We are pleased to welcome back Dr. Paul Swingle for another series of Grand Rounds! Our grand rounds sessions are an ideal way to expand your knowledge about a specific topic or method. They are presented in an interactive format in which participants have the opportunity to present case studies to Dr. Swingle for review. And, because the classes are taught online, you can attend from the comfort of your home or office.
The Thursday sessions are ideal for users of the BFE QuickQ and BrainDryvr suite with the ProComp/BioGraph Infiniti system. Dr. Swingle welcomes and encourages professionals using other hardware/software platforms to attend as well. The Tuesday sessions focus on the use of Mind Work Station software with Infiniti. Dates for the summer and fall sessions are as follows:
Thursday's 3:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
SUMMER SERIES: July 14th | August 11th | September 15th
FALL SERIES: October 13th | November 10th | December 8th
Tuesday's 11:00 - 12:00 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
SUMMER SERIES: July 12th | August 9th | September 13th
FALL SERIES: October 11th | November 8th | December 6th
The price for each 3-session series is $149.00 USD. To register, click here or visit the BFE Online Shop at http://www.bfe.org/buy/
Some feedback from past sessions...
"A few months ago, I became an affiliate with Dr. Swingle’s BFE team and greatly benefited from the teaching, supervision and webinars. I appreciate your "expert suites" that provide assessment ability supported by screens that "work". I am especially very pleased with the online case study discussions with experts. Over the years, following a 2-3 day workshop, I found myself in great need of "integration" when back in my office struggling with challenges from peculiar clients. The monthly meetings online with Dr. Swingle provide wonderful occasions to bring, as they come, these specific concerns to the "expert" and receive his insightful comments. This increases my efficiency with my clients making me feel and look very good!!! It also widens my understanding as I listen to other professionals' present their own unique set of challenges followed by Dr Swingle's point of view and input on how to address them. All that in the comfort of my office at convenient time slots!"
Dr. Suzanne Day
"I have got to say that the Quick Q is really amazing. I thank Dr. Paul Swingle for this. I have seen amazing changes in one of my students after doing only a few neurofeedback sessions that were done after doing a Quick Q and having Dr. Swingle give me advice at one of his Grand Rounds group sessions on-line. This student is also working on heart rate coherence and hand temperature. The combination has been great. Releasing alpha in the back of the head made a huge difference." Meredith Caplan, LH
Thanks to all participants who joined us for the last session and shared their knowledge with others. We look forward to seeing you at the next session and are always glad to welcome newcomers. Remember, space is limited so register early.
Next week we are happy to welcome Peter Van Deusen and Dr. Francois Dupont to lead an online grand rounds session on TLC Assessment and Integrated Neurofeedback Training.
TLC Assessment and Integrated Neurofeedback Training
Monday, July 11, 2011
9:00 - 10:00 Eastern Time
(New York & Canada)
Dr. Dupont
This session is ideal for users of the BFE Infiniti for The Learning Curve software suite with the ProComp Infiniti system. Peter will present a few case studies, then will open up the meeting to participants who will have a chance to discuss their own challenging cases with Peter. Dr. Dupont will be on hand throughout the session to answer questions related to the TLC software suite as well as the BFE Integrated Neurofeedback suite.
The price to attend this new session is $49.00 USD.
To register, click here or visit our online shop at:
http://www.bfe.org/buy/
Whether you are just getting started with the software or are an experienced user, you will benefit from the interactive format of these sessions. Class size is limited so register early!
We are pleased to welcome Peter Van Deusen as a first time presenter at a BFE Online Event. Peter began training his own brain in 1991 and studied the theories, philosophies and techniques of many leaders in the field of brain training. In 2001 he began training other professionals, as well as home users. He has presented throughout the US, Europe and South America. The assessment tools he has developed are used by thousands of brain trainers around the world.
This summer we are offering two new online Grand Rounds sessions specifically designed for users of Peter Van Deusen's software suite - Infiniti for The Learning Curve.
EEG Assessment for Traumatic Brain Injury
Monday - June 27, 2011
9:00 - 10:00 AM Eastern Time
In this session Linda Walker, MHR, LPC, BCIA-EEG will discuss TBI among combat veterans and how to use the The Learning Curve (TLC) and Z-Scores (Thatcher) Assessment tools with this population. Peter Van Deusen will be on hand to take questions from participants on the use of his TLC database.
TLC Assessment and Integrated Neurofeedback Training
Monday - July 11, 2011
9:00 - 10:00 AM Eastern Time
Hosted by Peter Van Deusen, this session will include case studies presented by Peter and other participants. There will also be a Q&A Session during which attendees can ask Peter questions about interpreting TLC data. Dr. Francois Dupont will also be participating in this event and will discuss an/or answer questions about his Integrated Neurofeedback suite.
Both sessions offer APA continuing education credits. For more details, please visit the BFE Online Shop, or contact the Infiniti for the Learning Curve Online Team at bluetlcassessment@gmail.com.
We are pleased to announce that we have just been approved by the Dana Foundation as a partner in Brain Awareness Week!
As stated on the official website, "Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. Every March BAW unites the efforts of organizations worldwide in a week-long celebration of the brain."
"During BAW campaign partners organize activities to educate and excite people of all ages about the brain and brain research. Events are limited only by the organizers’ imaginations. Examples include open days at neuroscience laboratories; museum exhibitions about the brain; lectures on brain-related topics; displays at malls, libraries, and community centers; and classroom workshops."
Daily Webinar on Research Topics in Neurofeedback
The BFE will be presenting a daily webinar on Research Topics in Neurofeedback. During this lecture, Mark Schwartz introduces research being conducted by online teams from around the world. Electroencephalography (EEG) biofeedback, also known as neurofeedback and neurotherapy, is hailed by some as an exciting new method to assess and treat clients diagnosed with mental disorders, and criticized by others as an unproven, controversial and poorly controlled fad.
Mark Schwartz, MBA, BSc. Hons is the director of the "Learn From the Best" program run by the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe. He has presented at conferences and led workshops on biofeedback since 1996.
Register Now and Receive BAW Discount
In support of Brain Awareness Week, we are offering all attendees a special price of $20.00 US ($49.00 off the regular price of $69.00 US).For more details or to register, click here.
For more information on BFE Neurofeedback Teams, contact the team coordinator at blueirep@gmail.com.
The BFE kicked off its 2011 Webinar Series with three events in January. These 1-hour webinars are ideal for newcomers to biofeedback as well as for experienced practitioners eager to learn the latest techniques being used in the field.
Our January lineup included:
QuickQ and BrainDryvr
Focusing on Addictions
Dr. Paul G. Swingle
Brainwave patterns associated with the different addictions disorders were reviewed and the relevant braindriving protocols to treat the various forms of these disorders were discussed. Dr. Swingle reviewed in detail the initial brain assessments and treatment procedures and focused on the many contributory causes of addictive behavior.
Glazer Gastrointestinal Disorders Webinar
Dr. Howard Glazer
Dr. Glazer discussed the importance of the pelvic floor muscles for a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders such as chronic constipation, fecal incontinence and others. Dr. Glazer reviewed some of the research conducted in collaboration with colorectal surgeon, Shuqing Ding M.D., Attending doctor, National Center of Colorectal disease of Chinese Medicine Nanjing Municipal Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, 3rd affiliated hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in Nanjing.
Introduction to Physiological Dentistry
Dr. Jeffrey Hindin
Dr. Hindin discussed the importance of physiological dentistry for a wide range of stress related dental patients. The webinar introduced an innovative system to monitor physiologic functions and incorporate biofeedback modalities into patient care. Dr. Jeffrey Hindin, described how he uses this system to observe and record objective changes before and after the insertion of an orthotic and with each subsequent modification or adjustment.
The BFE would like to thank the presenters as well as all those who attended the events. Recordings of past webinars are available in the BFE Online Shop along with information about upcoming webinars.
Remember to visit the shop often as new information is posted weekly!
Final preparations are underway for our 15th Annual Meeting to be held in Munich, Germany from February 22-26, 2011. We are pleased to announce that Lufthansa Airlines will be the official carrier for the event. Full details on how to take advantage of the discounted fares offered by Lufthansa are now on our website. For more information, click here.
This year we look forward to welcoming a variety of presenters - some who we know very well and others who will join us for the first time. Among the scheduled presenters are:
Drs. Lynda and Michael Thompson
Neuroanatomical Underpinnings of Effective Intervention with Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Dr. Jan van Dixhoorn Manual Assessment of Respiratory Movement (MARM)
Dr. Erik Peper
Advanced Clinical Techniques and BCIA Supervision
Dr. Paul G. Swingle
Basics of the QuickQ Assessment and Braindriving
For the full workshop schedule, click here. Remember to register soon, if you haven't already, to guarantee a place in the workshop(s) of your choice.
We look forward to seeing you in Munich! And although we can't promise a volcano, we can promise a very enriching experience. Monika Fuhs summed up last year's meeting like this: "The conference ended with the awareness that that people couldn’t go home as expected and I, as the organizer, was a bit worried about complaints and problems that could arise due to these circumstances. However it was different – it seemed that our group was not only different in what they were doing but also in their living philosophy. People used the disaster of the volcano eruption as a opportunity to extend their stay and joined those who couldn’t leave. We formed groups that were just enjoying themselves in Rome and forged friendships and created social support. The crisis was transformed into new opportunities of growth."
This past summer, Dr. Catriona Steele was invited to present Dysphagia workshops in China and Korea as part of the BFE Learn From the Best initiative. Dr. Steele is a scientist and Director of the Swallowing Rehabilitation Research Laboratory at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Her teaching experience includes face-to-face and web-based University courses, and many workshops and invited lectures across North America, Europe, China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
Dr. Catriona Steele and Dr. Zulin Dou
Dysphagia Workshop – China - July 17, 2010
The workshop in China was hosted by Dr. Zulin Dou, Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University in Gunagzhou and Dr. Hongmei Wen, Ph.D. in Neurology and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Dr. Dou is also the author of the book Assessment and Treatment of Dysphagia for which Dr. Wen has written the section on sEMG.
Dr. Steele presented her half-day workshop on evidence-based practice in swallowing assessment and Dysphagia rehabilitation with a focus on sEMG biofeedback to 70 physicians and therapists. Earlier in the day, she had the opportunity to consult with Dr. Wen on several challenging cases and looks forward to the potential of future collaboration with Dr. Dou, whose interests include the use of biofeedback in psychology and continence/pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation as well as Dysphagia.
Special thanks to the hosts for their warm welcome and for having the presentation materials translated to Chinese. We would also like to thank Vish Medical for its financial support of this event.
Dr. Steele with members of the KASLP
Dysphagia Workshop – Korea – July 24, 2010
Dr. Steele’s workshop in Seoul was graciously hosted by Miseon Kwon, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Research Professor, Dept. of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and was sponsored by the Korean Association of Speech Language Pathologists (KASLP). Also present was Dr. Do-Heung Ko, a prominent researcher in speech science and president of the KASLP. The half-day workshop was attended by 200 Speech Language Pathologists.
Sincere thanks to the Dr. Kwon for providing a superb translator and for all her work to make the day a success. We would also like to thank Thought Technology for its sponsorship of this event.
Online Dysphagia Training
Dr. Steele teaches several BFE online classes on Dysphagia. During monthly “grand rounds” sessions participants are offered the opportunity to present case studies to the group and to consult with Dr. Steele. Click here for more information on the Dysphagia software suite and online classes.
We are pleased to announce the return of Dr. Paul G. Swingle for the second webinar in a 4-part series:
Depression and Mood Disorders
April 21, 2010
4:00-5:00 PM EDT
During this lecture, Dr. Swingle will discuss the use of Neurotherapy in treating clients with depression and will address how conditions often considered untreatable by conventional health practitioners respond positively to neurotherapeutic treatment.
Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D., is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association and was a Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School from 1991 to 1998. Professor Swingle was Chairman of the Faculty of Child Psychology at the University of Ottawa from 1972 to 1977, and Clinical Supervisor from 1987 to 1997. He has also taught at McGill University, Dalhousie University and McMaster University. He is a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia and is (BCIA) Certified in Biofeedback and Neurotherapy. Since 1997 he has been in a private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia. His most recent book, "Biofeedback for the Brain" (2008), was published by Rutgers University Press and has just been released in paperback.
Other topics to be presented as part of this series are:
September 2010 - Attention and Learning Disorders
November 2010 - Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Anxiety Disorders
This webinar, as well as the others in the series, is open to health care practitioners as well as the general public. To register, visit the Events page of our website. To view our press release, click here.
The Biofeedback Foundation of Europe is pleased to announce the third webinar in our 2010 International Lecture Series - Telemedicine - presented by Dr. Howard Glazer.
Dr. Glazer is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University/New York Presbyterian Hospital. In this webinar, he will discuss how he shares his expertise in the field of Lower Gastrointestinal, Urological and Sexual Dysfunction disorders with colleagues and patients around the world. A specific example of how this expertise can help patients in the Dallas, Texas area will be presented.
This webinar is open to professionals and the public alike and the cost to attend is $69.00. To register, visit the EVENTS page of our website.
THE WEBINAR TAKES PLACE:
Wednesday - March 17, 2010
16:00 - 17:00 (GMT+1 - Amsterdam)
11:00 - 12:00 AM (EDT - New York)
Future webinars with Dr. Glazer:
Incontinence Issues in Men and Women (May 19th)
Prostate, Urethral and Bladder Pain Syndromes (June 23rd)
Sexual Pain and Dysfunction (September 22nd)
Vulvar Pain Syndromes (October 20th)
Pudendal Nerve Pain and Ano-rectal Pain (November 17th)
In our 2010 International Online Lecture Series, the most respected members of the neurofeedback and biofeedback communities will discuss how biofeedback is used by their profession, supported by evidence-based research and clinical practice.
In the second of a series of ten webinars, New York dentist Dr. Jeffrey Hindin addresses the innovative use of biofeedback by dentists. Jeffrey S. Hindin, D.D.S., F.I.C.O.I. is a general dentist practicing all phases of dentistry with an emphasis on craniofacial pain, TMD, and sleep disorders. He has co-created a system of monitoring physiologic functions and incorporates biofeedback modalities into patient care. He is one of the founders of The Hindin Center for Whole Health Dentistry in Suffern, N.Y and lectures on dentistry and physiologic functions.
In his webinar on February 19, 2010, Dr. Hindin links subjective patient reporting with objective measures using the latest physiological assessment technology for dental assessment. The scientific basis for physiologic assessment is presented based on the latest research data. A few case studies are shown. Different monitoring systems for research, clinic, and home training are shown. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is discussed and its importance as a measure of change in autonomic nervous system functioning. Powerful multimedia feedback such as DVDs, music CDs and MP3s, selected by patients, can be used to entertain, amuse or relax as the patient practices at home what they have learned in the clinic. Simple session and trend reports help show the patient, and the dentist, the progress they are making on a regular basis.
Using this system, objective changes can be observed and recorded, for example, before and after the insertion of the orthotic and with each subsequent modification or adjustment, or with other dental procedures. The benefits of physiologic dentistry establish a greater awareness of the influence of dentistry on the entire body.
All lectures in this series are designed to provide guidance for both professionals and members of the public with special interest in the topics covered. Subscribers to this lecture series not only benefit by learning of the latest breakthroughs but also know that their contribution to the foundation’s International Research and Education Projects (IREP) help to advance studies and bring alternative and complementary medicine closer to home.
Breakthroughs in Biofeedback introduces leading speakers from around the world in a series of monthly webinars.
In the 2010 International Online Lecture Series, the most respected members of the neurofeedback and biofeedback communities will discuss how biofeedback is used by their profession, supported by evidence-based research and clinical practice.
In the first webinar, renowned psychologist Dr. Paul G. Swingle will introduce you to the wide range of disorders treated at his clinic in Vancouver, Canada. Topics covered include clinical psychoneurophysiology and the QuickQ & BrainDryvr methods. Dr. Swingle will review in detail the initial brain assessments and treatment procedures for a wide spectrum of disorders including seizures, autistic spectrum disorders, attention and learning disorders, defiance disorders, as well as developmental delay, traumatic brain injury and other trauma.
The second webinar in the series is by Dr. Jeffrey Hindin who addresses the innovative use of biofeedback by orthodontists.
In the third webinar on Telemedicine New York based psychologist Dr. Howard Glazer describes how he shares his expertise in the field of Lower Gastrointestinal, Urological and Sexual Dysfunction disorders with colleagues and patients around the world via the Internet.
Subsequent webinars will include exciting developments in biofeedback and neurofeedback from fields as diverse as Rehabilitation, Educational Psychology and Physical Medicine. Topics covered will include Pro Golf, Heart Rate Variability and Attention Deficit Disorder. The combined experience of these presenters who have lectured all over the globe will cover breakthroughs as varied as Elite Sports Performance and Gold Medal winners to Virtual Reality for helping returning troops address issues of PTSD.
All lectures in this series are designed to provide guidance for both professionals and members of the public with special interest in the topics covered. Subscribers to this lecture series not only benefit by learning of the latest breakthroughs but also know that their contribution to the foundation's International Research and Education Projects (IREP) help to advance studies and bring alternative and complementary medicine closer to home.
The fee for each webinar in the series is US $89.90 and the entire series can be purchased at the special rate of US $599.00.
To register, visit thte Events Page of our website.
For more information, contact us at info@bfe.org.
Dr. Swingle's BFE Team is pleased to announce the January 2010 schedule of online education for health professionals interested in learning more about Dr. Swingle's "QuickQ and BrainDryvr" methods. For those of you who have recently purchased Dr. Swingle's software suite this is a great opportunity to further explore the materials contained in it. All the necessary information can be found by downloading the brochure (pictured). You can attend the course from the comfort of your office or home without any travel expenses. Courses have a limited number of participants to ensure personalized instruction and feedback.
The fee for for each 6-hours of online instruction is US$149. The fee includes student notes for each lesson. (The QuickQ and BrainDryvr software suite is available for US$150.00.)
To register online please click here. For additional information, contact blueswingle@gmail.com.
INTRODUCTORY LEVEL:
Tuesdays
January 12/19/26 Feb 2
16:00-17:30 (GMT+1 - Amsterdam)
10:00 - 11:30 AM (EDT - New York)
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:
Thursdays
January 7/14/21/28
20:00-21:30 (GMT+1 - Amsterdam)
2:00 3:30 PM (EDT - New York)
ADVANCED LEVEL:
2nd Thursday of each month
(ongoing - session can be joined in progress)
Lesson 5 on January 14th
21:00-22:00 (GMT+1 - Amsterdam)
3:00-4:00 PM (EDT - New York)
Surface Electromyography Making Progress in Dysphagia Rehabilitation
Dr. Catriona Steele, Senior Scientist and Director of the Swallowing Rehabilitation Research Laboratory at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, was the invited presenter to the SLP (Speech Language Pathology) group at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on October 22, 2009. Dr. Steele demonstrated the latest techniques and EMG technology that she uses.
Dr. Steele is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. Over the past 6 years she has received particular recognition for her research on tongue movements in swallowing and has developed a reputation as an expert on the use of texture modifications as an intervention for dysphagia. Dr. Steele is known across Canada and internationally as an outspoken advocate of evidence-based practice by speech-language pathologists. Dr. Steele currently serves as Coordinator of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association's Special Interest Division 13 (Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders). She is Past President of the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and a past board member of the Dysphagia Research Society.
To learn more about this topic, visit the BFE Library and download Dr. Steele's latest methodology:
http://www.bfe.org/library/Methodology%20-%20%20Dysphagia%20FINAL%2014%20Sept%202009.pdf
When 2nd Lt. Jacob Gonzales first boarded an Army CH-47 Chinook, he got sick with nausea.
With a history of motion sickness, the officer said he had to figure out a way to control it to be an effective leader. “When you’re in charge of soldiers, it’s not good for them to see their leader vomiting in front of them,” he said from Fort Sill in Oklahoma, where he is awaiting deployment to Afghanistan.
Last year, while completing his psychology degree, Gonzales signed up for Maureen Haney’s biofeedback class, where he learned to control motion sickness.
“After I learned about biofeedback and techniques for concentrating, breathing and relaxing, I was able to use it, and it worked,” Gonzales said. “I also use it when I’m running five miles a day. It helps me with the pain so I’m able to push through to the end.”
Haney, lecturer in health science and director of the university's Psychophysiology Lab, said biofeedback is a learning process in which people are taught to improve their health and performance by observing signals generated by their own bodies. Her students learn to use biofeedback equipment and skills — such as deep breathing, relaxation, autogenics (self-hypnosis of the central and autonomic nervous system) and visualization — for changing physiological functions.
Biofeedback involves measuring brain waves, blood pressure, heart rate variability, skin temperature, sweat glands and muscle tension via sensors, or electrodes, placed on the skin, Haney said. The information is conveyed through computerized graphs and charts on state-of-the-art biofeedback equipment made up of Thought Technology's Infinity units and EmWave units by HeartMath.
Biofeedback therapy is used by such agencies as NASA, the military, hospitals and alternative medicine clinics.
“It’s very intensive training,” Haney said about the process. Her classes, Health psychophysiology I and Health Psychophysiology II, and a related research lab were created in 2006 and 17, mostly undergrads, have enrolled. The students this semester include a couple of registered nurses, a psychology major, two health science majors, two kinesiology majors and a graduate student majoring in gerontology.
“You can learn to self-regulate with biofeedback by using your mind,” Haney said. “It’s not a quick fix, but you can train yourself to control physiological responses to such things as anxiety, anger, pain or stressful conditions or situations.”
Director's Drive
Haney, who has scoliosis, should know.
She employed what she knew about biofeedback therapy after undergoing two painful surgeries.
"I had a 12-inch steel rod inserted in my back along my spine and segments of seven ribs were removed in 1978," Haney recalled. "Spinal segmentation was not as advanced then, so remaining in bed for three months, post surgery, in a body cast was required. In 1992, I slipped, fell and the rod was dislodged and I had another surgery.
"I requested minimal pain medication after my first 13-hour surgery but never activated the patient-controlled analgesia pump, following my second surgery," she added. "The initial surgery was especially difficult. My first thought was to quickly request pain medication. Fortunately, I was able to refocus and utilize self-regulation skills that allowed me to deal with the intensity of the post-surgical pain."
The experience, she said, "makes me passionate about the power of the mind to regulate physiology."
That explains why she pursues biofeedback research and is a strong advocate for it. She said plans are underway for clinical trials ranging from heart rate variability biofeedback for various medical conditions to resilience training for military personnel. The studies will involve collaboration with multiple agencies.
"The field has many possibilities and opportunities," Haney said, adding that interest in complementary medicine continues to grow and career options in biofeedback are expanding.
From Training to Workforce
Lee Zambrana, one of Haney’s first biofeedback students, completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology last semester and recently landed a job in St. Jude Medical Center’s Chronic Pain Program as a biofeedback specialist. He now is planning on taking the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America exam for national certification.
Haney’s “classes really prepared me for my job,” Zambrana said. “The demand for biofeedback therapy is on the rise with patients seeking alternative methods for dealing with pain.”
Indeed, said Haney, who offers biofeedback services to community members, ranging from those with general stress disorders to individuals dealing with fibromyalgia, through her lab’s Energy Management Training Program. The program consists of six sessions and costs $100.
Military Aid
For the university’s Army ROTC cadets, the lab offers its Performance Enhancement/Resilience Training Program. Cadets in the program are given a psychophysiological stress profile and biofeedback training sessions designed to modulate stress reactivity and promote automatic nervous system flexibility.
“It is a skills building program that fosters the development of emotional and physiological self-control,” Haney said.
Having biofeedback training available on campus benefits the students, as well as the community, said Roberta E. Rikli, dean of the College of Health and Human Development.
"We offer this great service that helps people with their stress issues, while teaching our students how to use the equipment and preparing them for specialized jobs in the field," she said.
"We're one of the few schools in the country that provides the biofeedback certification program, thanks to Maureen's hard work setting up and offering the courses and the lab," Shari McMahan, professor and chair of health science and director of the university's Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention.
Maureen Haney joined Cal State Fullerton as a lecturer in health science in 1988. In 2006, she became the director of the newly created Psychophysiology Lab.
Previously, Haney worked as director of research, education and marketing at St. Jude Heritage Health Foundation in Fullerton, director of psychology and biofeedback at Fullerton Internal Medicine Center, a behavior education counselor for Nutri/System Weight Control Center in Huntington Beach and a research associate with the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Long Beach.
She is a certified biofeedback practitioner and a certified stress management educator.
Haney, who received her master's in clinical psychology from Cal State Long Beach and her bachelor's in psychology from the College of New Jersey, has made presentations on her biofeedback research nationwide. Her most recent talk was delivered at the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center in East Orange, N.J.
Timothy HarknessSports Psychologist
I first mentioned the "G-word" to Abhinav after a training session at my house in South Africa in early July. I don't often talk about results to clients, but we had just completed an advanced respiration session (using a technique I had learnt from Bruno Demichelis from AC Milan) that demonstrated such a close link between control of heart-rate and shooting outcome, that I finally began to feel that we had cracked the code of shooting success, and a gold medal was a possibility.
As a sports psychologist, disappointment and failure is part of the job. I have been greenside at the British Open and watched a client's putt slide past the hole, causing him to miss the cut, and I have commiserated with a sprinter who ran fractions of a second too slow to make it into the Olympic team. I've even worked with a hockey team who missed every single shot in a penalty shootout - and were the only team with a sports psychologist at the tournament!
Obviously there are successes also, but in any career, being part of an Olympic gold medal team is a highlight. I do want to say though, that for 10 years as a sports psychologist, I have been saying that character counts more than results, and when I think of Abhinav, it is his character that I admire rather than his gold medal. Talent, hard work and good planning gives you a chance, and from there, sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't. This one went our way.
Abhinav and I were introduced in December 2007, and began working together in South Africa in February 2008. Our Olympic plan was formulated at a kitchen table in my mother's house. The team grew to include a doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist, dietician and two shooting coaches in addition to myself. Looking back, I would say the crucial ingredients were a combination of bloody mindedness and flexibility.
Abhinav is an athlete who will stop at nothing to achieve success - one of the two or three most determined athletes I have ever met. So it was a privilege to work with someone who would implement whatever he was asked to do. As someone who grew up in the 80s watching the A-Team, I have to say that I love it when a plan comes together.
In 2006, PGA teaching professional John Dickson and I began to formulate a theory of how and why emotional states impede technical skill execution. We called this theory psykinetics. It draws upon evolutionary psychology, sensory integration and psychophysiology, and once you're talking psychophysiology, you need to be practicing with biofeedback.
I use a FlexComp Infiniti hardware system with BioGraph 4.0 software. Shooting is a peculiar sport because of the lack of movement, and air rifle is the most precise and exacting of the shooting sports. I chose the FlexComp because it allowed me to seamlessly move between training modalities and multimodalities, and the BioGraph software because of its ability to measure and provide feedback. The system plus my laptop is small enough to pack into a Pelican carry case, which is useful for travelling.
The psychophysiological requirements of shooting include:
Controlled breathing and heart-rate
No excess tension in muscles
No fluctuation between sympathetic/parasympathetic states during triggering (shooters can shoot in sympathetic or parasympathetic, but don't want to be surprised by which state they are in)
No interior monologue
Sharp focus and good reactions to trigger at the moment when the sight image is correct.
Abhinav and I started with the biofeedback slowly. I believe breathing is the best place to start a biofeedback programme, then skin conductivity and temperature control. We distinguished between training 'in the chair' and while shooting. Looking back, I would have started even slower, and with more time in the chair. But something that worked well for us was my consultative approach. Abhinav was already a world champion when he came to see me, and has the highest degree of body awareness that I have come across in an athlete. So I was able to get a wealth of information from him, and continually adapt the programme to the requirements of the time.
In the end, Abhinav accumulated over 150 hours of training on the various modalities. We found that the sport was too subtle for EMG and SC, but EEG and HRV gave useful information. Shooters hold their breath during triggering, and need to learn how to have a controlled parasympathetic response just before triggering, even though they may feel short of air. In the EEG, we found alpha training at T3 useful, and after lots of experimenting, ended up mainly rewarding 15-18 at Cz and squashing 26-30. We also trained Pz and Oz. The balance was to find a state that had him muscularly relaxed, but still allowed him the sharpness of reaction to trigger at the right moment.
I came to feel that with biofeedback, you do not train the athlete to execute the skill; you train the athlete to prepare to execute the skill. I.e. you should be training for the state prior to skill execution (3-5 seconds before) rather than the state of skill execution. Skill execution itself is short, subtle and instinctive, and difficult to describe or quantify … and really is best left alone. Rather train the athlete to lay the foundation for skill execution.
Importantly, we did an extensive QEEG study, and discovered amongst other things, a T3 alpha ERD with triggering. Given that we were investigating an elite athlete, a researcher may have concluded that this ERD was appropriate, but Abhinav's interpretation of the data was that he was still shooting suboptimally, and wanted an alpha ERS at triggering. It is useful to note that even elite athletes often have lots of room for improvements in their cognitive and neurological processes.
We did neurofeedback training 'in the chair' and while shooting.
The other modality that was powerful was EKG + respiration. The best predictor of a bad shot was heart rate and breathing being out of phase. We trained this in the chair and while shooting also. In the chair, Abhinav would breathe at 2.5 - 3.5 breaths per minute, or would breathe at about 8 breaths per minute, and then breath-hold for 40 seconds, while controlling his heart rate.
While I am an experienced sports psychologist, I am relatively new to biofeedback. It is a strange experience sending a biofeedback trained athlete into a competition, because there's much less to do at the competition venue. You don't need the inspirational little comments, or the relaxing jokes, because the athlete has the tools to do the job, and you can pretty much leave him to get on with it.
It was a privilege working with Abhinav, because of the quality of the feedback I got from him, and also because of the generosity of his sponsor, which allowed us undivided time together in 5 countries and 3 continents. I am a much, much better sports psychologist now than when I started working with him just 6 months ago. Sometimes learning so fast is scary because it makes you realize how much you don't know, but my father always used to say, "You've got to know what you don't know", and it's exciting to be in a field where there is so much to learn.
“Just as surgery and pharmaceuticals were important to medicine in the 19th & 20th century, Behavioral Medicine will take its place in the 21st century and biofeedback is an important component of Behavioral Medicine.”Dr. John Basmajian, Member of the Order of Canada
Montreal, Canada – One of the World’s Leading Sport Psychologists that trained Canada’s top Olympic athletes will be teaching a workshop in Montreal on June 26th & 27th. Clinicians, psychologists, students and educators will learn about new software & specialized equipment using biofeedback & neurofeedback. This instrumentation is the same as those used in the MindRoom of AC Milan, the reigning Champions League team. It has also been used, for some time, by the Dutch Special Forces to screen and train SWAT Team recruits.
Montreal WorkshopsJune 26th & 27th
The seminar will take place at the University of Quebec at the downtown Montreal Campus. The first workshop will be led by the internationally-recognized sports psychologist and York University professor, Dr. Vietta (Sue) Wilson.
Her workshop will describe assessment and training techniques for peak performance and provide participants with the skills to utilize in their professional settings. Specific workshop content will include how to use the latest psychophysiological assessment and training technology for high performance and rapid recovery. Mental skill training techniques such as imagery, specific goal setting, intention, and attention will be discussed.
“EXECUTIVE STRESS” WORKSHOP
Another workshop will be taught in French by Drs. Nicolina Pavlov, PhD, and Ray Pavlov, MD, PhD. Its focus will be the use of EEG biofeedback (neurofeedback) as the central component of a systematic stress program for leaders in business, industry and sports. This workshop focuses on how to improve performance and productivity and includes guidelines for individuals and groups.Both workshops have accreditation by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.
LEARN FROM THE BEST – International Research and Educational Project
Along with workshops in North America throughout the summer and fall 2008, there has been an explosion in distance-learning involving 30 on-line courses. They range from Heart Rate Variability Training, Stress Management, Professional Golf, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Headaches. These courses are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) for Continuing Education Units. A complete list may be found at:WWW.BFE.ORG . Fifteen Advanced Clinical Suites are now available http://www.bfe.org/prod.html
