Reach Out To Us
The largest and most trusted neurofeedback center in California 30,000+ brain maps reviewed 20 years in neuroscience Over one hundred 5-STAR client reviews
Parent Education Nights: Childhood RewiredNov. 10 · Hermosa BeachLearn more & RSVP
Child wearing an EEG recording cap while Tanner Hixson adjusts a sensor, with illustrative brain maps on a monitor

qEEG Brain Mapping: Objective Measurement of Your Brain Health.

Two people can have the same symptoms, yet have very different patterns of brain activity causing them. A qEEG brain map allows us to objectively measure the brain’s electrical activity and see which areas may be overactive, underactive, or not communicating efficiently. Instead of guessing based on symptoms alone, we start by looking at the brain itself.

Upcoming Brain Mapping Locations & Dates

Gunnison, CO

November 10, 2026

Heights Physical Therapy
700 N. Main St, Unit B
Gunnison, CO 81230

Manhattan Beach, CA

December 5, 2026

Brain Bridge
2100 N Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 7
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Westlake Village, CA

Brain Performance Center
2815 Townsgate Rd, Suite 150

Monday - Saturday, Call for an appointment

How the sensors work

Listening to your brain.

Your brain already produces tiny electrical signals. EEG sensors rest on your scalp and record those signals while you sit comfortably.

Scalp sensors detect existing brain signals. A wire carries the recorded information to a computer.Recorded signal
01

Your brain creates activity

Groups of brain cells produce tiny electrical changes.

02

Sensors pick it up

Scalp electrodes detect differences in these signals.

03

A computer records it

The recorder amplifies the signal and displays brainwaves.

Recording only. Nothing is sent into your brain.
✓ No electricity delivered to the brain✓ No radiation used to create the recording✓ No electromagnetic-field (EMF) stimulation

Learn about EEG recording: NHS · Johns Hopkins Medicine

We always start by objectively looking at your brain.

A brain map takes about 20 minutes while you sit in a comfortable chair. It is safe and non-invasive, and NO electrical activity is sent into your brain. It only records the electrical activity your brain naturally produces, similar to how an EKG records your heart’s electrical activity. We generally provide brain mapping for ages 5 to 100.

  1. Identify

    Initial Brain Map

    Illustrative initial brain map with a large red area

    Objectively identify the patterns that need support.

  2. Train

    Brain Training

    Customized brain training to address issues on your initial brain map.

  3. Measure

    Mid Map

    Illustrative mid map with a smaller red area

    Objectively measure progress and refine your training.

  4. Reinforce

    Brain Training

    Continue or adapt brain training based on your mid map progress.

  5. Verify

    Final Brain Map

    Illustrative final brain map with no red areas

    Objectively verify whether brain activity has normalized.

Child being fitted with a qEEG recording cap

Objectively Measure Your Brain Function

A brain map turns your brain’s electrical activity into a visual picture. Sensors record activity from the scalp, and the results are displayed as color-coded maps that help us examine patterns that may be overactive, underactive, or communicating less efficiently. The recording is safe, non-invasive, and comfortable. We start with objective measurements of your unique brain.

Clinician reviewing brain maps with a client

Review Your Findings and Build a Personalized Plan

We review your brain map with you and explain which patterns and networks may need support. We also consider sleep, nutrition, genetics, stress, past concussions, and other factors that may affect brain function. Together, this information helps guide a personalized plan for brain training and other appropriate support.

Initial and follow-up brain maps compared during a consultation

Objectively Measure Your Progress

Throughout your program, we repeat your brain map and compare it with your starting point. This helps us see how patterns of brain activity are changing, identify areas of progress, and adjust your plan when additional support is needed. We consider these measurements alongside how you feel and function in daily life.

Bryan Hixson Explains Brain MappingIn the video above, Bryan Hixson explains how a qEEG brain map allows us to objectively measure your electrical brain activity and see which areas may be overactive, underactive, or not communicating efficiently. Learn how looking at your brain activity helps us better understand your struggles and guide a personalized brain training plan.
What Is a Brain Map?A qEEG brain map turns invisible patterns of brain activity into something we can examine. It helps us see which areas may be working too hard, which may not be activating efficiently, and how important brain networks are communicating.

Three ways to get your brain map.

Reception area at our Westlake Village office

Visit our office

Get your brain map at our Westlake Village, Southern California office.

Learn more
U.S. map marking Manhattan Beach, San Diego, Dallas, Nashville, and Pittsburgh

Meet us near you

Meet our team during a scheduled brain mapping visit to a city near you.

Learn more
Airplane flying above the clouds

We come to you

Have a qEEG technician bring the brain mapping equipment to your location.

Learn more

Explore the research

The science of brain mapping.

Select a topic to explore research on measurable EEG patterns.

Woman seated comfortably wearing an EEG cap during a brain map
ADHD

Distinct EEG patterns within ADHD.

See the research →
Anxiety

Resting rhythms and arousal patterns in panic disorder.

See the research →
Visual Processing Issues

Alpha activity in networks involved in visual processing.

See the research →
PTSD

Regional brainwave differences associated with trauma.

See the research →
Seizures

Quantitative trends during continuous hospital EEG monitoring.

See the research →
Migraines

Measurable brainwave patterns between migraine attacks.

See the research →
Insomnia

Fast-frequency activity measured during sleep.

See the research →
Chronic Fatigue

Coordination of electrical activity across brain regions.

See the research →

Common questions.

What does a qEEG brain map show?

A brain map turns recorded brainwave activity into a visual picture of how your brain is functioning. It compares your activity with age-matched reference data, highlighting patterns that are higher or lower than expected. These findings help us understand where training may be useful.

Do the sensors hurt or put anything into my brain?

No. The small EEG sensors listen to electrical activity your brain is already producing, much like a stethoscope listens to your heart. They record signals without sending electricity into your brain.

What do the colors on a brain map mean?

The colors show how recorded activity compares with the reference range. Red indicates higher activity, blue indicates lower activity, and green or white indicates activity closer to the expected range. The colors help make complex measurements easier to understand.

How can a brain map help explain everyday struggles?

Difficulty focusing, restless sleep, fatigue, or big emotional reactions can involve patterns of brainwave regulation. A brain map gives us objective information to explore alongside those experiences, helping connect what you notice in daily life with how your brain is functioning.

What does it mean for brain activity to be “stuck”?

Your brain needs to shift between rest, focus, and alertness as your day changes. We use “stuck” to describe activity that remains too high or too low for the situation, like an engine that has trouble changing gears. Training aims to help the brain become more flexible.

How is a brain map used to personalize neurofeedback?

The map helps identify the brainwave patterns and regions we want to train. We use that information to select feedback targets, rather than giving everyone the same training. Brain mapping measures the activity; neurofeedback gives the brain repeated opportunities to practice changing it.

Why repeat a brain map during and after training?

Follow-up maps let us compare brainwave activity with the starting point and measure how it changes. Combined with what you notice in daily life, those comparisons help us review progress and decide whether the training needs to be adapted.

Your next chapter

Your brain influences every aspect of your life.
Start looking after it.

We routinely check our heart, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other measures of health. Yet the one organ responsible for regulating how we think, feel, sleep, respond to stress, and experience the world is often overlooked until a major problem develops.

Reach Out To Us