Instructor:  Donald Moss, PhD

Course description:  (90-minute webinar)

Current neuroscience and psychophysiological research document autonomic and central nervous system processes that underlie compassion, social affiliation, cognitive flexibility, perspective-taking, and overall cognitive function. Each of these variables are among the goals of psychotherapy. Effective psychotherapy optimizes human caring and connection and enables patients to gain understanding and perspective on their lives.

Autonomic processes and brain processes interact here. Julia Wendt and Julian Thayer (20024) proposed that heart rate variability (HRV) is an index of pre-frontal cortical functionality. Autonomic regulation enhances the function in our brain's control center and facilitates regulation of emotional brain centers such as the amygdala. Wendt and Thayer also state that lower HRV is a "transdiagnostic marker for psychopathology". The less HRV is present, the more psychological problems mount. Social engagement is also affected here. Paul Gilbert described the critical role of the hormone oxytocin and vagal/parasympathetic input in human caring, connectedness, and compassion. Stephen Porges (2011, 2022) emphasized that the ventral vagal system provides the evolutionary foundation for attachment processes, social bonds, and the critical feelings of safety necessary for health human development. Bornemann et al. (2019, p4) summarized extensive research in this area: "Previous research has established that vagal regulation underpins social engagement, particularly, caregiving, and altruistic behaviours."

This presentation proposes that adding psychophysiological interventions, such as breath training and heart rate variability training, to psychotherapy, moves the process of psychotherapeutic transformation forward, in: 1) facilitating human caring and compassion, 2) optimizing emotional regulation, and 3) enhancing cognitive flexibility, perspective taking, and executive functioning.

Who is the Audience:

Psychologists, mental health clinicians, medical providers, social workers, educators/researchers

Level:  Intermediate
 
Specific Learning objectives:

Based on the content of this presentation, the participant will be able to:

• Identify autonomic and central nervous system processes impacting cognitive flexibility and perspective taking.
• Identify autonomic and central nervous system processes impacting human caring, compassion, and social engagement.
• Explain linkages between ventral vagal system, heart rate variability, and hormone oxytocin.
• Identify respiratory training that facilitates compassion, emotion regulation, and cognitive function.
• Identify psychophysiological interventions that optimize psychotherapeutic processes, in affective, social, and cognitive domains.

Fees: Webinar fee is $65.00 for all ISNR members. The fee for non-members is $90.00.  Student fee is $22 (email office@ISNR.org to receive coupon code).  NRBS members who are NOT members of ISNR receive a 15% discount.

Continuing Education:

• CE certificate is a separate fee of $15.00 for 1.5 CE credits.
• 1.5 CE credits (Language listed below.*)
• Purchase CE credit HERE.
• This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 1.5 CE credits.

Credits:

This activity qualifies for 90 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your course outline and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.

• BCIA will issue 1.5 credits towards BCIA re-certification for full attendance at this webinar.
• IQCB will issue 1.5 credits towards IQCB recertification for full attendance at this webinar as non-qeeg specific credit.

Instructor: 

Dr. Donald Moss is Professor and Dean, College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, at Saybrook University, Pasadena, CA. He is a clinical health psychologist, certified in biofeedback and hypnosis. His research interests are in integrative healthcare, palliative care, and lifestyle medicine, Moss is the ethics chair for the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance. He is the education chair, publications chair, and president-elect for the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH). He previously served as president of SCEH, president of Division 30 (hypnosis) of the American Psychological Association, and president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. He also serves as a consulting editor for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, and the Annals of Palliative Medicine.

Moss is co-author with Fredric Shaffer of A Primer of Biofeedback (AAPB, 2022), and co-author with Angele McGrady of Your Pathway through Chronic Illness (Pavilion, in press), Integrative Pathways: Navigating Chronic Illness with a Mind-Body-Spirit Approach (Springer, 2018), and Pathways to Illness, Pathways to Health (Springer, 2013). 

Moss is co-editor of several scholarly books, including The Integration of Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology (Oxford University Press, 2024), Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (AAPB, 2023), Mindfulness, Compassion, and Biofeedback Practice (AAPB, 2020), Physiological Recording Technology and Applications in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (AAPB, 2019), Foundations of Heart Rate Variability (AAPB, 2016), Handbook of Mind Body Medicine for Primary Care (Sage, 2003), and Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology (Greenwood Press, 1999).

Disclosure: There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.

Satisfactory Completion:

Satisfactory Completion: Participants must have paid tuition fee, signed in, attended the entire seminar, completed an evaluation, and signed out in order to receive a certificate. Failure to sign in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates available after satisfactory course completion.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.

Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.  

Refund/cancellation policy:

If you sign up and pay for a webinar but are unable to attend the live presentation, you will be provided with access to the recorded webinar; refunds will not be issued.

ISNR is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. ISNR is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to bring their concerns up during the question and discussion period, typically held at the end of the presentation. A moderator will be available during the presentation. If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them.

Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to

Susan Alvarez, ISNR Executive Director

ISNR 2146 Roswell Road, Suite 108, PMB 736, Marietta, GA 30062

Tel: 703-848-1994

office@ISNR.org

Because these presentations will be done online, it will be the responsibility of the participant to provide adequate and appropriate computer availability as well as Internet connections that will support this webinar. All efforts and reasonable accommodations will be made to make the information accessible to persons with disabilities.

While this presentation offers no risk in and of itself, it is the responsibility of the individual attendee to determine any risks involved in the implementation of the contents of this presentation.