THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BIOFEEDBACK SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA | Spring 2015 ~ VOL. 31, No. 1 Save the Date! BSC’s Northern California Regional Conference San Rafael, California Saturday, April 18th, 2015 9:00am - 5:30pm Details Inside! Training Programs from the Leader in Biofeedback 2015 CertifiCate Programs 2015 CertifiCate Programs 5-Day Professional Biofeedback 4-Day EEG Neurofeedback 3 days in Classroom & 2 days live online 3 days in Classroom & 1 day live online atlanta, ga austin, tX sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca newark, nJ anaheim, Ca Chicago/st. Charles, il Hartford, Ct Washington, dC denver, Co ft. lauderdale, fl sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca atlanta, ga austin, tX sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca newark, nJ anaheim, Ca Chicago/st. Charles, il Washington, dC denver, Co ft. lauderdale, fl sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca feb 19 – 21 mar 10 – 12 apr 23 – 25 may 9 – 11 June 20 – 22 July 23 – 25 aug 15 – 17 sep 23 – 25 oct 8 – 10 nov 19 – 21 dec 4 – 6 feb 22 – 24 mar 5 – 7 apr 26 – 28 may 12 – 14 June 25 – 27 July 28 – 30 sep 17 – 19 oct 11 – 13 nov 22 – 24 dec 9 – 11 3-Day Quantitative EEG 2-Day Advanced Biofeedback HRV/Pain Applications newark, nJ anaheim, Ca Washington, dC anaheim, Ca Chicago/st. Charles, il sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca may 15 – 17 June 28 – 30 sep 20 – 22 2-Day ADD & AVE with Dave Siever austin, tX June 23 – 24 July 26 – 27 dec 7 – 8 5-Day Quantitative EEG sf Bay area/mill valley, Ca dec 12 – 16 mar 8 – 9 Earn the most didactic hours for BCIA certification Learn from highly experienced instructors Hands-on training and more using NeXus, Infiniti® & Brainmaster systems Call us at 800-257-8367 or register online at www.stens-biofeedback.com NeXus wireless Bluetooth® technology with BioTrace is available exclusively from Stens-Biofeedback The leading supplier of biofeedback equipment and training. Serving you for over 40 years. CEs for APA, CNA, BBS. Stens Corp is approved by the APA to offer CE for psychologists and maintains responsibility for the program. Infiniti is a registered trademark of Thought Technology, Ltd. Bluetooth is a trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG Inc., USA. From the President GARY SCHUMMER, PHD, BCB, BCN President-Elect, Biofeedback Society of California Education Committee Chair JAY GUNKELMAN, QEEGD Past President BOARD MEMBERS JULIE MADSEN, PSYD Continuing Education Chair JOHN C. LEMAY, MA, MFT, BCB STEVE KASSEL, MA, MFT, BCN, BCB RICHARD HARVEY, PHD NICHOLAS DOGRIS, PHD, BCN JOY LUNT, RN, BCN Legal and Ethics Committee Chair SIEGFRIED OTHMER, PhD ROBERT N. GROVE, PHD ROBERT GUILES, MA Student Committee Chair EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TIFF THOMPSON, MA, BCN, QEEG DIPLOMATE Direct all correspondence and inquiries, including commercial advertising information and classified ads, to: Biofeedback Society of California 1108 De La Vina St., Santa Barbara CA 93101 Phone: (805) 453-6190 Fax: (949) 544-0439 [email protected] www.biofeedbackcalifornia.org CALIFORNIA BIOFEEDBACK EDITOR: Tiff Thompson, MA, BCN, QEEGD PUBLISHER: Biofeedback Society of California California Biofeedback is the official publication of The Biofeedback Society of California. Opinions expressed herein are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the official view of the BSC. The BSC is not responsible for the products or programs of private companies advertised herein. California Biofeedback is published three times a year and will consider all materials pertaining to the practice and/or promotion of biofeedback in healthcare in California. Send all correspondence to: Biofeedback Society of California 1108 De La Vina St., Santa Barbara CA 93101 [email protected] A yearly subscription to California Biofeedback is available for $35.00. Please send your check to the Executive Office listed above. D ear Friends and colleagues: It’s hard to believe we are already mid-way through March of 2015. This year is shaping up to be an exciting one for our field and our association. We have embarked on the expansion of our group to include not only the traditional biofeedback and neurofeedback,but all modalities of brain and body regulation and the underlying science of self regulation. We are also in the process of expanding our association to extend beyond California’s borders. We believe this will give us a greater momentum and expand our influence and reach. As biofeedback and neurofeedback efficacy becomes better known, as we have seen with recently published research, so does the turf war regarding who should be able to practice biofeedback and neurofeedback. Several states have already initiated “cease and desist” orders to stop certain practitioners. Others have or are attempting to mandate practitioners hold health care licenses, which may impact the work of our unlicensed members. Our Board of Directors has been active in both reconsidering some of these issues and in engaging in dialog with other associations, such as ASET (The Neurodiagnostic Association), about using licensing language which will either exclude us completely from their efforts or include us. Our goals are to expand the awareness of our field, increase our membership, and increase attendance at our annual conference. The conference will be held this year on November 7th and 8th, at the Wyndham Ave of Arts Hotel located in Costa Mesa. The location and is just minutes away from John Wayne airport (free shuttle is available and or just $5 a day parking!). Please plan to attend as it promises to be an exciting and lively exchange and a great opportunity to network and to learn from each other, plus lunch is included both days! I look forward to seeing you all soon. u Ali Hashemian, PhD From the President-Elect F or the past year or so, I have been fairly active on the Board of Directors chairing the education committee and have enjoyed working with others creating a mentorship program that we plan to launch at this year’s annual convention as a joint venture along with AAPB. When a call for nominations went out last year for candidates to fill the president elect position, and no one stepped forward, I became concerned. Obviously, the Society needs someone who will follow our current president, Ali Hashemian and it would be best if the incoming president was a member of the Board in the year prior to beginning his or her term in order to insure continuity. The Bylaws for the Society state that an open seat on the Board of Directors may be filled by the Board, so I was honored and pleased to be appointed by the Board of Directors to be president elect and the president in 2016. I hope the next president elect comes to the Board through the nominating process so that all the members can have a say in selecting someone for this important position. It also invites people with fresh energy and innovative ideas which help to keep the Society relevant and responsive to the needs of the membership. Within the last year, individuals from outside California expressed an interest in joining the Society. This began a discussion among the Board members to consider expanding the geographical area we service and, at the same time, choose a name that is more encompassing and contemporary. After a year of polling the membership and discussing various names, the Board decided to recommend the membership ratify the name Western Association for Biofeedback and Neuroscience. The “Western” part of the name is consistent Continued on Page 3 California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 EXECUTIVE BOARD ALI HASHEMIAN, PHD President, Biofeedback Society of California 2 Letter From the President-Elect Continued from page 2 with other regional divisions and should allow solo practitioners in states with few biofeedback clinicians to feel welcome at our events. Adding “Neuroscience” extends membership in the Society to a wider range of applied methods for treatment. This year I plan on supporting the goals that past President Jay Gunkelman and Ali Hashemian have established. I will also continue to work on developing and implementing the mentorship program which is designed to enhance the life of our members by connecting more seasoned professionals with those v v Table of Contents From the President��������������������������������������2 Letter From the Executive Director appy Spring, BSC Members! Letter From the Editor��������������������������������3 “The Next Big Thing” Siegfried Othmer, PhD������������������������������4 Neurotherapy’s Turf War Jay Gunkelman������������������������������������������5 My Preditictions for the Future of Biofeedback Joe Kamiya������������������������������������������������5 40th Annual Conference Reviews����������������6 We hope you consider joining us in San Rafael this April 18th for the One-Day Regional Conference. We have a great line-up of the field’s experts. A newcomer to the scene, Mikey Siegel, will be discussing Transformative Technologies, which he and the lab at Sophia University in Palo Alto have been pioneering via a new wave in intrapersonal psychophysiological training. Jay Gunkelman will be discussing cross frequency coupling as it naturally exists in the realms of consciousness and healing. Saybrook faculty Cynthia Kerson and San Francisco State University Professor Eric Peper will be sharing their respective insights from their efforts in the field of biofeedback and neurofeeback over the past few decardes. Lastly, Professor and AAPB President-Elect, Rick Harvey will be discussing the fascinating field of placebo effect and its implications in healing. As always, this conference promises not only to be a great learning experience, but also an opportunity to network and hobnob with the brightest minds in our field. It ought to be a day well-spent, leaving you with good knowledge and insights shared by your mentors and colleagues. Flip forward to pages 7 and 8 for full description and registration information; you may register online or via snail mail. I hope to see you there! u Tiff Thompson, MA, BCN, QEEG Diplomate v v California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Gary Schummer, PhD, BCB, BCN, [email protected] H From the President-Elect����������������������������2 3 needing a bit of help and to assist those new to the field to have an easier transition. In the next newsletter, I will share more details about this program and explain how every member could benefit from being a part of it. As of now, it is a bit early for me to discuss goals for next year, but I am open to and invite ideas and suggestions from the membership; feel free to email me. u We have been informed that an unfortunate incident occurred during the recent BSC conference. One of the students received an unwanted sexual solicitation from someone at the meeting. It is troubling to think that our young students should have to worry about being approached in this manner. This is truly inappropriate, unprofessional, and an embarrassment to our society. The student wishes for all parties involved to remain anonymous, including the person who reported this incident. However, it is appropriate that the membership be informed of its occurrence, and to be assured that the Board, speaking on behalf of our community of professionals, regards such behavior as categorically unacceptable. u - Joy Lunt, Legal and Ethics Committee Chair “The Next Big Thing” A common concern among those paid to worry about the society in general, and the economy in particular, is what we may expect to see as the main driving force for change in the near future. The emerging sharing economy may be one of the best candidates for transformative change. And within the sharing economy, the ride-sharing outfit Uber may be the most visible example. Uber has been in the news lately because it received an infusion of investor funds that placed the implicit value of the company at some $40B. This is doubly startling when it is viewed against the company’s sales last year of a mere $1B. One billion in sales? The case can be made that neurofeedback “sales” last year were bigger than that! With some twenty-thousand practitioners toiling around the world, taking in an average of $50,000 over the year with neurofeedback training, pencils out to $1B. These numbers may well be conservative. The specifics don’t need to be argued over. The point is that neurofeedback has a direct commercial impact that is comparable to that of Uber, when it is seen in the perspective of an economist. But that is also where the direct comparisons end. If we look at the value of the service delivered, the Uber service is presumably priced close to its actual market value. One cannot say the same for neurofeedback. Here the value typically exceeds the cost by multiples. More than once has a mother said to us something like “I would have given my house for what you have done for my child.” How does one put a price on health and functionality? A brain-centered perspective will finally allow us to make peace within our warring selves, and in consequence we will relate more compassionately to each other. The true value of what we do is simply incalculable. We confront an incommensurability of benefits and costs, but however matters are judged, the benefits vastly outweigh the costs. Seen in that light, the candidacy of neurofeedback as the ‘next big thing’ has a lot more going for it than mere ride-sharing. But neurofeedback has this feature of benefits exceeding costs in common with other health care services. So perhaps it would be more meaningful to frame the question slightly differently: “What is the next big thing in the healthcare field?” If that question had been asked ten years ago, the answer would likely have been “stem cells.” As it happens, 2004 was the year California passed an initiative to commit $3B to a stem cell research program. We are now ten years into that program, some two-thirds of the moneys have been committed, and according to Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times the director of the program is still looking “for a clear sense of mission.” Still? Funding has gone largely to basic research, and appropriately so. But that means that there is as yet very little tangible payoff in terms of the promised cures for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s, etc. It is therefore not yet possible to render a clear judgment on whether stem cells will fulfill their early promise and on what timescale. Meanwhile, over that same ten-year period we have established and matured infra-low frequency training with Cygnet, and have found a way to help significantly with Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and Parkinson’s. We calculate conservatively that a third of a million people have already benefited from training on Cygnet. The comparison of stem cell research with neurofeedback is instructive. The former skated entirely on speculation that therapeutic benefit would be available on a short timescale. There was at the time no evidentiary support for such optimism. At the same time, all of the findings in neurofeedback over the years already had good evidentiary support behind them when publications appeared, and yet the funding agencies have lacked enthusiasm, to say the least. Wasn’t their skepticism just slightly misplaced? As always at the scientific frontier, ‘it is the theory that tells us what we may believe.’ Stem cell research benefited from the fact that the underlying theory was already established within the belief system. The same is not true of neurofeedback, so it has languished with the funding agencies. On the flipside, this also means that stem cell-based therapies are unlikely to surprise us on the upside because we have already been counting our chickens. By contrast, both the scientific community and the society at large are not even aware that neurofeedback even exists. It is considered a fringe discipline that still has to make its case. The true revolutionary potential therefore lies with neurofeedback. Just as the value of neurofeedback for an individual is an intangible, the value for the society is even more so. Acceptance of neurofeedback with all of its implications must necessarily lead to a conceptual reframing that will cut across many disciplines besides health care— child care, education and criminal justice principally among them. More importantly, a brain-centered perspective will finally allow us to make peace within our warring selves, and in consequence we will relate more compassionately to each other. Wherever the quality of brain function matters, neurofeedback matters. This is the next big thing not only for health care, but for our whole society. u California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Siegfried Othmer, PhD 4 Neurotherapy’s Turf War Jay Gunkelman T he current buzz in the field of neurotherapy is the “cease and desist” order issued by the Iowa board of medicine, mandating an individual doing qEEGs for neurofeedback stop “practicing medicine” without a license. This case is hardly the only licensure issue that has arisen lately, as the field’s visibility has risen. At the same time, pediatricians are considering the evidential strength of neurofeedback, finding it to be a powerful intervention for ADHD. The “turf,” which we professionally occupy is starting to receive renewed regulatory interest and attention. The logic purported by the medical profession is: “if the treatment is effective for ‘medical applications,’ then medical professionals should be the ones doing it!”. More locally, in Nevada, the Nevada Psychology Board issued a similar cease and desist filing to stop a licensed counselor from doing biofeedback and neurofeedback. The Nevada Psychology Board’s initial position was that any biofeedback or neurofeedback application was the practice of psychology. Luckily the professional was not cowed by the filing and contested the action. After meeting with Nevada’s Attorney General, our own BSC Past-President, John LeMay, got a favorable ruling that the application of biofeedback and neurofeedback was not the sole turf of any profession. This position was helped along by letters supporting the trans-discipline nature of the field sent by the BSC, as well as from both AAPB and Saybrook University. Currently, there is a national campaign by ASET (The Neurodiagnostic Society) to get states to license EEG Technologists, Intra-Operative Technologists, Polysomnography technologists and other technologists doing various forms of autonomic testing. There is a push in California by ASET at this time. Though it is not to our advantage to deny licensure to these professionals, their current draft legislation would inadvertently deny the ability to do EEGs for a qEEG or neurofeedback. Additionally, the restrictions placed on and the autonomic monitoring could prevent biofeedback practitioners from performing applications such as HRV, pelvic floor applications, and other monitoring and feedback of autonomic system measures. The BSC is expanding to a Western Regional society: Western Association for Biofeedback and Neuroscience. In this expanded role the Board has issued a letter to the ASET Board requesting a discussion and reconsideration of their draft legislation, to protect those now doing biofeedback and Neurofeedback in California, as well as the rest of the Western region we now represent, including Nevada. We invite you to get involved in the newly expanded regional society as we represent your interests for these critical issues across the Western states. u My Predictions for the Future of Biofeedback Joe Kamiya California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 I 5 believe the greatest future global contribution of biofeedback technology will be the scientific development of mind-brain relationships, regardless of whether the knowledge gained leads to 1) improving the efficacy of biofeedback applications or 2) solving problems for which clients currently seek help. I foresee a society of scientific explorers who study human subjective experience, as it relates to online monitored brain-body functions, by sharing their own self observations of the two domains. With monitoring devices designed with increased sophistication and enabled by technological improvements for 100 or more body and brain channels, tomorrow’s scientists within our field will sit for hours, each day, monitoring themselves. This could mean recording continuously running verbal accounts of mental flow, or, analyzing and preparing reports for relative comparisons, or discussing hunches about possible new regularities. These subjective researchers will do what scientists do in all fields, including presenting the new variety of selfies here envisioned. One might think of [the future of biofeedback] as technologically-aided introspection, continuing where Wundt, Titchener, and William James stopped in defining the field of psychology. They will measure what the changes are in physiological measures that occur as one becomes annoyed by some snide remarks by a new acquaintance, or is thrilled by meeting a long lost friend, or is hungry, sexually aroused, mentally engaged, sleepy, frightened, worried about one’s mate’s fidelity, etc. This research will not be standard psychophysiology, where the scientist studies someone else’s physiological responses to various stimulus conditions. Here the scientist studies himself. One might think of this as technologically-aided introspection, continuing where Wundt, Titchener, and William James stopped in defining the field of Continued on Page 11 40th Annual Conference Reviews Review by: Katie Steck Wine glasses in hand, broken piñata in tow, electrodes stuck to a cat poster, and genuinely happy smiles of camaraderie all contributed to my favorite moment at the 2014 BSC conference. It was a celebration of the fortitude, of the resilience, and of the friendships that have formed over the BSC’s past 40 years. Most striking for me personally, however, was that it was a celebration of curiosity and caring. This is my third year attending the BSC conference as a student, and though I’ve heard bits and pieces of how the past presidents first got involved in the field, it was both fascinating and delightful to hear all of the stories all at once during the founder’s panel. During the panel, I began to notice many of the narratives told by past presidents began in much the same way: an insatiable curiosity for psychophysiology and a happenstance upon biofeedback. From trying to self-replicate EEG patterns of participants to predicting when a juggler would drop a ball, experiments were carried out with the excitement of discovering something new, something that would eventually be applied to improving client outcomes in a clinical setting. I was also fortunate to proctor for Stephen Sideroff’s lecture Neurofeedback & Autism Presented by: Michael Linden, Ph.D Review by: Matthew S. Goodman, B.S., BCB Individual differences are important in the field health care. In medicine, we have different types of diabetes (e.g., Type I, Type II), heart disease, and cancer. In psychology, there are different types of schizophrenia, anxiety, and mood disorders. The same is true for autism. Individualizing treatment protocols based on different subtypes of autism is key in moving forward in the field of applied psychophysiology. Dr. Michael Linden is attempting to do this with neurofeedback protocols geared towards normalizing individual differences in brainwave activity. Based off of the unique EEG pattern that a child with autism exhibits, Dr. Linden suggests tailoring one’s neurofeedback protocol towards these dysfunctional patterns. on his nine pillars of resilience. One activity that was particularly impactful was a role play in which Dr. Sideroff demonstrated how he would have a client visualize either themselves or someone else sitting in a chair opposite the client, then proceed to have an open and honest conversation with themselves or that other person. Not more than Barry Sterman & Katie Steck a week later, I found myself in school role playing with one of the other students that had also attended this lecture, and who was then able to skillfully apply this technique in an effective way to our role play situation. In sum, it was my privilege and honor to once again attend this conference with its applicable principles and supportive role models. The sessions I attended reignited my respect for the human body and I am grateful for the opportunities to rub shoulders with the humble giants of the field whose curiosity and caring inspire me to become something better. u This approach increases the likelihood that future neurofeedback researchers will find efficacious and specific treatment protocols in the field of autism. The different types of autism presented during Dr. Linden’s session (e.g., “high delta,” “seizure pattern,” or “mu abnormalities”) also help clinicians tailor their protocols to the unique neurophysiological presentation of the client. This differs from more standardized protocols, which, despite demonstrating possible efficacy, might not be helpful for a particular patient. Expanding on this type of individualized approach, Dr. Linden suggested the importance of coherence training. By first analyzing what brain rhythms need to be incorporated into treatment, one can then train multiple sites (e.g., T3 and T4) to establish longer-range coherence. This is not only important for future work with autism, but also the application to neurofeedback to various psychological and medical disorders. u Continued on Page 9 California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Forty Years Seen from Three 6 The Biofeedback Society of California’s Northern California Regional Conference Saturday, April 18th, 9:00am - 5:15pm 1925 Francisco Blvd East, San Rafael, CA 94901 Mikey Siegel: Transformative Technology Transformative Technologies are hardware/software interventions, grounded in scientific research that can reliably increase psychological wellbeing. These types of tools have been explored for decades, but there has never been a formal research or consumer space defined to sufficiently support their development. In this talk, Mikey will discuss the work of a new initiative called the Transformative Technology Lab based at Sofia University in Palo Alto designed to support the widespread development and dissemination of new technologies designed to radically transform human experience. Rick Harvey, Mikey Siegel PhD : Placebo Concepts in Psychophysiology This session will present examples of placebo utilization in health research; Transformative Technologies hardware/software interventions, grounded in define the role of expectancy, are priming and conditioning; and suggest strategies scientific research, that can reliably increase psychological These for reducing the ‘nocebo’ effect during biofeedback practice.wellbeing. Participants will be able potential Participants will be ablebeen to a formal typestoofidentify tools have beenplacebo exploredresponders for decades, but there has never distinguish between placebo and nocebo effects Participants will be able to research or consumer space defined to sufficiently support their development. In incorporate positive attribution and expectancy into practice. this talk, Mikey will discuss the work of a new initiative called the Transformative Technology Lab based at Sofia University in Palo Alto designed to support the widespread and dissemination of Revisiting new technologies designed to Erik Peper, development PhD: 'Old Wine in New Bottles' Effective Biofeedback radically transform humanskin experience. EEG, EMG, temperature, conductance, and respiration where the early focus of biofeedback research and applications while presently heart rate variability and neurofeedback are preeminent and have energized the field. A similar progression is seen among the many other techniques that have been integrated with biofeedback: Autogenic training, progressive relaxation training, Quieting Reflex and transcendental meditation all have been overtaken by different versions of Mindfulness meditation. Many of these older approaches all demonstrated significant clinical success. Explored are the common themes underlying these different approaches and factors that promoted clinical success such as generalization of skills, learning awareness and changing behavior.. California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Cynthia Kerson, PhD, BCN, BCB: Neurofeedback Tips and Tricks Because the field of applied neuroscience develops daily, new and experienced neurotherapists will continue to learn from each other. This 1.25-hour presentation will focus on ways in which the practitioner can better provide shaping and learning based upon operant conditioning so the client can gain the most from the time in training. In this presentation the clinician will be informed how to increase positive outcome of neurotherapy by training biofeedback modalities to augment client success. Jay Gunkelman, QEEGD: The Neurophysiological Basis of Consciousness & Healing A Transformative model of consciousness based onhardware/software physiologically measurable phenomenon Technologies are interventions, groundedwill in be constructed. The emphasis cross-spectral coupling These and "nesting" of scientific research, that canonreliably increasephase-amplitude psychological wellbeing. rhythms will be discussed. This model will be expanded to demonstrate inter-personal typescoupling of tools observed have beenduring explored for decades, there has never been a of formal phase healing done at abut distance. Demonstrations blinded-rater research orofconsumer space control definedcondition to sufficiently support their development. In identification healing versus will be described. This oriented tothe intermediate levels of and knowledge, and though introductory Because theMikey field ofis applied neuroscience develops daily, new experienced neurotherapists will thispresentation talk, will discuss work of a new initiative called the Transformative level attendance is not dissuaded, the talk relies on some basiconunderstanding of the EEG. continue to learn from each other. This 1.25-hour presentation will focus ways in which the Technology Lab based at Sofia University in Palo Alto designed to support the practitioner candevelopment better provide and shaping and learning based upon operant conditioning so the widespread dissemination of new technologies designed toclient can gain thetransform most from human the time experience. in training. Some ideas are incorporating peripheral biofeedback radically modalities for either training or monitoring, shifting thresholds for individual criterion, augmenting 7 with at-home modalities and collaborating with your colleagues. Applied Psychophysiology Advances www.biofeedbackcalifornia.org Date: Saturday April 18th, 2015 Time: 9:00 a.m. Registration 9:30 am. -‐5:15 p.m. CEs: 5.5 hrs credit R MFTs, LCSWs and RNs Schedule 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. 10:15 to 10:30 a.m. 10:30 to 12:00 p.m. 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. 12:45 to 2:00 p.m. 2:00 to 2:15 p.m. 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. 3:30 to 3:45 p.m. 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. 5:00 to 5: 30 p.m. Registration Location: Marin Biofeedback 1925 Francisco Blvd. E. #12 San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 485-‐1342 www.marinbiofeedback.org Directions below Placebo Concepts in Psychophysiology: Richard Harvey BREAK The Physiological Basis of Consciousness; and, Healers: a Physical Mechanism for Distant Connections: Jay Gunkelman LUNCH: on your own Transformative Technology: Mikey Siegel BREAK ‘Old Wine in New Bottles’ Revisiting Effective Biofeedback: Erik Peper BREAK Neurofeedback Tips and Tricks: Cynthia Kerson All Group Discussion Panel & Evaluation Name: __________________________________________Phone:_________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________ (print clearly!) Address ______________________________________________________________ Zip__________ Method of Payment: Cash____ Check ____ Credit Card____ Total $: ________________ Make checks payable to: BSC. Mail to 1108 De la Vina St., Santa Barbara 93101 Phone: 805.453.6190 Credit card # ___________________________________________________Exp Date: _____ / ________ (mm/yyyy) cvv: ________ Zip______________ ◊ BSC Member: . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 65.00 preregistration or $75 at the door $ ___________ ◊ Students (ID required):…$ 25.00 $ ___________ ◊ Non Members: . . . . . . . . . . .$ 85.00 preregistration or $95.00 at the door $ ___________ ◊ CEs: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 35.00 (you will be given CE application onsite) $ ___________ Total: $ ___________ California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 I authorize BSC to charge my card in the amount of $_________ Signed: ________________________________________________ 8 Biofeedback and Common Sense Presented by: Dr. Erik Peper Review by: Jasmine Mitose Dr. Erik Peper’s short conference course, “Biofeedback and Common Sense in the Treatment of Challenging Disorders,” was thematically different than the other presentations. While many of the other short courses presented were focused on the “new” in the field of applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, Dr. Peper’s course brought back the basics of biofeedback that may be forgotten entirely in clinical practice that illness and health is multidimensional. Namely, many factors such as diet, sleep, posture affect physiology and clinical outcome. Shortly after his course introduction, Peper asked the audience members who have a clinical practice whether or not they ask their patients about their eating habits—specifically on whether or not their patients normally partake in breakfast. When only three hands went up, he then proceeded to emphasize how the basics of body regulation are often glossed over in terms of inquiring about regularity of lifestyle. As he proceeded to profile the treatment plans of the featured challenging disorders (including epileptic seizures that were unresponsive to intensive pharmaceutical regiments) Peper’s underlying message became quite clear. Straying too far from biologically appropriate behaviors has the potential to wreak havoc on the human system. All of the scanning, measuring, and medication available can be useless in the face of unresponsive “mystery” disorders. In the featured case of a young man who suffered from psychogenic non-epileptic seizures that were unresponsive to medications, a focus on changing life style and shifting from thoracic to abdominal slow breathing resulted in a reduction of seizures from about 8 per week to none. Cutting out caffeine and recreational alcohol/ substance use, eating whole foods as opposed to processed food products, and adhering to a regular schedule in addition to stress reduction and diaphragmatic breathing practices not only reduced the number of seizures, but eventually brought the number down to zero. The common emphasis on technological advancements and new developments in neurofeedback was a recurring theme at the conference. This course was highly significant in that it brought back to details that aren’t often see mentioned in the course ofwithout a complete understanding of either. Today, a simple watch, like the Fit Bit, can give us quantitative data about what is going on internally, in a way that is attractive to the public. In his talk about “Sharpening your Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Skills,” Dr. Robert Grove reminded us that, even as biofeedback devices evolve, it is still very important to present psychophysiology in a way that is informative and makes the client feel comfortable. No matter the device used, we should focus on teaching the client how to interpret self-talk. Look inside, listen, and make a choice. I appreciated Dr. Grove’s emphasis on ensuring understanding and acceptance of rationale before employing biofeedback techniques. You know that feeling when you are taking out a large school loan and you are thinking, “I hope this is the right choice..” I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the BSC conference, because it only reaffirmed that I have absolutely made the right decision by entering this field. Never have I met a group of professionals so excited about impacting the life of others, even after decades in the practice. I believe that is the definition of success, as a future clinician , I hope to possess the same vitality. California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 TRAINING At Its Best 9 SABA 2015 40th Annual Conference Reviews Continued from Page 6 • Neurofeedback Certification Training (BCIA) • Biofeedback Certification (BCIA) • QEEG Training (Q Board) • Webinars, Workshops & CE Credits EEG/qEEG/ERP Analysis and Education Presented by: Nicolas Dogris, PhD Review by: Leighton A. Grampp The Biofeedback Society of California’s 2014 Conference was truly eye-opening. As a student just entering this field, I was not certain what to expect or how I might relate to the presentations and speakers at the conference. Dr. Nicholas Dogris’s keynote speech on Neurofield’s Applications for Autism, Depression, Anxiety, & TBI helped me realize that this is the field I belong to. Through personal anecdotes, case studies, and experience, Dogris showed not only where the field is currently, but how it is growing and what it may become. Psychologists are fortunate to be able to affect change in incredible ways, including creation and growth towards the field’s full potential. Sound science was evident in Dogris’s speech, but the heart of this field was strongly represented as well. Dogris spoke of neurofeedback helping a 48 year old who had been taking Prozac and Zoloft for 10 years get off of meds entirely. He spoke of a child with autism who was completely non-verbal breaking into song while in the car with his mother following treatment. He spoke of alpha-theta-gamma stimulation protocols that can help open the doorway to the default mode network, aiding in peak performance. He also spoke of his belief that this same protocol may have a profound impact on the autistic population. But, perhaps most importantly, he spoke of the future, and the dir e c t i o n i n Left to right: Siegfried Othmer, Nick Dogris, Joe which Neu- Kamiya, Patricia Norris rofield, his company, is moving. As a student, it is easy to get bogged down in the specifics of the present and forget to see the bigger picture. Dogris passionately shared his view of that bigger picture, of sLORETA being added to real time z-score procedures, of virtual reality vision’s integration into future protocols, of frequency-enhanced water that can lead to changes in the brain and help inflammation. He spoke of moving the field into the future, the importance of which cannot be denied. As a newcomer, I realized how imperative it is for students to move beyond classroom learning and continue to ask ourselves how we can contribute, how we can help improve current protocols and how we can integrate our thoughts and views into our studies. This is our future and new ideas must be forged and implemented to ensure it is as strong a future as possible. u California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Keynote Speech: Nicholas Dogris, PhD 10 Newcomer to the BSC Christopher Flora-Tostado The gorgeous amber hillsides of the California coast rolled along outside the windows but we hardly noticed. The ten hours the San Diego Alliant students spent getting to Oakland were spent lost in conversation. My first BSC conference experience was made entirely possible by sharing it with my fellow scholars from CSPP whom I am privileged to call friends. Appropriately, our synergistic group dynamic would serve as a model for the enthusiastic community experience of this year’s conference. From the outset of the experience I felt treated like a valuable member of a close circle. From the way speakers encouraged participation and made time to talk after workshops, to the way the group rallied around Jay Gunkelman’s facial hair sacrifice to raise a significant amount for the student fund; it was obvious that the success of this group was founded on cooperation and reciprocal support. Starting the weekend with Dr. Stephen Sideroff and his tools for building resiliency would serve as a perfect framework for Keynote Speech: Siegfried Othmer, PhD Leighton A. Grampp California Biofeedback — Spring 2015 Siegfried Othmer’s keynote speech, “The Common Core of Neurofeedback and Biofeedback: Fissures and Reunification” spoke to the evolution of the current conceptual model underlying both of these modalities. I came into this session with some prior knowledge of biofeedback, but no previous understanding of neurofeedback’s uses within the field. I had previously believed both of these modalities to be independent of one another, each having its own use and clinical focus. Dr. Othmer’s depiction provided an integration of the models, with regulation within the central nervous system targeted by both. Whether using periph- 11 My Preditictions for the Future of Biofeedback Continued from Page 5 psychology. An overall map of the physiological activity associated with all possible subjective experiences would be the goal, analogous to 19th century scientists’ map of the atomic structure of the known elements, or the 20th century map of the physical characteristics of compounds of the elements. The universality of the basic perceptions, concepts, emotions and feelings provided by our evolutionary history as a highly social species underlay the development of language for them. We speak correctly of a person’s the concepts that each speaker shared. Inventor Alan Macy took his audience through a totally unique journey of human self-exploration. His conceptual tapestry began with a philosophical basis for understanding beauty and wove together a progression of technological advancements that have propelled our species towards a fascination of extending the self outward and into art, culture and space. After the weekend-long parade of opportunities to stretch the mind, it was a joy to end the conference with a skip through the hallway. Erik Peper brought it all home with refreshing set of common sense health solutions that left me invigorated and ready to share ten more hours in the car excitedly chatting away with my new friends. u eral or central training, the aim is similar. Both of these approaches train calmness and regulation within systems, turning relaxation into an active process. Though there are differences between them, both models can provide for better treatment outcomes and optimal functioning. We must affect regulation before executive function, looking at the brain as a self-organizing system. The BSC conference in general, and this speech specifically, highlighted the importance of remaining open-minded about different approaches and finding ways to integrate knowledge about both biofeedback and neurofeedback. By showing the common core, Othmer demonstrated how these models relate to one another and, consequently, how psychologists using one modality or the other can learn from each other and connect in order to propel the field forward. As a student, the importance of learning from the past and working toward the future cannot be stressed enough. Othmer’s expertise within the field was well-demonstrated, but his depiction of how the field is changing as individuals with multiple perspectives enter it was the strongest take away. The unrealized potential of self-regulation technologies can only be found by embracing the physiology, teaching integrated models in schools and connecting our past to our future. u sadness when we see her tears at her friend’s funeral because we ourselves shed tears at the loss of a loved one. A map of coordinates of the physiology of all human experiences should be possible. If so, it would help sharpen the labels we use to describe our mental states. For science, our everyday language for mental states and processes is highly ambiguous, depending too much on connotation and too little on denotation. u 12 California Biofeedback — Spring 2015
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