FAQ

The BrainTap headset is an extraordinary new technology on the leading-edge of the brain-based wellness approach now being advocated by health and wellness practitioners around the globe. The BrainTap headset delivers gentle pulses of light through special earphones and from within a visor. These lights synchronize with two types of sound-binaural beats and isochronic tones-to produce deep and profound relaxation and varying states of consciousness. While research has proven that both flickering light and synchronized tones can produce relaxed states, combining the two guides you to a profound level of restfulness and rejuvenation that's otherwise difficult to achieve; it is a state of tranquility that is optimum for mind/body balance, focus, and accelerated learning. If you want to get more done in less time, the BrainTap headset is a must-have.

The BrainTap headset is also considered a portable achievement device. It is driven by specially encoded guided visualization audio-sessions that are uniquely encoded with Neuro-Sensory Algorithms (NSAs) to gently guide the user from the wide-awake state into a deeply relaxed optimum learning state. A mini computer inside the BrainTap headset converts the NSA encoded signal embedded within each session, thus guiding the user through the brainwave entrainment process designed specifically for that session. With nearly 700 sessions in more than 50 categories, there's simply no limit to what you can achieve. The BrainTap headset system works with any smartphone or tablet that can operate Apple or Android apps.

The term entrainment refers to the synchronization of organisms to an external rhythm. In the case of BrainTap, the organism being entrained is the brain, and we do this by simulating the rhythms of specific brain wave frequencies known for deep relaxation and heightened states of consciousness.

It is the process of reaching deep levels of relaxation and then using guided visualization to form mental images. Visualization it is the primary component of the imagination and is at the core of the human ability to create, innovate and dream.

Many of history's inventors, artists and athletes attribute their success to an exceptional ability to visualize. Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Henry Ford, Tiger Woods, and the great composer, Chopin, and all reported using visualization to spark their imaginations and achieve unprecedented levels of performance. In fact, Albert Einstein once said that he came up with the theory of relativity by imagining what would happen if he could travel through space on the tip of a light beam. BrainTap Technology can transport you out of a state of stress or fear, and into a new space of inner calm, peace and tranquility. A natural byproduct occurs when the body goes loose and limp, thereby creating the relaxation response - the perfect state for learning or focusing on goals.

In order to overcome the brutal effects of stress, you need to get out of the fight-or-flight response and into the relaxation response. The relaxation response can't happen as long as you generate primarily high beta brainwave activity. Your brainwave activity must dip into alpha, the intuitive mind, or theta, the inventive mind.

Many believe that theta is the optimum state for creativity and that it's the only mode in which one can make a quantum leap in consciousness. Unfortunately, theta mode is difficult to maintain. This is where the frequency following response generated through the BrainTap headset comes in; it keeps your brain engaged. By using the BrainTap headset, your brain is being trained to generate more alpha and theta waves and fewer beta waves.

BETA 13-30 Hz: This is the wide-awake alert state where you spend most of your waking life. Beta is your reactionary mind. It is the level of your mind where fears, frustrations and negative emotions are processed. This is also where your strongest filtering system operates. It is called the critical factor. The key purpose in using the BrainTap Headset is to train your mind to get out of this state where stress is dominant.

ALPHA 8-13 Hz: This is the frequency most associated with creativity, imagination and flow. Alpha is the intuitive mind. It is also the brain state associated with relaxation, tranquility and daydreaming. Flow thinking, or a state of "inward awareness," takes place in alpha. It is also known as a super-learning state.

THETA 4-8 Hz: This is the breakthrough state where you can reinvent your life. Theta is the inventive mind. It borders on sleep and is a meditative state with access to the other-than-conscious mind where you have higher levels of creativity, learning, and inspiration. It is also the state in which the BrainTap Headset help you to visualize and realize your goals.

DELTA 1-4 Hz: This is deep, dreamless sleep. Delta is the unconscious mind. The BrainTap Headset is designed to keep you from falling into this state of sleep. This is why the light and sound patterns of the BrainTap Headset system continue to change throughout the session.

Today, people spend thousands enhancing their bodies, but do nothing to improve the quality of their thoughts. The truth is, we can accomplish far more by managing brainwave activity and mentally rehearsing the positive, productive and healthy lifestyle we all want. And now, it couldn't be easier...because the benefits of BrainTap Headset can be virtually limitless.

1. 
   Deep relaxation stimulates the production of natural, stress- and tension-relieving neurotransmitters, such as endorphins
   
2. 
   Helps change unwanted behaviors and habits, including those contributing to smoking and over-eating
   
3. 
   Balances the brain's right and left hemispheres, inspiring both focus and creativity
   
4. 
   Promotes relaxation, which contributes to maintaining healthy sleep
   
5. 
   Brings more blood flow to the brain for clearer thinking, better concentration
   
6. 
   Alleviates negative mind chatter, enhances motivation and performance
   
7. 
   Decreases or eliminates jet lag
   
8. 
   And last, but certainly not least, provides a natural ability to put stress in its place!
   

The majority of users report stress relief through deep relaxation, maintaining healthy sleep patterns, improved memory, improved learning skills such as concentration and recall of information, a sense of calm, increased focus, lucid dreaming, and increased physical energy. Please be aware that while the BrainTap Headset is designed to help you reach your full potential, we cannot guarantee your results. Please understand that results will vary from person to person.

Absolutely. The only known side effects are improved memory, great sleep, focus, concentration, and reduced stress. However, flashing lights have been known to cause problems in people who suffer from serious medical conditions like epilepsy, seizure disorders, brain injury, or photosensitivity. If you have any of these concerns, you should ask your medical professional if light and sound technology is right for you.

Anyone who is not sensitive to flashing light can benefit from BrainTap technology. The BrainTap Headset, used in combination with the guided visualization audio-sessions creates a potent tool for creating laser-like focus and enhanced performance.

The light intensity on the BrainTap Headset is adjustable, so those who have minor light sensitivity can almost always find a setting that's right for them. Those diagnosed with light sensitivity seizures should not use the flashing lights in the visor, but can experience the profound benefits of the guided visualization, auriculotherapy and relaxing tones.

With the BrainTap Headset visor over your closed eyes and headphones over your ears, you are immersed in a perfect mixture of light and sound frequencies. Your eyes will be treated to a beautiful light show while you listen to specially designed music and the guided BrainTap Technology process. This all combines to enhance your experience and invite a higher degree of alpha/theta brainwave activity.

Some people may experience colorful geometric patterns while others may lose track of the lights completely. The light and sound pulse rate shifts from wide-awake beta to a dreamy drowsy state of theta as the session progresses. Using the science of frequency following response (FFR), your brainwave activity will follow the pulse rate of the Neuro-Sensory Algorithms. At the same time, your mind rehearses the changes or improvements you desire for your life.

Frequency following response (FFR) is the effect created through synchronized light and sound. It's how the brain "syncs" to the strobe lights, beats and tones. While your brain follows the frequencies, you experience less inner chatter and improved concentration. After a few weeks of regular use, most people gain a sense of balance and inner calm. Users report feeling serene, focused, and alert even when faced with high-pressure situations.

These are imbedded tones that the brain naturally follows into states of deep relaxation. Within minutes your brain reaches extraordinary levels of performance that would otherwise take years of practice to achieve. Binaural beats work by tricking the brain into hearing a phantom frequency that isn't really there. For example, if we play a 220 Hz carrier tone into the left ear and a 226.5 Hz carrier tone into the right ear, your brain perceives the difference between the two, which is a subtle beat frequency of 6.5 Hz, the same frequency associated with deep, meditative states. Your brain naturally follows this frequency and you experience this deeply relaxed state. Binaural beats are a proven self-development tool that's been researched for decades.

This is the newest brainwave entrainment technology. Isochronic tones are manually created, equal intensity pulses of sound separated by an interval of silence. They turn on and off rapidly, but the speed depends on the desired brain frequency. The discrete nature of isochronic tones makes them particularly easy for the brain to follow.

The lights in the ears are set to the optimum frequency for creating a delightful feeling of serenity and balance. The earphone lights work by stimulating the ear meridians with gentle frequency pulses-so gentle that they are not visible to the human eye-to soothe, harmonize, calm and balance you.

The best brainwave entrainment is auditory as well as visual. Environmental sounds and music have been used for centuries in almost all cultures to create an altered state of consciousness. For example, native tribes used drums, chants, and environmental sounds like wind and rain to provide strong mental pictures and associations. There is a reason we find it relaxing to sit by the ocean and listen to waves crashing to shore or the sound of a stream as it trickles over rocks. These pleasant sounds tend to naturally generate alpha brainwave activity.

In today's frenetic culture, though, we rarely get to enjoy nature's relaxing effects. For this reason, Dr. Porter has personally encoded each session so that on a daily basis you can get a perfectly synchronized experience similar to that which nature provides. Plus, because the program is encoded into the digital audio file, you can use the BrainTap headset with any of today's high quality music players, such as the iPod or iPad, to ensure the best possible sound quality.

The music you hear on every BrainTap Technology process was composed specifically to complement the alpha/theta brainwave entrainment. The music is designed to create a full 360-degree experience that floods your mind with beautiful images and peaceful thoughts.

Light emitting diodes, also called LEDs, are solid-state devices that convert small amounts of safe electrical energy into light. They can be switched on and off much faster than incandescent lights, producing the crisp strobe-like pulses most effective at inducing the frequency following response needed to guide the user through the brainwave states. For BrainTap, blue LEDs were chosen for their pure, cool, calming color. Our operational research showed that users preferred the blue effect through closed eyes more than any other LEDs available. It is important to note that a person who is prone to seizures should not use the light portion of the BrainTap headset system.

Visualization and guided imagery techniques have been around for decades. These are scientifically proven modalities for behavior modification, stress relief and self-improvement. Now they are made even more effective with the added benefit of brainwave entrainment through BrainTap Technology. While there is a wide assortment of relaxation training systems, such has autogenic (self-produced) training, progressive relaxation, meditation, and biofeedback to name a few, most of these take conscious effort. With the breakthrough of the BrainTap headset, you don't have to "believe in" or "do" anything. You are immersed in the experience and don't have to create it.

When you hear a second voice coming through one side the headphone and then other, it's not a mistake! This is a technique called "Dual Voice Processing." Dr. Porter intentionally recorded the sessions in this way to provide your brain a full holographic experience. The second voice moving from right to left and back again is there to stimulate right and left hemisphere balance. It may seem a little disconcerting at first, but don't worry, your brain will adapt quickly. The good news is, you don't have to consciously listen to any of the voices, so just relax and let it happen. The sessions that have Dual Voice Processing are marked "DV" and those that don't will be marked "SV" for single voice.

One of the best definitions of the BrainTap experience came to Dr. Porter from a satisfied client, who said, "It feels like my body fell asleep, but my mind stayed awake." This is because BrainTap generates a natural state, very much like sleep. You are then provided information that you want to apply when you are awake. This is called anchoring your vision to your timeline. It works like writing yourself a sticky note and posting it somewhere to remind you later.

Most people who want to make a change in their lives have the best intentions in the world, but the reality is, we get what we rehearse in life, not necessarily what we intend. Through BrainTap, you rehearse the new behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs you want and create in your mind a timeline for success.

During a BrainTap session, you visualize new responses to old behavioral triggers. Then, when you encounter the old triggers, you'll simply "forget to remember by remembering to forget." As your new responses take hold, you'll be convinced that you can acquire tobacco-free behaviors, think and act like a naturally thin person, or change any negative, unwanted behavior. It's that easy!

Generally speaking, any person can achieve alpha/theta brainwave states and can benefit from BrainTap Technology. However, the sessions are recommended for persons with a healthy brain. Persons with severe mental disorders should not use the BrainTap Headset. Flashing lights have been known to trigger seizures in certain cases. While this disorder is rare, people who have a seizure disorder of any kind should not use the lights in the visor. These people can still benefit without the lights. If you are unsure, ask your doctor before proceeding.

Everyone's experience is unique. No two people experience the same feelings or sensations while using the BrainTap headset system, and your experience will likely vary from one session to the next. You might experience lightness, heaviness, or a tingling sensation. You might even feel your eyelids flutter. You may feel as if you are drifting in and out of conscious awareness or feel dreamy, similar to how you feel right before falling asleep at night. Sometimes, as you release tension, your body might jerk or twitch. All of these are indicators that you are experiencing the alpha/theta state the BrainTap headset is designed to create.

The BrainTap system is designed to program behaviors so they become natural, unconscious, and automatic. You know how to drink water. You know which foods are more natural for your body. You know what exercise is. You already have these abilities. Our focus is not to give you these abilities but rather to give you a response to those abilities, thus creating responsibility. In other words, it gives you the access to the abilities you already possess! BrainTap provides the motivation, the determination, and the drive to succeed. It's a common experience that what the mind thinks about the mind brings about. The BrainTap headset is designed to help you to get into that powerful brain wave state where you can impress upon your mind the results you want in life.

Our culture teaches us to strive for control in our lives. However, what we think is control can quickly shift into stress, fear and anxiety. You are actually in more control while you are in the alpha/theta states because you gain discretionary access to your other-than-conscious mind, allowing you to tune into your thoughts, feelings, and emotions on a deeper level. With the help of the BrainTap Headset and the SMT programs you choose, you will gain focus while creating positive habits and behaviors, meaning you finally gain the kind of control you really want.

Yes, it is safe for you to drive after using the BrainTap Headset. You will likely feel refreshed because you have been on a mental vacation. When you come out of the relaxation state, you will feel positive and recharged, as if your entire being has changed. If you feel a little groggy at first, simply have a refreshing drink of water and take a couple of deep breaths. Most people feel the same as awakening from a nap. DO NOT EVER LISTEN TO A BRAINTAP TECHNOLOGY AUDIO-SESSION WHILE DRIVING.

As long as the child can sit still in a chair for 10 or 20 minutes, the BrainTap headset can be of benefit, and there are a variety of sessions geared toward children, tweens and young adults. We have children as young as five years old using the technology before bed and getting great results. The "Accelerated Learning Series" can be used by teens and adults alike.

Over 90 percent of those trying the BrainTap headset for the first time report feeling refreshed and energized right after the first process. While individual results will vary, many people report feeling more positive and motivated after just a session or two. Of course, Dr. Porter encourages everyone to listen to the full series to reap the most benefit. Those using the Habits of Naturally Thin People series may notice habit changes, such as a positive attitude about healthy foods or a desire for water, right after listening to the first process. Golfers regularly report feeling more relaxed and confident the first time out on the course after listening to Dr. Porter's Mental Coaching for Golf processes.

The BrainTap system is for personal use only and cannot be used for profit in a business or any other setting. Health professionals are able to purchase a "location license" in certain circumstances, which allows the licensee to use a business system of BrainTap Technology in professional offices to health clients. Currently there are over 1000 such clinics worldwide. If you are interested in becoming a licensee, please contact our Help Desk at 302-721-6677. If you do not have a license, your system is FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.

The BrainTap headset is intended for personal development use only. All content used in the BrainTap Technology system is protected under International Copyright Law and is owned by Dr. Patrick Porter or the respective content provider. Only those who purchase a PorterVision business location license can you use these copyrighted works for profit in business, and only within the guidelines of their license.

BrainTap Technology offers a 30-Day Return Guarantee. You must call and get an RMA for all returns. No returns will be accepted after 30 days from shipment date. If you are not completely satisfied with your BrainTap headset product for any reason during the 30-day period following the original shipment date, please contact the distributor who sold you the system or our Customer Service Department at 302-721-6677. Customer support is available during regular business hours (Central time) to make sure you have every opportunity to enjoy the benefits of your BrainTap headset. Each return is subject to a restocking fee in the amount of 10% of the original sale. This amount will be subtracted from the original purchase price before a refund is given. Please note that only products in the original packaging with all materials and in new or as-new condition are eligible for the 30-Day refund. Shipping costs, if any, will not be refunded under any circumstances and return shipping fees are the responsibility of the purchaser.

This problem is almost always corrected by making sure you type BrainTap as one word. Some devices will auto correct the word BrainTap to Brain Tap. Be sure there is no space between the words Brain and Tap before you hit the search button. Another issue may be that your device is too old to support the app. If you're using an older device, such as an iPhone 4, you may need to make sure you have the latest updates installed before searching the store.