Richard Soutar, PhD, BCIA-EEG

Dr. Richard Soutar has published several books and articles on the topic of neurofeedback and conducted workshops for over 15 years on the various aspects of neurofeedback at conferences and clinics in the U.S and Europe. As a former professor of psychology and sociology, he has had extensive experience in teaching and training at both the undergraduate and the graduate level. He has also been working continuously over the years as a clinician, director and business administrator of various clinics around the country. He developed the first internet training course for neurofeedback certified by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA).  He has served as both Secretary and President of the Neurofeedback Division of the Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB). He is also Director of Research and Development for New Mind Technologies where he is currently developing equipment, brain mapping databases, assessment instruments and software programs for neurofeedback clinicians.

Introduction to Neurofeedback

This workshop is for those who are new to neurofeedback (NFB), considering entering the field or incorporating NFB into an existing practice, or looking for a current, research-based NFB refresher. Dr. Richard Soutar will cover the basics, key concepts and skill areas including the theory and methods behind NFB and qEEG, practical applications in clinical settings, basic brain anatomy and assessment procedures, EEG biofeedback software, and basic dimensions of brain maps . (APA CE Credits 1.5-Basic

This workshop is for those who are new to neurofeedback (NFB), considering entering the field or incorporating NFB into an existing practice, or looking for a current, research-based NFB refresher. Dr. Richard Soutar will cover the basics, key concepts and skill areas including the theory and methods behind NFB and qEEG, practical applications in clinical settings, basic brain anatomy and assessment procedures, EEG biofeedback software, and basic dimensions of brain maps . (APA CE Credits 1.5-Basic)

 

 More from Richard Soutar, PhD

 

Enhancing Neurofeedback Efficacy by Identifying the Oxidative Stress Cycle With qEEG

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized Toxic Stress leading to chronic inflammation as a leading cause of adult health problems (Shonkoff & Garner, 2012).  Neuroinflammatory processes and excitotoxicity leading to neuronal dysregulation and necrosis are often either directly or indirectly a consequence of toxic stress (Sapolsky, 1999).  These processes typically have an enduring impact on electrophysiology that can be identified in the EEG and qEEG (Niedermeyer & Lopes da Silva, 2005) as well as other standard measures of neural functioning (Dietzel et al, 2012). These processes can activity impede neurofeedback training and reduce protocol efficacy.  Using a model of oxidative stress (Lin et al, 2006; Enciu et al, 2013) physiological mechanisms of action related to these inflammatory processes will be outlined and correlated with qEEG patterns. A stereotypical pattern of neural response to oxidative stress (Wang et al, 2010) will be proposed and supported with statistical findings.

This presentation will be of interest to Neurofeedback practitioners interested in the bio-psycho-social assessment model as a tool to enhance NFB efficacy.

Attendees will be able to identify qEEG patterns that are likely a consequence of physiological problems such as inflammation, excitotoxicity, and nutritional deficits.

Attendees will be able to explain the mechanisms of action related to the various qEEG patterns indicating inflammation, excitotoxicity and nutritional deficits as reported in the present peer review literature.

Attendees will be able to develop more effective protocols that take into account client limitations due to physiological deficits.

Attendees will be able to identify phases of oxidative stress reflected in the qEEG and determine how it can limit client responsivity to NFB protocols.

The discussion will review some case studies done with standard NFB methods.  Assessment instruments used have all been statistically validated.  Metabolic interventions applied to cases discussed were all relatively routine and done by a licensed medical practitioner.

1.	Dietzel,I.D., Mohanasundaram,S., Niederkinkhaus,V., Hoffmann,G., Meyer,J.,Reiners, C., Blasl, C. and Bohr,k. (2012). Thyroid Hormone Effects on Sensory Perception, Mental Speed, Neuronal Excitability and Ion Channel Regulation, In N.K. Agrawal (Ed.), Thyroid Hormone (pp85-122). Coatia: InTech ISBN: 978-953-51-0678-4, DOI: 10.5772/48310.
2.	Enciu, A., Gherghiceanu, M., Popescu, B. O. (2013). Triggers and effectors of oxidative stress at blood-brain barrier level: relevance for brain ageing and neurodegeneration. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 1-12, Volume 2013.
3.	Niedermeyer, E., Lopes da Silva, F.H. (2005). Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications, and Related Fields. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
4.	Sapolsky, Robert M (1999). Glucocorticoids, stress, and their adverse neurological effects: relevance to aging.  Experimental Gerontology. Volume 34, Issue 6, September 1999, Pages 721–732.
5.	Lin, M. T., & Beal, M. F. (2006). Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. Nature, 443(7113), 787-795. Shonkoff, J.P., Garner, A. S. (2012).  The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress.  Pediatrics.Vol 129 (1);e232-e246;DOI: 10.1542/peds.2011-2663 Wang, X., Michaelis, E. K. (2010). Selective neuronal vulnerability to oxidative stress in the brain. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Volume 2, Article 12, 1-13

 

Urszula Klich, PhD

Dr. Urszula Klich is a clinical psychologist at Shepherd Center where she provides pain management for individuals with complex medical problems. She has served on various medical teams, including the faculty of the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine.  She routinely provides multidisciplinary disciplinary presentations and is an international speaker.  

Based on her 20 years of clinical experience in health psychology, she has developed a specialized program of Mindfulness-Based Biofeedback (MBB) to help individuals cope with challenges.  This program has been used in a variety of clinical and nonclinical settings, from hospital-based to university classrooms, in order to assist people with difficulties ranging from everyday stress and anxiety to catastrophic injuries and serious illness.  With compassion-informed treatment as the cornerstone of her work, Dr Klich’s clinical philosophy is best summarized as using integrative medicine centered on fostering each individual’s healing power to improve physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Compassion as an Essential Component in Self-Regulation: Crossing the Bridge from Patient Care to Self-Care and Back

Resilience is a trait healthcare professionals are expected to have, but workplace demands, multiple role conflicts, and patient complexities, create pressure on the provision of care. Clinician’s needs are commonly put aside as client wellness becomes the focus of treatment, which may result in the unintended effect of compromising treatment through added strain. The construct of compassion will be examined as a viable and potentially essential component in the treatment process for both the patient and clinician. 

Compassion, has emerged as a major factor in the therapeutic benefit of mindfulness-based techniques, which have been integrated into mainstream healthcare. Combining compassion practices with biofeedback can maximize the advantageous psychological and physical changes that are seen with both. This presentation will provide a framework for augmenting biofeedback treatment with compassion-based techniques and discuss treatment considerations.

Connections will be made with other compassionate-based programs such as Cognitively-Based Compassion Training and Loving-Kindness practice.  This program will refer to up to date research related to using these compassion and biofeedback techniques with a variety of clinical populations. We will examine ways in which these treatment modalities can be merged to further facilitate effective coping and stress management training. The program will provide pragmatic skills for applying these methods in clinical practice with a variety of populations in accordance with the Mindfulness-Based Biofeedback model of treatment. Lastly, dialog will be invited among practitioners to facilitate learning.

Clinical Practice Examples will be presented of its use with clinical and non-clinical populations ranging from children with traumatic backgrounds to college students and psychological difficulties from generalized anxiety to chronic pain and complex medical illness such as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder, including unique considerations with veterans.

This presentation will appeal to clinicians, health care providers, those interested in biofeedback.

The goals for the presentation are:

• Identify the two key components in common definitions of compassion.
• Identify three treatment challenges commonly present when working with unique populations.
• Identify two ways that biofeedback practitioners can introduce compassion within treatment.
• Identify two common symptoms of care provider empathy fatigue that may be  addressed with the application of compassion informed strategies.
• Identify two contributing factors to compassion fatigue.
• Participants will be able to identify two well-known compassion- based theories and corresponding treatment programs.

1.	Desbordes G, Negi LT, Pace TWW, Wallace BA, Raison CL and Schwartz EL (2012) Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 6:292. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00292
2.	Fehr, B. and Sprecher, S. (2009) Compassionate Love: Conceptual, Measurement, and Relational Issues, in The Science of Compassionate Love: Theory, Research, and Applications (eds B. Fehr, S. Sprecher and L. G. Underwood), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781444303070.ch2
3.	Kupferschmidt, K. (2013). Neuroscience. Concentrating on kindness. Science (New York, N.Y.), 341(6152), 1336–9. doi:10.1126/science.341.6152.1336
4.	Negi, L.T (n.d.) A Manual for Cognitively-Based Compassion Training. Unpublished Manuscript.
5.	Schwartz, M. S. & Andrasik, F. (2003). Biofeedback: A practitioner’s guide (3rd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
6.	Salzberg, S. (2008). The Kindness Handbook: A Practical Companion (p. 208). Sounds True, Incorporated
7.	Klich, U. (2015).  In Press. The Integration of Mindfulness-Based Biofeedback and Compassion in the Healthcare Setting. Biofeedback. Fall ed.

 

 

Robert E. Longo, MRC, LPC, NCC, BCN Associate Fellow 

Robert Longo is in private practice specializing in QEEG Brain Mapping, Biofeedback, and Neurofeedback.  In addition to his private practice in Lexington, NC, Rob is a neurofeedback clinician at Integrative Therapies in Greensboro, NC, and a contract clinician providing neurofeedback services at Timber Ridge Treatment Center in Gold Hill, NC where he works with troubled youth.  Rob’s focus is on treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, attentional problems, and treating persons with head injuries.  Rob is co-author of Doing Neurofeedback: An Introduction, (Soutar, R. & Longo, R.E. (2011). co-leads weekly webinars with Dr. Richard Soutar; and he began specializing in QEEG Brain Mapping and Neurofeedback in 2007. 

Working with Traumatic Brain Injury;  Complexities and Challenges

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is often referred to as a silent epidemic. In recent years, we have heard increasing amounts of research about head injury, mTBI (concussions), and how head injuries may be cumulative, and can lead to long term problems emotionally, cognitively, and physically.   In many cases, TBI can impact individuals throughout the life span.

TBI can result in cognitive, emotional, behavioral and physical problems; and TBI can often mimic a variety of disorders including ADD/ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and PTSD.  This workshop will provide an overview of TBI, causes of TBI, symptoms of TBI and the use of neurofeedback to treat TBI. Case examples will be used throughout the workshop.

This presentation will be of interest to Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Clinicians working with patients who have experienced head injury and administrators in clinical settings.

• Participants will be able to recite the incidence and prevalence of TBI.
• Participants will be able to identify/list multiple causes of TBI.
• Participants will be able to identify/list symptoms related to TBI.
• Participants will be able to describe neurofeedback treatment options for treating TBI.   

 

1.	Sukel, K. (2013).  Brain injuries may leave lasting marks on children’s brains.  The DANA Foundation.  www.dana.org
2.	Silver, J.M., McAllister, T.W., & Yudofsky, S.C. (2011).  Textbook of traumatic brain injury. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
3.	Soutar, R., & Longo, R.E. (2011). Doing neurofeedback. San Rafael, CA: ISNR Research Foundation.
4.	Science Daily (February 14, 2012). Traumatic brain injuries are likely more common       than previously thought.     http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214170906.htm.
5.	Morkides, C. (2009). A silent epidemic. Counseling Today, October, 2009, 40-42.

 

 

 

Kirtley Thornton, PhD

 

Dr. Thornton graduate from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio in 1968 with a BA in psychology. He obtained a PhD from the New School for Social Research in 1980 and began practice in New Jersey the following year. Within a year or two after graduating he became interested in Clinical Neuropsychology and began to publish in that area. In 1995 he became involved in the field of quantitative EEG and worked on the development of a QEEG cognitive activation database which employed the high frequency range (32-64 Hz) in its database. He spent some 18 years working on the database and its application to patients as well as the brain injured population. His research has resulted in some 22 articles, one book, 4 book chapters, 5 award nominations, 1 award, 2 approved patents and 2 in process. He is presently working on 20 additional articles. This year he has submitted some 14 articles which are presently in the peer review process. Several years ago he relocated his practice from New Jersey to North Carolina, where he had been practicing for 30+ years.

Traumatic Brain injury – causes, incidence, prevalence, modern medical diagnostic testing, diagnosis and treatment options

The session will focus on a complete understanding of our present state of knowledge regarding traumatic brain injury / concussion from the problem of the initial diagnosis to treatment options

This presentation will be of interest to all clinical professionals as well as related professional individuals who come across brain injuries in their professional responsibilities.

• To describe our current state of scientific knowledge of brain injuries and how it is diagnosed, incidence and prevalence across the world.

• To provide a review of modern medical diagnostic testing in relationship to traumatic brain injury
• To provide a thorough update on the prognostic issues following a TBI and the issue of special sensitivities of different groups.
• To provide a description of what a TBI is from the point of view of the QEEG and the viable treatment options.     

  1.	Thornton, K. (2014). A QEEG activation methodology which obtains 100% accuracy in the discrimination of traumatic brain injured from normal and does the learning disabled show the brain injury pattern?,  Neuroregulation, 1 (3-4), 209-217.
  2.	Thornton, K. & Carmody, D. (2013). The Relation between Memory improvement and QEEG changes in three clinical groups as a result of EEG biofeedback treatment,  Journal of Neurotherapy, 17(2). 116-132.
  3.	Thornton, K. (2013) Chapter Title: The Role of the quantitative EEG in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of the traumatic brain injured patient, Concussions in Athletics: From Brain to Behavior, Chapter 18, 463-5083,  Eds. Semyon M. Slobounov and Wayne Sebastianelli, Springer publ., NY, NY
  4.	Thornton, K. & Carmody, D.  (2009). Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation: QEEG Biofeedback Treatment Protocols, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, (34) 1, 59-68.
  5.	Thornton, K. & Carmody, D. (2009). Chapter Title: Traumatic Brain Injury and the Role of the Quantitative EEG in the assessment and remediation of cognitive sequelae. Roland A. Carlstedt PhD (ed). Integrative Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine: Perspectives, Practices and Research, 463-508.  Springer Publishing Company, Dec 14, 2009 - 912 pages

       

Apex Performance, The Edge in Excellence

Using Biofeedback to Assess Optimal Performance

Self-regulation is the ability to perform optimally on command despite distracters, stimuli, and stressors at any given moment in any given scenario. Our session will consist of 4-5 activities that we use to “test” and “train” our clients’ ability to self-regulate their performance in regards to activation, stress and recovery, focus/attention, memory improvement, and self-talk. These activities allow us to assess our client’s level of mastery by demonstrating how well they perform while managing their body-mind connection. This applies to anyone looking to enhance their performance, such as an athlete perfecting their mental game, a warrior transitioning back to civilian world, or a business executive sharpening their focus and mental agility.

Attendees should be those interested in the practical application of biofeedback techniques/strategies  for self-regulation as they relate to real-world scenarios.

Amy Toms, PhD, BCB

Amy E. Toms, M.S., PhD, BCB - Peak Performance Center Director, has worked as a peak performance consultant for a broad range of clientele from Olympic level athletes to combat war veterans. Her background has combined knowledge with practical application to develop comprehensive strategies associated with productive learning, performance, and achievement. With each population she serves, Amy identifies the challenges and opportunities that are unique to them and designs programming that include performance enhancement, leadership development, career planning/placement, community outreach, and personal development.

Professional Experience and Accomplishments

Amy currently serves as the Peak Performance Director for Apex Performance at the VA Acquisition Academy in Frederick, MD. As the Director of the Center and the mental skills trainer and coach for wounded veterans attending a year-long pre-course for VA acquisition officers, she works with the veterans individually and collectively in preparing them for the 2-year VA Acquisition Officers Course. Her work includes delivering workshops, forums, seminars and one-on-one mental skills training to each of the student veterans. In addition to daily sessions, Amy directs the operation of the Apex Mind Room where veterans go daily to practice brain exercises that enhance cognitive and attention abilities.

Prior to her current role at the VAAA, Amy administered the performance enhancement training portion of the TRACK program for the Wounded Warrior Project in San Antonio, TX. WWP is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and empowering wounded warriors. TRACK is a year-long intensive educational program designed to give warriors the tools necessary to pursue academic, career and life goals. Her work involved delivering peak performance mental skills education and training in the form of workshops, seminars, teambuilding, and individual one-on-one coaching and counseling. As the Apex Center Director, Amy is responsible for all aspects of the operation of the Center and program in support of TRACK.

Prior to APEX, Amy was Head of Performance Psychology and High Performance Communications at the University of California, Berkeley where she provided sport psychology services and implemented educational programming relative to sport and performance psychology for coaches and student-athletes. She worked in tandem with the teams year round to assess needs, create plans and implement solutions. Primary means for helping individuals and teams achieve consistent peak performance included developing tools to assist coaches with evaluating performance and targeting areas for improvement and matching each student-athlete’s needs to the appropriate techniques for mental preparation.

Amy’s experience with athletes ranges from serving as the National Team Manager for the United States Luge Association to working with college athletes and coaches at the University of Hawaii and the University of California, Berkeley. As Director of Student-Athlete Development, she was charged with the total development of the student-athlete, teaching valuable skills and strategies for success in the classroom, on the field, and in life. Using sport as a learning tool, she taught several psychological skills training undergraduate courses. Class topics include current issues and strategies for maintaining comprehensive excellence across multiple domains, developing a more holistic understanding of high performance. Recognized for her contribution to the NCAA community, Amy was selected to serve as a Peer Reviewer for NCAA Athletics Certification and sat on the 1A CHAMPS National Board of Advisors, a professional association serving athletic directors of Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Education and Professional Organizations

Amy has established herself within the applied field of performance enhancement training through her professional experiences as well as her educational background. She was awarded a Doctorate Degree in 2011 in Educational Psychology at the University of Hawaii with her dissertation research investigating the motivational profile of mentally tough collegiate athletes. In addition, she holds a M.S. in Counseling and Psychological Services with concentration in Athletic Counseling from Springfield College and B.A. in Psychology from Dickinson College. Her range of experience in peak performance, life skills training and psychology has provided Amy the opportunity to present and facilitate for various national conferences and organizations including NCAA, National Football League, and International Conference on First Year Experience. Amy is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and is Board Certified with BCIA (Biofeedback Certification International Alliance). 

Lisa Grossman, MEd, ATC, BCB

Lisa E. Grossman, M.Ed., ATC, LAT, BCB –Peak Performance Center Director, has worked as a peak performance consultant with a diverse and extensive population. She has educated and trained individuals on key mental skill competencies that are essential for achieving optimal performance. Her work in peak performance training and sports medicine has also served as a foundation for her proficiency in the psychological aspects of injury and recovery.

Professional Experience and Accomplishments

As a Peak Performance Program Director for Apex Performance, Lisa is currently focused on individually working with wounded veterans to develop key peak performance mental skills that facilitate self-awareness, empowerment, self-regulation and self-mastery. She currently directs the APEX Center and program supporting the TRACK program for the Wounded Warrior Project organization in Jacksonville, FL. WWP's TRACK program offers wounded warriors an integrated approach to address long-term needs for education and training, advocacy, and secondary rehabilitative care for the MIND, BODY and SPIRIT. TRACK is the first education and training center in the nation designed specifically for wounded warriors.

Prior to being the Center Director in Jacksonville Lisa was the Program Director for Apex Performance at their headquarters in Charlotte, NC. There she worked with a wide range of client companies, organizations, government agencies, athletes and teams (high school, collegiate and professional). Her work focused on delivering peak performance programs to include workshops, seminars, team building, leadership development and individual consulting. These programs combine peak performance mental skills and advanced biofeedback technologies to develop and enhance clients’ results.

Lisa served as the sport psychology consultant for the Men and Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country Teams at Florida State University. She created a sport specific performance enhancement program providing education, training and coaching to individual athletes and groups leading to significant performance improvements. During the course of her work with both programs, Lisa consulted and trained several top national athletes while the Florida State Men’s Track and Field Team recorded its best performances in school history, winning back-to-back NCAA Outdoor National Championship titles. In addition to her work with the team, she taught the undergraduate level sport psychology class and worked for the Athletics Department in the Office of Student Services and Life Skills.

In conjunction with her sport psychology training, Lisa has worked in the sports medicine field as an Athletic Trainer for various institutions and organizations. While at Temple University Hospital’s Department of Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, she designed and implemented a comprehensive psychological skills training program for patients recovering from athletic injuries. Lisa’s work enabled patients to recover and return to sport specific activity at an accelerated rate with fewer setbacks and complications. Her range of experience in both sports medicine and sport psychology has provided Lisa the opportunity to be published in several professional journals and present for various conferences and organizations including the Athletic Trainers Association of Florida and the U.S. Army’s Warrior Transition Unit.

Education and Professional Organizations

Lisa has established herself within the applied field of performance enhancement training through her professional experiences as well as her educational background. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Sport Psychology at Florida State University and holds a M.Ed. in Kinesiology from Temple University and B.S. in Exercise and Sports Sciences from Florida International University. Lisa is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and is Board Certified with BCIA (Biofeedback Certification International Alliance).

Marcus Washington, MEd, BCB 

Marcus Washington, M.Ed – Peak Performance Center Director, has extensive experience working with athletes, educators, students, and veterans. He has worked as an athletic counselor, academic coach, adventure course group facilitator, and independent performance consultant prior to joining our APEX Performance team. Marcus has worked with various collegiate level teams and a diverse range of student-athletes at Springfield College helping them achieve exceptional performance both on and off the field. His professional football background has reinforced his strong commitment to mental skill development as the key component for differentiating good performance capabilities from optimal performance capabilities and has made him a valuable asset to peak performance skills training.

Professional Experience and Accomplishments 

As a Peak Performance Program Director for Apex Performance, Marcus is currently focused on individually working with wounded veterans to develop key peak performance mental skills that facilitate self-awareness, empowerment, self-regulation and self mastery. He currently directs the APEX Center and program supporting the TRACK program for the Wounded Warrior Project organization in San Antonio, TX. WWP's TRACK program offers wounded warriors an integrated approach to address long-term needs for education and training, advocacy, and secondary rehabilitative care for the MIND, BODY and SPIRIT. TRACK is the first education and training center in the nation designed specifically for wounded warriors.

Before coming to APEX, Marcus has worked in a variety of settings as a performance consultant ranging from assisting collegiate level athletes with developing optimal individual performance skills, enhancing group cohesion within team-settings by utilizing experiential activities to boost performance levels, and helping to develop basic learning skills for more efficient management and execution as an academic coach.

Marcus remains involved with the advancement of the field of sports psychology as a presenter at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference on ‘Breaking into the Field of Sport Psychology’. He will be co-facilitating a workshop for professionals and peers in the field of sport psychology at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology annual conference that is entitled ‘Bringing Sport to Life: Using Experiential Learning to Enhance Sport Psychology Team Workshops’.

He has always aspired to serve the public and continue his education towards earning his doctorate. Upon completing his professional athletic career his new mission is to help individuals remove limiting, restrictive barriers and find a sense of empowerment that will yield endless potential to reach success.

His current work has focused on delivering peak performance programs to include workshops, seminars, team building and individual consulting. He delivers these programs by combining peak performance mental skills and advanced biofeedback technologies to develop and enhance clients’ results.

Education and Professional Organizations

Marcus does an exceptional job at applying performance enhancement training through his professional experiences as well as his educational background. He has earned his M.Ed. in Athletic Counseling from Springfield College, and B.S. in Psychology from Bridgewater College. Marcus is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and Eastern Psychological Association as well as an AmeriCorp Alumni member. Marcus is Board Certified with BCIA (Biofeedback Certification International Alliance).

James Schwabach, MS, BCB

James Schwabach, M.S., BCB – APEX Peak Performance Program Trainer, has worked in the field of peak performance training with academic, business, and athletic populations. He has been a mental conditioning coach and sport psychology consultant with clients from over 25 countries. He has educated and trained individuals and groups on key mental skill competencies that are essential for achieving optimal performance. His diverse work experiences in mental skills training within different cultures have given him a strong foundation in the area of peak performance mental skills training.

Professional Experience and Accomplishments

As an APEX Peak Performance Program Trainer, James has worked on an individual basis with NCAA D1 athletes, professional golfers, bank executives, and military veterans. He has also worked with teams from some of the most successful companies working in such industries as medical technology, corporate talent development, and innovation. APEX Performance provides individual and team development to leaders and professionals in all fields. The program enhances performance through a unique combination of personalized mental skills training, executive coaching and advanced biofeedback technology which quantifies and measures a person’s growth and improvement. The APEX training helps clients achieve desired results by enhancing their performance and impacting their communications, adaptive thinking, decision making, problem solving, attention control and interpersonal interactions.

James has also conducted several educational workshops for a variety of academic institutions, Olympic teams, and professional athletes focusing on the key elements of mental skills training.

Prior to joining APEX, James worked in a variety of settings including the Australian Institute of Sport, consulting with individual Olympic and Paralympic athletes. James continued his work in the field of mental skills training at IMG Academies in Bradenton, FL where he consulted with prospective NFL and NBA players, along with numerous collegiate golf and tennis players. More recently, James taught psychology at SUNY Herkimer, a community college that encourages college enrollment for veterans and provides transition assistance.

His work has focused on delivering peak performance programs to include workshops, seminars, team building and individual consulting. Now with APEX, James delivers tailored programs by combining peak performance mental skills education and advanced biofeedback technologies to develop and enhance clients’ results.

Education and Professional Organizations

James has established himself within the applied field of performance enhancement training through his professional experiences as well as his educational background. He holds a M.S. in Exercise Science with a specialization in sports psychology from Ithaca College (NY) and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Spanish from Union College (NY). James is Board Certified with BCIA (Biofeedback Certification International Alliance). James is currently working toward professional certification with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

 

 

Robert E. Longo, MRC, LPC, NCC, BCN Associate Fellow 

Robert Longo is in private practice specializing in QEEG Brain Mapping, Biofeedback, and Neurofeedback.  In addition to his private practice in Lexington, NC, Rob is a neurofeedback clinician at Integrative Therapies in Greensboro, NC, and a contract clinician providing neurofeedback services at Timber Ridge Treatment Center in Gold Hill, NC where he works with troubled youth.  Rob’s focus is on treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, attentional problems, and treating persons with head injuries.  Rob is co-author of Doing Neurofeedback: An Introduction, (Soutar, R. & Longo, R.E. (2011). co-leads weekly webinars with Dr. Richard Soutar; and he began specializing in QEEG Brain Mapping and Neurofeedback in 2007. 

Ethical Standard for Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Professionals

Practitioners who use biofeedback and neurofeedback with clients and patients are obligated to use the ethics for their profession and/or licensure as well as follow the ethical guidelines and standards established by BCIA, AAPB, and ISNR.

This workshop with focus on ethics and standards of practice for persons using biofeedback and or Neurofeedback in their clinical work.  dilemmas, challenges will be discussed and case examples provided.

This presentation is important for Biofeedback and Neurofeedback Clinicians and administrators of programs using Biofeedback and Neurofeedback.

• Participants will understand and be able to list 10 biofeedback principles and ethical responsibilities.
• Participants will understand and be able to list 10 neurofeedback principles and ethical responsibilities.
• Participants will understand and be able to identify scope of practice related and legal concerns.
• Participants will be able to describe methods for working with difficult patients and clients.

The limitations and most common risks of this presentation and it’s material include:

1)      Malpractice Issues.

2)      Know your equipment.

3)      Practitioners should seek guidance and supervision in using Biofeedback and Neurofeedback.

4)      Weekly progress assessment should be used with all patients being treated.

5)      Clinicians should work within their scope of practice.

 

JP Ginsberg, PhD

Dr. Ginsberg is a Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist with joint appointments at the Dorn VA Medical Center and University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC.  He performs psychological/neuropsychological evaluations of Veterans, and his primary research interest is in how PTSD disrupts normal autonomic cardiac adjustments to environmental stimuli and interferes with cognitive appraisal during orienting response. He has recently finished data collection on a DoD-funded study of HRV Biofeedback treatment for PTSD in combat Veterans, showing clinically and statistically significant benefits. He has authored or co-authored 34 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts, and one book chapter. He is on the editorial boards of Frontiers in Psychology, Clinical Settings and Austin Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Cognitive Science; an ad hoc reviewer for Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy; Stress; Neuropsychology; Clinical and Translational Immunology; and  International Journal of Psychophysiology; and scientist reviewer of grant proposals for the AIBS, DoD, and NIH.

HRV Biofeedback and Self-Regulation of Autonomic Cardiac Adjustments in PTSD

 

The association between autonomic cardiac adjustments and successful processing of information from environmental stimulation has been known for decades (e.g. ‘intake-rejection’, ‘cardiovascular learning’, ‘defense reflex’).  There has been much scientific literature published in recent years on 'HRV Coherence', (e.g. the 0.1 Hz peak or vagal tone). We now understand that the central mechanisms of Coherence are baroreflex resonance and vagal afference.  It is now known that HRV is diminished in PTSD (as well as in depression and other anxiety  disorders).  HRV Biofeedback produces Coherence and leads to improvement in emotional self-regulation and early stage information processing. There is burgeoning research showing HRV Biofeedback reduces symptoms of PTSD (and the other behavioral disorders).  Recent work on chaotic properties of the autonomic nervous system is showing that nonlinear complexity in HRV is also related to health and survival, and may be rooted in the fundamental physiology of HRV Coherence.

Everyone interested in the basics of HRV, relationships between HRV and the orienting response, mechanisms of HRV Biofeedback, or the benefits of HRV Biofeedback in the treatment of PTSD should attend.

• Explain the dependence of appraisal and action on HRV Coherence
• Define HRV Coherence and describe the method for quantifying it
• Describe how HRV Biofeedback produces HRV Coherence
• Discuss the application of HRV Biofeedback in the clinical treatment of PTSD and how HRV Coherence indicates self-regulation and predicts improved mood and cognitive performance

 

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