Today we’d like to introduce you to Roseann Nelson.
Hi Roseann, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was a little girl, my grandfather was the person I looked up to most in this world. He was a well-known doctor in the Ogden area and such a kind man. My father had my grandfather’s ambition and went to the University of Utah medical school. I wanted to be just like them and help others heal one day.
Mental health wasn’t spoken about as much as it is today, and my father struggled in silence with ADHD and other mental health conditions. In his last year of Med school, his mental health began to decline even more, and he quit school ending his dream of being a physician. I idolized these two men and wanted to be just like them.
Growing up, I spent more than my fair share of time at the doctor’s. I often went home with a new medication, and because they made me feel better, A belief was formed that a pill could fix anything or a doctor could make you feel better if something was wrong. Never in a million years would I have thought that belief would derail me from my dreams of becoming a physician and that one day I would struggle with my own mental health crisis, which led to addiction.
I had to learn the hard way that a pill doesn’t fix everything. If you don’t have the skills to cope with life’s stressors, you might find an unhealthy way of dealing with trauma, such as addiction. Due to my journey and the unhealthy connections I made with medications, I was terrified to put my children on them. I have ADHD; a study states that if one parent is diagnosed with ADHD, there is a 95% chance that their children will end up with it.
All three of my boys were diagnosed with ADHD, and the fear of medicating them had me researching alternative treatments. I had heard how fantastic neurofeedback is, so I started my youngest son on treatments. It was so expensive. The average cost for neurofeedback was $450 a week. I was a Case Manager at a women’s trauma treatment facility, only making $15 per hour.
I don’t know how I could pay for his care, but I did, and after twenty sessions, it was like a lightbulb went off. Some of the troubling behaviors he had, began to lessen. I knew the neurofeedback was helping and needed to be used more. It needed to gain recognition and become something insurance companies covered.
I began researching and trying to understand how neurofeedback works. I started a job working with technology that stimulates brainwave activity and uses biofeedback machines to detect changes throughout the body, and offers targeted health recommendations. I began working in a private treatment facility called Corner Canyon.
I found my passion and loved working with clients struggling with mental health and addiction issues. Things went so well at Corner Canyon that the owners of that facility encouraged me to open my own private neurofeedback practice. I began further educating myself on different machines and techniques. I invested in top-of-the-line equipment and found highly skilled Doctors and Practitioners throughout the U.S. with years of experience in this field.
They saw my passion and offered to guide and mentor me. With trauma and addiction issues, I never thought someone like me could overcome it all and eventually become a business owner. The minute I opened my business, clients flooded in. I feel so blessed. I never had to market my services; the clients found me, and the word spread. I was asked to consult at Seven Stars, a treatment center that helps autistic children, and I continued consulting at Corner Canyon Health Centers.
Recently I picked up a contract to work with a private adolescent center and a memory care facility. Keeping up with the growth has been the most challenging part of the business. I was performing over 80 sessions a week by myself, and I knew I needed help. I’ve hired and trained a fantastic support team, and I couldn’t be where I am today without my incredible assistant, who takes excellent care of our clients and goes above and beyond by working late nights and weekends to fit everyone in.
We also have just opened an office downtown and are continuing to expand. We are always looking for treatment centers, Medical spas, and corporations that have the same business principles as we do to consult with and bring our services to your doorstep for an unbeatable price. Over the past few years, my team and I have helped over 400 people with a 97% success rate. I have been able to follow my dreams and help others even though I wasn’t able to become a physician.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest obstacle has been believing in myself and feeling worthy. When you come from a traumatic background and have gone through experiences you wouldn’t want anyone to go through, it changes you. My battle with addiction, at its lowest point, even led to being incarcerated.
I have had to do so much work on myself, it has been a long and challenging journey, but I believe this helps me because I can relate to many of the struggles that my clients face. I have been where they have been and am living proof that you can overcome addiction and past trauma.
Now I am here working with others and helping them with their mental health challenges. I have a beautiful family, I’m a business owner, and I’ve turned my life around. I’m not a world-renowned doctor, but I’m helping others, which brings me tremendous joy.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I offer neurofeedback services to those of all ages who struggle with mental health challenges, cognitive decline, substance abuse, and emotional issues. We start by looking at brainwave patterns by doing a qEEG brain mapping which records brainwave activity. Then that information is uploaded to a database that quantifies the information.
Brain mapping shows if the activity is too high or too low in particular areas and can reveal how the brain cells communicate. Using that data, I generate a report and determine a training plan I review with my clients. Next, we place sensors on the scalp to target the areas of the brain that need improvement. The sensors read electrical signals produced by the brain and transmit them to the computer (they don’t transmit signals to the brain).
Finally, the client sits in a chair, with the sensors monitoring their brainwave activity while watching TV, listening to music, or playing a game. The screen becomes brighter, the sound plays unique tones when the brain produces the desired brainwave patterns, and it dims when it doesn’t. Over time we train the brain in this manner.
My clients love it because they relax and watch tv while training brainwaves and improving neuroplasticity. Many exciting studies show the long-term benefits of neurofeedback brain training, and I love that it’s natural and drug-free. Because of what I went through as a parent, I knew I had to keep costs low. I want neurofeedback to be affordable. Others charge twice as much, but I aim to help as many people as possible.
At Wasatch Neurotherapy, our clients are our top priority. We go above and beyond to make our services accessible and affordable. We are a community, and we need to heal every member, not just the wealthy and privileged, that can afford these types of services. Giving back and seeing my clients and their families getting closer and healing is priceless. My dream is to get to a point where I can have a clinic where I can offer my services for free.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
When I was younger, my father would take us on epic vacations. He would let me bring all my friends and go on ski vacations, Lake Powell adventures, or snowmobiling in Yellowstone. He always knew how to make things memorable and made my friends feel like family. I hope I always remember the memories we created and the moments of laughter.
Since my father was my biggest cheerleader, and he always believed in me. I was able to open my own business. My father is the other reason I opened Wasatch Neurotherapy. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and being a daddy’s girl, watching his decline has been heartbreaking. I knew that I had to do something. I had to try and slow his progression, and neurofeedback offers support to those with declining cognitive function. I wanted to do something to support him. Now I can offer my services and help him.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wasatchneurotherapy.com
- Instagram: @Wasatchneuortherapy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WasatchNeurotherapy
Image Credits
Liz Bizell Photography
