Workshop - Piotr Sobaniec, BCIA-BCN

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Effective intervention in patients with autism and ADHD.
Tips and tricks for successful neurotherapy.
Piotr Sobaniec, BCIA-BCN
1-day Workshop

This workshop will assist participants to understand the basic concepts of neurofeedback training protocols and possible cognitive strategies used in the treatment of children with autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disabilities. It will demonstrate how to improve clinical studies and everyday private practise with neurofeedback.

Presented material is based on our experiences gained from numerous studies conducted at the Department of Pediatrics Neurology and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland and Neuromaster Centre in Białystok as well as supervising in various pedagogical and psychological clinics in Poland. Suggested approach consists of a model of cooperation between interdisciplinary therapists and conducting evidence-based therapy with QEEG and ERP analysis. Furthermore, during the workshop 10 points will be discussed that should be considered in planning successful therapy along with another 10 points about what should be avoided.


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About Piotr Sobaniec

Piotr Sobaniec is a Ph.D. student at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland, working for the Department of Pediatrics, Neurology and Rehabilitation. His main clinical work concerns therapy in children with autism and ADHD. Other interests include EEG, QEEG and ERP analysis. In his academic work he is the main lecturer regarding bio and neurofeedback and tutors students pursuing their Masters in neurophysiology.

He first entered the neuro field in the early 2000s, but continuous work and further progress has been ongoing since 2005. With over nine years of experience in the field of medical and biomedical work, he is looking for a challenging post as a clinical therapist that will help enhance his knowledge and hone his skills. He is always interested in new opportunities that will allow him to further his skills and experience in neurotherapy, electroencephalography and biofeedback.

In the 2012 he studied at the ADD Centre, Toronto with Drs. Lynda and Michael Thompson. He fulfilled all requirements and became the first person to be BCIA - Board Certified in Neurofeedback in Poland. Since then, he has become a lecturer conducting workshops and consultations for new neurotherapists. He founded and manages the Neuromaster - Podlaskie Centre of Neurophysiology, Bialystok, Poland.

e-mail: piotr.sobaniec@neuromaster.pl
web: www.neuromaster.pl
www.facebook.com/neuromaster
 

Workshop - Marianna Munafò

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Biofeedback della variabilità della frequenza cardiaca (HRV): concetti base e aspetti applicativi
Marianna Munafò
2-day Workshop

Negli ultimi anni, l’interesse verso lo studio e l’analisi della variabilità cardiaca è cresciuto in maniera esponenziale, sia in ambito clinico che sportivo. Il grande interesse suscitato da questo parametro fisiologico nasce dalla possibilità di impiegarlo come misura estremamente sensibile dello stato di salute fisica e psicologica dell’individuo. I diversi indici, che è possibile ottenere analizzando la variabilità cardiaca, permettono infatti di stimare, in modo non invasivo, l’attività del sistema nervoso autonomo (simpatico e parasimpatico/vagale). La possibilità, non solo di conoscere l’equilibrio dinamico delle due branche del sistema nervoso autonomo, ma anche di poterlo influenzare attraverso specifici esercizi cardiorespiratori, ha portato ben presto allo sviluppo di training di biofeedback della variabilità cardiaca. Nell’arco di due decenni, si è assistito al fiorire di numerosi studi con l’obiettivo di testare l’efficacia di tali training nel trattamento di diverse patologie (disturbi d’ansia, asma, depressione, …) ma anche in situazioni di normalità, in ambito lavorativo, sociale o sportivo, per aumentare la coordinazione dei diversi sistemi fisiologici, migliorare le performance atletiche, cognitive e di regolazione emozionale dell’individuo.

Obiettivo della prima giornata del workshop sarà di definire e spiegare il significato funzionale della variabilità cardiaca, illustrando le sue origini psicofisiologiche ed i sistemi implicati nella sua regolazione. In seguito, oltre ad elencare e descrivere i principali indici di variabilità, è prevista una parte pratica in cui i partecipanti avranno la possibilità di ricavare le misure di variabilità cardiaca a partire da registrazioni eseguite in aula, in diverse condizioni.

Durante la seconda giornata, verranno illustrati i concetti chiave (autoregolazione, motivazione, consegne, esercizi, …), necessari ad impostare e condurre un training di biofeedback della variabilità cardiaca. Verranno eseguite delle simulazioni di sedute, impiegando la strumentazione disponibile, al fine di sperimentare in aula la conduzione di un training.

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Marianna Munafò 

Marianna Munafò è una psicobiologa, specializzata in Psicofisiologia Clinica. Ha conseguito il Dottorato di Ricerca presso l’Università di Padova, vincendo il premio nazionale dell’Associazione Italiana di Psicologia (AIP). Ha vinto diverse borse di studio presso l’Università degli Studi di Padova per la conduzione di ricerche e progetti nazionali nell’ambito della psicofisiologia clinica e sperimentale, finanziate anche dalla fondazione ANMIL (Associazione Nazionale fra Lavoratori Mutilati ed Invalidi del Lavoro) e da Confindustria Vicenza. Ha lavorato per 3 anni come consulente psicologa per lo sviluppo e la gestione di percorsi di Biofeedback e Neurofeedback per la gestione dello stress in ambito aziendale e sportivo. Da diversi anni svolge attività di valutazione psicofisiologica e consulenza presso il Servizio di Psicofisiologia per i Disturbi d'ansia e Psicosomatici dell’Università di Padova (L.I.RI.P.A.C, Laboratori Interdipartimentali per la Ricerca Applicata e Clinica) e di formazione universitaria e post universitaria (master, corsi di specializzazione, perfezionamento, …). E’ oggi co fondatore e Project Manager dell’area “Gestione dello stress lavorativo” della INSIDE S.r.l, azienda impegnata nello sviluppo di interventi mirati al miglioramento del benessere psicofisiologico della persona ed all’aumento della performance, in particolar modo in condizioni di stress, in contesti aziendali e sportivi.

Workshop - Frank DeGregorio

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General Introduction to Biofeedback Peripherals Workshop
Frank DeGregorio
1-day Pre-Conference Workshop

This 1-day workshop is for researchers and health professionals who want to learn how to use the latest "cutting edge" biofeedback technology. The morning session provides an overview of the key features of the BioGraph Infiniti 6.0 software and hardware. Software suites that can be showcased include Neurofeedback, Physiology, Rehab-Muscle, Z-Score, HRV and Reaction Time.

During the afternoon session, participants will have a "hands-on" experience using Surface Electromyography (SEMG), Respiration, Temperature, Skin Conductance, Electroencephalography (EEG), Heart Rate and Electrocardiology (EKG) with audio and visual multimedia biofeedback screens.

(This workshop is NOT limited to current BioGraph Infiniti users only. Clinicians who have an interest in Biofeedback and in BioGraph Infiniti but do not currently possess our equipment are welcome to register.)

This course has been approved by BCIA to provide 7 hours of ategory A accredited continuing education for BCIA re-certification.

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About Frank DeGregorio

Frank DeGregorio has a Diplome d'Etudes Collegiales (DEC) in Computer Science and Networking and a Certificate as a Programming Analyst. He has over 20 years of experience as technical, network, computer and high-level troubleshooting for Thought Technology. In addition, he has over 12 years of experience teaching BioGraph workshops with Lynda Thompson, Ph.D. and had the opportunity to attend a wide variety of workshops held by clinicians such as Dr. Barry Sterman, Dr. Tanju Surmeli, Dr. Don Moss and Dr. Richard Gevirtz, Dr. Erik Peper and Dr. Vietta Sue Wilson. Frank's extensive knowledge of all the product software and hardware offered by Thought Technology gives him the unique ability to take participants from installation of the software to using it effectively.

Workshop - Antonio Martins-Mourao, Ph.D.

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Biomarkers for Anxiety disorders (OCD and PTSD): implications for the design of effective neurotherapy protocols
Antonio Martins-Mourao, Chartered Clin. Psych., PhD
1-day Workshop

What does Anxiety look like in the EEG? This workshop presents an in-depth clinical guide to the identification of neurophysiological subtypes, or EEG-phenotypes, for Anxiety disorders with the focus on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD). OCD is an anxiety-related mental health condition affecting 3% of the population. Sufferers experience frequent obsessional thoughts, often resulting in compulsions, impulses or urges. However, symptoms of OCD vary considerably from the ‘mild’ double checking of locks and appliances when leaving home, to the more compulsive hand washing, or the need to keep items symmetrical and object hoarding. You will be introduced to group data and case studies showing neurophysiological differences between subgroups with Anxiety, OCD and healthy controls, and how these differences impact the scores obtained on behavioural questionnaires like the YBOCS (OCD scale) and the MMPI-2-RF (psychopathology scale). We will also discuss how the EEG may predict the best medication for individual cases. Given that nearly half of OCD patients currently fail to respond to drug treatments (Pallanti et al., 2002; Bandelow & Ruther, 2004), this emerging approach represents a clear development from the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ classification of behavior solely based on diagnostic manuals such as the DSM-IV. In this 1-day workshop you will learn:

(1) the basics of how to record, deartifact and interpret a QEEG recording,
(2) how to identify the main EEG-phenotypes underlying Anxiety and OCD, and
(3) how to design effective protocols that may predict individual response to neurotherapy and enhanced clinical outcomes within shorter periods.

Intended audience:  psychologists, psychotherapists, physicians, graduate students, neurofeedback practitioners, and other mental health care professionals with an interest in QEEG and neurofeedback integration for treatment planning.

Learning objectives: By the end of this workshop participants will have an understanding of the various neurophysiological and behavioural subtypes found in patients with Anxiety disorders and how this information may support the design personalised neurofeedback protocols for these patients.


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About Antonio Martins-Mourao, Chartered Clin. Psych., PhD

Antonio Martins-Mourao is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist (BPS) with additional training in Neurophysiology, Neuropsychology and a PhD in Psychology awarded by the University of London. He formerly ran the QEEG & Brain Research Lab (Open University, UK), which pioneered the use of psychological testing, Quantitative Electroencephalography QEEG, Event-related ERP and Neurofeedback techniques to investigate psychological and neurophysiological subtypes in patients with Anxiety Disorders (OCD and PTSD). Antonio is clinical director at London Scientific Neurotherapy (Harley St., London). He is also a member of the British Neuroscience Association BNA, the Society for Applied Neuroscience SAN and a member of the board for the International Society for Neurofeedback Research - Research Foundation ISNR-RF. His other interests include theology, comparative religion and screenwriting.

Workshop - Dr. Penny Werthner & Marc Saab, MEng.

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Practical Applications of Biofeedback and Neurofeedback in Sports
Penny Werthner, PhD, Marc Saab, MEng.
2-day Workshop

Penny Werthner, PhD, has, since 2006, been using the tools of biofeedback, neurofeedback, and psychophysiological assessment to complement her practice with high performance athletes and coaches.  The techniques are based on quantification of the autonomic nervous system for use in a self-regulation paradigm.  This offers the athlete the awareness of how their individual stress response can manifest itself physiologically, as the production of adrenaline and cortisol introduce short and long term changes in the muscles and organs of the body.  With that awareness in place, the athlete can begin self-regulation training to build performance based strategies for conscious control of the underlying mechanisms.  Anxiety response, mental acuity, reaction time and recovery time are fine-tuned, essentially offering the athlete tools to maximize the probability of effortless performance.   Athletes learn to associate physiological markers with moments of excellence, essentially learning to enter the sought-after “zone” more quickly and for longer periods of time and to control the moments that can hinder performance.   The strategies for awareness, mental and emotional preparation, performance and recovery are all addressed using similar technique, used by athletes and coaches to prepare psychologically for both the training environment and the highly stressful environment of Olympic Games and World Championships.

This workshop will:

• Present the underlying mechanisms of the ANS response to stress and describe the manifestation in context of elite athletic training and performance
• allow participants to understand how to work effectively with athletes and coaches to integrate the methods in a formal training paradigm
• delineate the key psychological skills necessary for athletes to develop
• discuss and demonstrate relevant assessment tools and methods for use of biofeedback and neurofeedback with athletes
• discuss the importance of including coaches in the learning process
• utilize several case studies of Olympic medalists to illustrate how to individualize the specific training protocols
• discuss the critical techniques required for effective transfer of the skills to the training and competitive setting

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Dr. Penny Werthner

Penny Werthner, PhD, is Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. She is a former Olympic athlete in Athletics and has worked with coaches and athletes over the span of nine summer and winter Olympic Games, from the 1988 winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada to the more recent 2012 summer Olympic Games in London, UK and 2014 winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. She has worked with athletes and their coaches in sports such as white water and flat water canoe kayak, diving, speed skating, athletics and para athletics, cycling, women’s ice hockey, and women’s soccer. She teaches sport psychology skills and leadership skills to national coaches through the Canadian National Coaching Certification Program.

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Marc Saab, MEng

Marc Saab is the Director of Peak Performance for Montreal based Thought Technology Ltd.. Thought Technology has worked with athletes and top executive performers in self-regulation for over 35 years, becoming a leader in the technology that is becoming increasingly important in sport performance. In 2006, Marc collaborated with the Director of Sports Psychology of Italy’s AC Milan, Dr Bruno DeMichelis, to create the Mind Room, a specialized centre within Milan Lab for peak performance biofeedback and neurofeedback. Since then, professional and Olympic teams all over the world have implemented similar technology and methodology to better prepare for performance. Marc holds a Masters of Biomedical Engineering from McGill University and the Montreal Neurological Institute. His published research includes automatic early detection of epileptic seizures and other neurophysiological events in scalp and depth electroencephalography, and several articles discussing neurophysiology and peak performance. He lives in Montreal, Canada with his wife, daughter and their two dogs.

Workshop - Dr. Lindsay Thornton

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Applied Work with Athletes in Olympic Sport
Dr. Lindsay Thornton
2-day Workshop

Abstract: Psychophysiological assessment and training tools, including biofeedback and neurofeedback, are increasingly integrated with sport psychology services for elite and Olympic level athletes. This workshop will detail Dr. Thornton’s working model of a typical psychophysiology session with high performers. Demonstrations of a thorough assessment (1 ½ hours) and a brief assessment (4 minutes) will be completed. The screens, thresholds, reward guidelines and timing of training will then be presented. Elite athletes (as compared to clinical populations) learn to quickly control states such as focusing, calming, and quieting the mind. The skills to be used within the performance (cue words, intention, quieting, parking, etc.) will be matched with the desired psychophysiological states. How to prioritize and incorporate the office skill training with the actual performance needs will be illustrated with examples from several different sports. In this workshop, examples of the assessment-to-training plan development will be reviewed with an emphasis on the transfer of self-regulation skills to a high pressure competitive environment. Case studies with Olympic level athletes using including QEEG, neurofeedback and biofeedback will be shared. The goal of how to provide and tailor real time feedback to athletes regarding shifts in physiological states and enhance their mastery of state regulation will be demonstrated. The use of other technologies in the assessment and development of wellbeing and performance of athletes will be discussed.

Intended Audience: Individuals who work with elite performers, those who have to produce quality performance typically under the stress of time or importance (athletes, musicians, executives, surgeons, etc., will be highlighted. It will be assumed that the clinician knows the basics of neurofeedback and biofeedback.

Learning objectives: Participants will learn:

• How biofeedback is used with elite/Olympic athlete
• A preliminary understanding of psychophysiology 
• How biofeedback/neurofeedback can be used in practice

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About Dr. Lindsay Thornton

Lindsay Thornton, EdD, is a sport psychologist at the United States Olympic Committee, specializing in performance applications of psychophsiology. She has her Ed.M and Ed.D from Boston University in Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in sport performance. Dr. Thornton trained under Dr. Len Zaichkowsky and Dr. Vietta Wilson for her focus in applied psychophysiology. Dr. Thornton’s doctoral work examined the application of biofeedback and neurofeedback training program to create an optimal pre-performance state and improve competitive performance. She received her neurofeedback training from Michael and Lynda Thompson (at the ADD Centre - the Neurofeedback Institute of Toronto), in assessment and application for functional cognitive deficits. She has also received QEEG training from Jay Gunkleman and ERP training from Juri Kropotov. She is licensed as a psychologist, and is board certified in biofeedback and neurofeedback by BCIA. Dr. Thornton has developed, advised and provided training for psychophysiology labs in elite athlete training centers domestically and abroad. She has spoken at various national conferences on the influence of the mind and brain on performance and health, and reciprocally, the neurocognitive influence of exercise on cognition and emotion. She is intrigued by the prospect of identifying psychophysiological markers for elite performance and using technology to enhance recovery and performance.

Workshop - Drs. Lynda and Michael Thompson

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BCIA Neurofeedback Program
5-day Workshop
Drs. Lynda and Michael Thompson

This workshop is designed to train professionals to effectively carry out basic Neurofeedback (NFB) and Biofeedback (BFB) interventions in order to optimize the performance of their clients or to ameliorate the symptoms of a variety of disorders that have been shown to respond to the combination of NFB and BFB. The material covered in the workshop meets the requirements of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance for the didactic knowledge portion of their certification process. (For the full certification requirements, see www.bcia.org.) We will cover the basics and also introduce participants to more advanced methodologies, including LORETA NFB, z-score training, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Designing interventions that are based on integrating knowledge of clinical symptoms, knowledge of functional neuroanatomy, and knowledge of quantitative EEG analysis will be emphasized. Demonstrations will augment the lecture material.

1st Day: Introduction to Neurofeedback including scientific basis for NFB, basic terms & definitions, understanding the EEG, origin of the EEG, montages, removing artifacts, single channel assessment, learning theory (operant & classical conditioning) as it applies to NFB, designing training sessions, tracking results.

2nd Day: Psychophysiological stress assessment, how to effectively run neurofeedback sessions that combine NFB with heart rate variability and other biofeedback variables. Case examples will include ADHD, learning disabilities, seizure disorders, and anxiety.

3rd Day: Basic Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology will be covered to provide the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical rationale for combining HRV with NFB to improve performance in executives and athletes and assist people who have had a concussion. The third day will cover international 10-20 sites and their relation to Brodmann Areas (BA’s), the basics of understanding functions of BAs and neural networks, and an explanation of Brain Maps & LORETA. Case examples will be used extensively.

4th Day: Assessment and treatment of disorders such as Depression, Anxiety and Panic Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, Asperger’s and Autistic Spectrum Disorders, plus other problems as requested by participants.

5th Day: Review of other required material from the BCIA Blueprint of Knowledge such as basic statistics, research design, levels of efficacy based on research, data bases, slow cortical potentials, evoked potentials (ERPs), medication effects, adjunctive techniques and ethics.


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About Lynda Thompson, Ph.D.

 Lynda Thompson, Ph.D. is a Psychologist who has done teaching, clinical psychology, school psychology and owned learning centers. She became Executive Director of The ADD Centre in Toronto in 1993 after discovering the world of Neurofeedback and deciding to specialize in that intervention. Her doctoral dissertation (1979) dealt with hyperactive children treated with methylphenidate. She is co-author with William Sears of "The A.D.D. Book: New Understandings, New Approaches to Parenting Your Child". Since beginning a centre for biofeedback she has published 9 book chapters, and 14 journal articles with an emphasis on ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Seizure disorders and stress management. She takes an active part in the main organizations concerning biofeedback, is a past Board Member of both the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) and the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), and was Chair of the Education Committee and Treasurer of the Neurofeedback Division of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB). With her husband, Michael Thompson, M.D. she co-authored The Neurofeedback Book: An Introduction to Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology (2003). They have been invited to teach about neurofeedback and biofeedback in 25 countries on five continents and present frequently at professional meetings in these fields.


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About Michael Thompson, M.D.

Michael Thompson, M.D. devotes his time to the administration of the Biofeedback Institute of Toronto and teaching about neurofeedback plus biofeedback. When formerly practicing medicine he was Medical Director of London Psychiatric Hospital; Associate Professor and head of post-graduate education in Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario; examiner for the Royal College of Physicians (Canada) for 10 years and chairman of their examinations committee in psychiatry. Numerous professional publications include A Resident’s Guide to Psychiatric Education. While Associate Professor, University of Toronto, he was psychiatric consultant to The Hospital for Sick Children’s neurology department and director of a centre that specialized in treating pre-school children with autistic spectrum disorders. Recent work has included more than 120 professional presentations and workshops on 5 continents and in more than 25 countries focused on assessment and training using EEG and peripheral Biofeedback.

Prior to doing Neurofeedback, Dr. Thompson had more than 20 peer reviewed journal publications, 7 professional textbook chapters, one book and more than 100 presentations with a major focus on training psychiatrists, child development, attention deficit, learning, autism, and handling neurological illnesses. Since beginning a centre for biofeedback he has published with Dr. Lynda Thompson, 5 book chapters, and 14 journal articles on ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and stress management, as well as books including the basic textbook in the field, The Neurofeedback Book: An Introduction to Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology.

Workshop - Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D.

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Basics of the ClinicalQ Database and Braindriving
Paul G. Swingle, Ph.D.
1-day Workshop

Neurotherapy is rapidly evolving into a primary care option for many disorders. Problems with mood, anxiety, sleep quality, learning, cognitive processing, pain, addictions, anger management, and age related memory are all amenable to rapid assessment and treatment. The assessment procedures are simple and straight forward involving assessment of a limited number of brain sites. Treatment options other than neurofeedback have been developed to markedly accelerate neurotherapy. These complementary techniques markedly facilitate neurotherapy as a viable primary care alternative to dangerous and often ineffective pharmaceuticals.

The workshop starts with the precise ClinicalQ assessment procedure that determines treatment strategies. Emphasis is on Braindriving treatment procedures including review of major unconditioned stimuli required for treatment. Other treatment options including neurofeedback, AVS, CES, energy psychology methods, craniosacral manipulations, harmonic sounds, electrostimulation, and behavior therapies appropriate for a wide range of disorders are presented. Practitioners will be able to immediately apply these efficient techniques. Conditions that require full QEEG and normative data base procedures will be identified as will conditions in which the more aggressive treatments are contraindicated.

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Neurotherapeutic Treatment of Depression
Paul D. Swingle, Ph.D.
1-day Workshop

Neurotherapy has been shown to be very efficient for treatment of the many forms of “depression.” Most important, EEG assessments based on clinical normed data bases precisely identifies the various forms of this condition and critically identifies those conditions that are mistakenly treated as depression. Severe anxiety, for example, has a very different neurological profile from depression but clients often report “depression” because their lives are in shambles as a result of disabling anxiety.

Many clinical clients also have histories of emotional trauma and many also present for treatment as a result of on-going or recent traumatic stress. The ClinicalQ assessment helps identify those conditions that may be more efficaciously treated with therapies other than those neurologically based.

The ClinicalQ EEG intake assessment is remarkably accurate for identifying clients with unresolved post-traumatic stress, endogenous predispositions to depression or anxiety as well as other conditions that mimic “depression.” Combining the EEG markers for “trauma” with endogenous neurological conditions that affect manifestation of depression provide guides for neurotherapeutic treatment.

The workshop reviews the diagnostic procedures for identifying the neurological conditions associated with the client’s symptoms as well as identifying the neurological “foot-print” for exposure to severe emotional stressors that have not been resolved.

Neurotherapy is not a stand-alone treatment modality. The second portion of the workshop, therefore, focuses on the combination of neurotherapy, particularly braindriving technology, with other therapeutic procedures for very effective treatment of the wide array of clinical conditions that are the basis for clients seeking treatment for “depression.”


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About Dr. Paul G. Swingle

Dr. Swingle is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association and a former Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Professor Swingle formerly held the posts of Chairman of the Faculty of Child Psychology and Clinical Supervisor at the University of Ottawa. He has 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 private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia. His most recent book Biofeedback for the Brain (2008) was published by Rutgers University Press.

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About the ClinicalQ nd BrainDryvr Software Suite

Workshop - Lothar Niepoth, Dipl. Psych.

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Biofeedback in the Treatment of Insomnia
Lothar Niepoth, Dipl. Psych.
1-day Workshop

Approximately 8 million people are suffering from psychophysiologic (non-organic) sleeping disorders in Germany – how can Bio- and Neurofeedback be used in the treatment of sleeping disorders?

This one-day-workshop aims at introducing the participants to the basics of sleep disorders, like classification, common diagnostic tools, sleep architecture and relevant comorbidities. Furthermore, you will learn basic knowledge about standard treatment and medication.

There are some sleep disorders that are of special interest to Bio- and Neurofeedback- practitioners thus we will focus on:

• Psychophysiological Insomnia
• Inadequate Sleep Hygiene
• Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders

and differentiate from:

• Insomnia associated with medical disorders
• Insomnia associated with substance-related addiction
• RLS, Apnea, Narcolepsy

When it comes to Biofeedback, a muscle relaxation training of own devising will be presented and trained.

Lots of research has also proven the efficacy of Neurofeedback in the treatment of sleeping disorders – we will discuss the latest study results and practice the implementation of SMR training, theta training and training of sleep spindles. Participants may exercise electrode placement following AASM and detecting common artefacts. Depending on the needs of the participants a digression to brain mapping in diagnostics can be offered.

In recent years, more and more devices have been developed which make an outpatient analysis of one’s EEG-pattern during sleep possible. The pros and cons of those devices will be outlined and discussed.


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About Lothar Niepoth, Dipl. Psych.

Lothar Niepoth, born in 1959, Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist (BT, body-centered therapy), Biofeedback Therapist DGBfb (German Society for Biofeedback) and trainer of the German Society for biofeedback-education. Trainer of Behavioral Therapy and Trainer for Biofeedback (BFB) and Neurofeedback (NFB). Board member of the DGBfb since 2004 and since 2009 president of the DGBfb.

Many years of experience as Clinical Psychologist in hospitals with somatoform disorders and also research. Since 1994 owner of a practice for Psychotherapy and Bio/Neurofeedback in Munich. Also teacher in several universities with BFB in the field of sleeping disorders, hypertension and bruxism.

Several publications in the field of somatoform disorders, Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (e.g. Biofeedback bei Schlafstörungen in: Rief/Birbaumer: Biofeedback, last: Leitlinien und Ausbildung in: Strehl: Neurofeedback - Theoretische Grundlagen - Praktische Vorgehen - Wissenschaftliche Evidenz, 2013).

Workshop - Ralf Nickel

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Brucker-Biofeedback-Method (BBFM)® Biofeedback in Neurological Rehabilitation after Central Nervous System Damage
Ralf Nickel w/ Dr. Nadine Herzig
2-day Workshop

Based on the knowledge that the central nervous system (cns) has long term structural repair capability, alternate cell structures can be utilized to take the functional place of damaged or destroyed cells. The cns also has the possibility of establishing neuro-networking in different ways which is known as neuroplasticity or cortical remapping. This type of neuroplasticity is the basis of our daily biofeedback work in neurological rehabilitation and also in neurofeedback procedures when used properly with operant conditioning paradigms. Evidence from our laboratory founded in 2002 and others world wide, have clearly shown that operant conditioning procedures for learned control of specific neurophysiological responses can lead to significantly greater utilization of surviving cns tissue after damage caused by strokes, brain injuries, cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries, even after years. This workshop will focus on the important variables that clinicians need to understand in order to have most effective functional outcomes from their biofeedback procedures in treating neurological patients.

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About Ralf Nickel

Ralf Nickel was a student of Dr. Bernard Brucker, the developer of a specific biofeedback treatment method in neurological rehabilitation. Working since 2004 with the Brucker-Biofeedback-Method(BBFM)® he is a certified trainer in this method as well.

He is regarded as a qualified expert in the professional field of EMG-biofeedback. Especially working with neurological patients from all over the world who suffer from a central nervous system damage he is an experienced therapist.

Ralf Nickel is the head of the European therapy and training center for the Brucker-Biofeedback-Method® at the Schoen Klinik Muenchen Harlaching and trains therapists in this unique therapeutic method.

RNickel@Schoen-Kliniken.de