Speaker: Charley Boyer
Charley Boyer: It's not scary. It's not scary at all, and it definitely can help a lot of people.
Please share your first name, age (or age range), and what brought you to Grey Matters—what were you struggling with?
Charley Boyer: Hi, my name is Charlie. I'm 20 years old, and I started neurofeedback because I was struggling with anxiety, depression, and contamination, OCD.
Before you started, how was that affecting your daily life (sleep, focus, mood, work/school, relationships)?
Charley Boyer: Contamination, OCD was kind of my biggest struggle, and it impacted my life because I was constantly washing my hands. I felt like I had to shower after using the bathroom, shower after going to public places. My hands were literally red and cracked and bleeding all the time, just because I would go and wash my hands and then go sit down and be convinced that something was on my hands again. So, I had to wash them again. Uh, it was even so bad to the point where when I went to public restaurants and went to the bathroom, I would have to have my Mom, come and open the door for me of the bathroom if they didn't have like a touchless handle.
What made you decide to try neurofeedback with us?
Charley Boyer: I decided to try neurofeedback because my little brother did it and my mom was actually the one that had gotten me started, um, and I really am grateful that she did because it has changed my life for the better.
What was your experience like during training (sessions, comfort level, and support from our team)?
Charley Boyer: During training, it's really comfortable. I usually sit in one of our window rooms so I can look outside at the trees and the little squirrels running around, and we have blankets and heaters, and the technicians are very lovely and supportive.
When did you first notice changes (about how many sessions/weeks)?
Charley Boyer: I noticed changes very shortly after I started. I'd say that within a couple of months, I was able to wash my hands less and my anxiety was decreased, and then my depression was even being helped as well, cause I also had a lot of self-esteem issues and just sad all the time, very low motivation for things, and it all drastically started to improve very quickly.
What specific changes have you noticed that matter most to you? (Example: sleep, calm, focus, anxiety, motivation, confidence)
Charley Boyer: I would say that the changes that matter the most to me would be the ones that have to do with the OCD, cause not only was it just washing my hands a lot, but it was all the anxiety that came with it. Um, it was literally like a, a constant, Just feeling like if I don't wash my hands, like something bad's going to happen. And that's completely gone. Like, I no longer, I no longer do any of that. I don't repeatedly wash my hands. I don't have to wash them for a certain amount of time. I don't freak out if I touch something that might have germs on it, you know, and it's, I just feel so much more relaxed with everything, and it feels less like I'm freaking out for no reason all the time.
How has that impacted your life—your relationships or your performance?
Charley Boyer: Being relieved of that anxiety has made my quality of life so much better. I'm much more relaxed, and like I said, I just don't have that constant voice in my head that's telling me something's going to go wrong.
What would you tell someone who’s on the fence or feeling nervous? (Optional add-on: “In one sentence, what has Grey Matters meant to you?”)
Charley Boyer: If someone's feeling nervous or on the fence about starting neurofeedback, I would tell them that there is nothing to be nervous about. All of our technicians here are really kind and caring, and we're ready to welcome you with open arms and support you through whatever you're going through. And, um, it's not scary. It's not scary at all, and it definitely can help a lot of people.
