Audio-Visual Entrainment

Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE) is a technique that uses pulses of light and sound at specific frequencies to gently and safely guide the brain into various brainwave patterns. By altering your brainwave frequencies, you can boost your mood, improve sleep patterns, sharpen your mind, and increase relaxation levels. The device used at MindShift Psychotherapy is MindAlive.

More recently, we are discovering that there are so many other beneficial effects of AVE:

• Induces healthy dissociation and restabilization which breaks the HPA axis (fight-or-flight activation – fear response)

• Increases cerebral blood flow

• Balances neurotransmitters (specifically serotonin, norepinephrine, endorphins, and melatonin)

• Increases in lactate and ATP – energy source for all of our cells – neurons use a lot

• Increases heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) which protects brain from viral infections, etc.

• Activates glia which clean up deposits in brain

• Increases non-inflammatory cytokines which nourish the neurotransmitters

• Increases circulation of cerebral spinal fluid

• Improves neuronal stamina.

AVE can produce situationally-appropriate brainwave frequencies through the process of entrainment (the tendency of physiological processes to mirror environmental stimuli). AVE also increases cerebral blood flow (blood flow in the brain) and increases the metabolization of glucose in the brain for improved functioning of the neurons. The combined outcome of these processes is improved mental performance. t is an effective, inexpensive alternative therapy for many disorders such as anxiety, ADHD, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), PTSD, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. AVE devices are also used successfully to boost physical performance for athletes, academic performance for students, business performance and corporate wellness, and cognitive performance for older adults.