." But I've gone though 35 sessions and it has decreased my migraine occurrences and severity DRAMATICALLY. And this isn't some hokey meditation technique, this is actual science going on. There's also been other benefits such as better sleep and cognitive ability. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND working with John. I've lost hundreds of work hours & personal hours to migraine pain that I'll never get back. John has truly changed my life. (And he's a really great guy) Don't let a brain disorder like migraines or depression dictate your life! Please call John today. read more

I went to see John durring one of the darkest parts of my life. I had been trying everything from therapy to medications to buddhist meditation classes to help with my very severe dibilitating anxiety and panic attacks. I had been diagnosed with Panic Disorder and GAD. I was having multiple panic attacks throughout the day with a general anxiousness that never left. Most nights ended up in tears and I never thought I'd ever get better. I was on 1000mg Depakote in the morning and 1000mg at night. With the treatments and John's help I was able to ween off the medications and get my anxiety down to a manageable level. He was filled with great advice as well, it was under his recommendation that I began taking a supplement called Inisotol which I believe has also been incredibly helpful. Other things that I believe we're helpful for me in overcoming this anxiety include incorporating exercise into your daily life. 30 mins a day on the treadmill or whenever you begin feeling anxious. Change your diet as well to eating healthier food, and cut out excess sugar and fats. Stop all alcohol use, and any marijuana or other drug use. Beginning talk therapy, and daily meditation. Getting sleep is also very important, I now take a melatonin sleep aid at 11pm to make sure I am in bed and asleep by midnight. I am not completely cured even with all of these major lifestyle changes and neurofeedback therapy, but I feel like a changed man. It is possible I need another 20 class round to cement the new changes (my condition was very very bad much worse than normal). It's too bad that right now Insurance companies do not cover Neurofeedback. I would be back again if I had the money. Until then I will continue to work on myself an keep chipping away. If you're at the end of your rope I definitely recommend The Balanced Brain, it will help you take your life back. read more

I really hit the jackpot here -- close to my house, compassionate, healing environment, and relief from my lifelong migraines. It has been worth every penny to feel human again. Neurofeedback has also helped my stress and sleeping. read more

Neurofeedback is a gift. John is a gift. The experience is a gift. I have done a variety of therapeutic techniques over the years, which have all helped to some degree with gaining clarity, lessening depression and anxiety too. Neurofeedback sets your brain in balance, which means you actually have more confidence, an ability to regulate and manage your emotions better, sleep and eat better, overall people notice the difference in you. It's been such a benefit in how I process emotions and events. I find life is easier and happier, because I am processing and getting clear quickly. I take things less personally; I am more focused and I never feel depressed, ever! And a side benefit, it seems to attract the opposite sex, as in, you will notice a HUGE increase in attention. read more

This is a great place to go for neurofeedback and John is a super clinician with a great worldview and a lot of experience. I have nothing but good things to say about going there and would gladly recommend his services. read more

the Neuro feedback has helped me sleep so well that I can complete dreams and remember them. Very therapeutic. cures restless nights. truly amazing. John Mekrut is a kind insightful person who genuinely cares and shares his knowledge to help facilitate your healing read more

My experience with Neurofeedback, at The Balanced Brain, has been wonderful. Unlike traditional biofeedback, this didn't require any effort on my part. This was a big plus, as I would have found that stressful!. During the ILF (low frequency) sessions, I got to relax and watch movies, choosing from John's comprehensive titles. During the deep state sessions, I listened to soothing sounds and gongs, and went into deep relaxation and transcendent states. I did the one month immersion, and am so glad I did. My emotional state is more balanced, and what used to feel like uncontrollable compulsions, feel like choices I can make myself now. And John is so lovely to work with, making sure his clients are as comfortable as possible during the process. He is very supportive and encouraging, which makes the experience that much better. read more

John is the best, neurofeedback is easy, comfortable and even a little bit fun. The environment is perfect. Comfortable, clean, very cozy and friendly. read more

Try Neurofeedback! We've had a wonderful experience working with John, my son for attention and focus issues, and me with anxiety and PTSD. Highly recommended! read more

I've been seeing John for Neurofeedback for a couple of months. I've had about 12 sessions so far. I echo everything other yelpers have posted about John. He is a gift. He is also incredibly adept at fine tuning Neurofeedback just for you and your issues. He's great at helping you find "your zone" - that place where your brain and thinking slows down - like what deep meditation does. read more

John is a joy to work with. He is upbeat, fun, non-judgmental and willing to explore. If you want to reduce stress, improve focus, dive deep into emotional issues, or just maximize your performance and enjoyment of life, neurofeedback is an invaluable tool. I was going to wait until I completed all my sessions before posting a review, but I've already benefited so much that I wanted to write something now. I've been telling all my friends to work with John or if they don't live in LA to find a practitioner near them. I'm a physician and most folks in my profession tend to be close-minded about alternative therapies, but neurofeedback is very powerful, validated, and even recommended by some medical organizations. Neurofeedback is akin to an accelerated form of meditation practice and I'm exploring various protocols with John to continue to be more present, engaged, and connected in the world. read more