Can You Treat Trauma Without Medication?
What happens when an educator discovers neurofeedback for her family and ends up building 10 clinics?
In this Real Brain Talk episode, Dr. Guy & Dr. Ken sit down with Sandra Hooper Murcott to unpack how education not persuasion sparked a movement and the real-world wins she’s seeing from kids to pro athletes.
From the very beginning, Sandra Hooper-Murcott’s mission has been clear. She wanted to educate families about neurofeedback rather than convince them of anything.
Her perspective as both a mom and an educator has shaped the way she approaches the work she now leads at BRAINTOPIA Neurofeedback Centers.
Sandra’s journey into neurofeedback began as a search for answers. As an adoptive mom, she was navigating the challenges of trauma and regulation in her son without wanting to rely on medication. At the same time, she was supporting her father through a liver transplant and seeing firsthand the neurological complications that came with it. This unique combination of personal and professional experiences led her to BrainCore Neurofeedback, a modality that aligned perfectly with her background in brain-based education.
What started as a parent looking for help soon turned into a mission to bring neurofeedback to families in her community. Sandra now oversees ten neurofeedback centers in Texas, many of which serve as neighborhood-based centers so children and families can access sessions without major disruptions to school and daily life. In addition, her team offers home training units for clients outside their immediate area, making care more accessible across the country.
Her centers take a collaborative approach. Sandra works alongside metabolic doctors, environmental specialists, and therapists to create a fuller picture of care. She emphasizes that neurofeedback is only one piece of the puzzle, but an important one, because when the brain learns to self-regulate, every other aspect of wellness can benefit.
Sandra’s commitment to education shows in the way she shares stories.
From her young niece, who avoided a lifelong diagnosis through early neurofeedback, to her son’s transformation from emotional outbursts to logical communication, she highlights how regulation changes not only an individual but the entire family dynamic. She recalls a high school student referred by a neurologist for seizures who, after completing a protocol of sessions, saw her episodes reduce dramatically. These stories are paired with data from brain mapping and symptom tracking, giving families both evidence and hope.
Today, Sandra continues to teach fourth grade while running her centers, staying grounded in her roots as an educator. She believes in meeting parents where they are, helping them understand the science behind neurofeedback, and letting them decide for themselves. Her approach has built trust and community, often spreading by word of mouth from one mom to another.
For Sandra, neurofeedback is not about competition with other modalities. She sees it as complementary, a way to strengthen the brain’s foundation so that other therapies and approaches can work more effectively. This perspective, paired with her dedication to educating first, has allowed BRAINTOPIA Neurofeedback Centers to grow while staying true to the mission that started it all, helping families create healthier, more connected lives.
