About ANFI
The Australian Neurofeedback Institute (ANFI) is a program of STARTTS. Established in 2019, we aid trauma recovery using Neurofeedback and Biofeedback with traditional therapeutic approaches.
As a social enterprise of STARTTS, we raise revenue throughout training delivery to continue providing Neurofeedback as a valuable therapy to refugees who cannot afford this treatment any other way.
ANFI has integrated the latest neuroscientific research, cutting-edge neuromodulation technologies and outcome driven psychological interventions to offer the highest quality of care to clients affected by trauma and to the wider public.
The Neurofeedback program at STARTTS has been ongoing since 2003, when Mirjana Askovic, now ANFI’s Director, brought her passion for neuromodulation, together with her own Neurofeedback equipment, to STARTTS.
With the support of the organisation’s management, who recognised the benefits that this innovative and visionary therapy could bring to its refugee clients, Mirjana got a permission to start with the Neurofeedback treatment.
After an initial success with the complex cases, Mirjana prospered to get an approval for another Neurofeedback position. This is how in 2007, Sejla Murdoch joined Mirjana on this journey that resulted in the establishment of the STARTTS’ Neurofeedback Clinic, the first one in the world to work with refugees -children and adults- survivors of torture and trauma.
Since then our team has grown into a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, researchers and neuroscientists who endeavour to expand knowledge in the areas of trauma and mental health and improve the quality of life and recovery of our clients.
We believe that high quality of care should be available to those in need regardless of their circumstances.
At ANFI, we are proud to say that we have almost two decades of experience integrating neuroscience-driven technology into our clinical practice. We bring together research and clinical practice to ensure that our interventions are evidence-based and at the forefront of the refugee trauma treatment field. We collaborate with research partners in academia, world leaders in mental health treatment.
Our mission is to improve people’s lives. To do so, we facilitate training for clinicians so they can enhance their professional practice and better help their clients through an integrative approach to mental health.
Our vision is to explore different types of neuromodulation technologies that are cost effective and easy to implement into a variety of clinical settings. We work with neuroscientists and neuromodulation technology manufacturers in developing, delivering and expanding cutting edge treatments to improve client outcomes.
STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) is a specialist, non-profit organisation that for 30 years has provided culturally relevant psychological treatment and community interventions. Our aim is to assist people to heal the scars of torture and refugee trauma and rebuild their lives in Australia.
The refugees coming to Australia have experienced multiple traumas, including war and violence, deprivation, and the death or disappearance of loved ones. The torture and trauma have psychological, emotional and physical consequences and despite the many contributions that refugees make to Australian society, they often need specialised assistance to overcome these experiences. With some help, our clients are more likely to live productive and fulfilling lives.