About the Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation

The Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of research and education in clinical behavioral medicine with special emphasis on clinical psychophysiologically oriented techniques. We give continuing education distance based courses, hands-on training, aid in design and analysis of psychophysiologically oriented clinical research studies, and provide any other support possible to further the field of clinical psychophysiology.

Clinical behavioral medicine focuses on the amelioration / treatment and prevention of disease through teaching people techniques for recognizing and correcting abnormal physiological responses. The field has a long history of making major contributions to health care in both treatment and prevention arenas. For instance, relaxation techniques are widely recognized as being effective in both the treatment and prevention of headaches. However, the majority of the field’s techniques are only gradually making the transition from alternative medicine to mainstream medicine.

Effective incorporation of behavioral medicine techniques into the treatment of a wide variety of clinical problems has been stymied by (1) the lack of appropriate training in these techniques among health care providers and (2) the frequent poor design and small sample sizes utilized in studies supporting these applications. Even those techniques which have been well documented enough to be acceptable to the health care community, such as biofeedback for fecal incontinence, have not been widely used because few health care providers are trained to apply them effectively.

This unfortunate cycle is being broken at the Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation. This unique facility is bridging the gap between behavioral and traditional medicine by providing education to the health care community and support for high quality research in the field.

Education: The Foundation supports continuing education of licensed / certified clinicians from all health care fields, such as medicine, nursing, psychology / counseling, physical and occupational therapy, and social work in order to assist these clinicians in incorporating behavioral medicine techniques into their practices.

Continuing education courses are currently offered via distance education. Hands-on training in the use of psychophysiological recording devices and patient assessment is provided either in Washington State or through local contacts. Distance education courses include “Biological basis of behavior / basic psychophysiology”, “Anatomy and physiology for behavioral clinicians”, “General Biofeedback (the BCIA certification course)”, “Psychophysiology of pain”, “Research Techniques for Clinicians” and “Behavioral interventions for pelvic floor disorders”. Clinicians who take the Foundation’s core courses are eligible to receive the Foundation’s certificate of professional studies in clinical psychophysiology.

Research: Much of the clinical research in behavioral medicine is problematic because many of the clinicians performing behavioral medicine interventions have had little training in accepted methods of clinical research and have limited access to the current medical literature. The generally poor quality of the small pilot studies which constitute the bulk of work in behavioral medicine has resulted in reluctance of established agencies to support larger demonstration projects. This, in turn, prevents the fledgling researchers from gaining experience in using accepted techniques.

The Foundation hopes to promulgate performance of high quality studies in behavioral medicine in several ways:

(1) The Foundation provides consultation on experimental design and analysis of clinical data to clinicians who wish to perform studies utilizing behavioral medicine techniques.

(2) The Foundation offers a course in clinical research design specifically developed to meet the needs of clinicians whose practices center on behavioral medicine.

(3) The Foundation offers unpaid research fellowships to clinicians who need an affiliation to serve as the central focus of their efforts. The Foundation gives fellowship status to students in our program who are actively pursing research in psychophysiology. The Foundation provides administrative support for grants, etc., project review by our Human Use Committee, and advice on research design and analysis.

Contributions: The Foundation is actively soliciting contributions of funds and useable biofeedback equipment in support of its program.

Funds will be used to (1) support research, (2) help defray tuition costs for professionals from disadvantaged minorities, (3) purchase essential psychophysiological training equipment, and (4) develop internet based courses.

Donated biofeedback equipment can be used as a tax deduction. It will be loaned to students who want to perform research in biofeedback but can not afford their own equipment.

Faculty

Gerald Paul Kozlowski, PhD: Jerry received his doctorate in anatomy and physiology from the niversity of Illinois in 1971 and is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Texas. He is certified by BCIA and taught A&P for the University of Texas as well as the Behavioral Medicine R& T Foundation. He is a competent neurophysiologist with over 30 years of experience in the field. He has had numerous grants to study applied and basic aspects of EEG, and has well over a hundred publications. You can find more at www.gpkozlowski.com.

Richard A. Sherman, PhD: Rich received his doctorate in biology/psychology from New York University in 1973 and is currently Master Instructor at Chapman University as well as Dean of Clinical Psychophysiology at the University of Natural Medicine and Director of the Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation. He is certified by BCIA, approved by BCIA to teach the general biofeedback certification course, and currently teaches A&P, Pain Assessment and Intervention, Research, and Pelvic Floor Disorders for the Behavioral Medicine R& T Foundation. He is a professional psychophysiologist with extensive training and has nearly 30 years of experience in the field. He has had numerous grants to study various aspects of pain mechanisms and interventions and has well over a hundred publications.

Susan Middaugh, Ph.D., PT: Susan received her degree in Physical Therapy in 1965 and her doctorate in experimental physiology in 1971.

She is a professor in the departments of rehabilitation medicine and anesthesia at the medical university of South Carolina and director of its clinical biofeedback program. She also directs the department of rehabilitation medicine’s chronic pain rehabilitation program. Her primary research effort has been directed toward investigating methods for applying basic learning principles in the treatment of patients with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diagnoses. She has a long history of grant support for her research and has published widely in her field with over 100 articles and abstracts in recognized journals.

Alicia L. Townsend, Ph.D.:  Dr. Townsend received her Ph.D. in Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine in 2003 from theUniversity of North Texas in Denton, TX. Her Post-Doctoral clinical, research in Quantitative EEG was at the University of North Texas, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and the PsychoNeuroPlasticity Center with Barbra Peavey. She is licensed in Psychology in the state of Texas. Dr. Townsend currently has six years research, teaching, and clinical experience in Quantitative EEG and Neurofeedback. Her current positions include: QEEG Advisor/Coordinator – University of North Texas Neurotherapy Lab (August 2003-current); Brain Function Analysis Specialist – Lawlis and Peavey PsychoNeuroPlasticity Center (December 2004 – current); Co-Founder & Clinical Director – QEEGonline.com (January 2007-current). Current courses taught include Introduction to QEEG at the University of North Texas. Past courses include Intermediate QEEG and Introduction to Neurofeedback at the University of North Texas, and Clinical Interviewing I & II at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. She has presented her work at 19 scientific conferences at the state, national, and international level.

Eric Willmarth, Ph.D.: Eric received his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1998 form the Fielding Institute and now has his diplomate in rehabilitation psychology. He is certified in clinical hypnosis and is chair of the ethics committee for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. DR. Willmarth is a fellow of the American Academy of Pain Management. He directs the behavioral medicine program for and is president of Michigan Pain Consultants. He is also director of behavioral medicine for Holland Community Hospital’s Pain Management Center. He has published and presented on both pain and hypnosis.

Members of the Foundation's Governing Board

Eric Willmarth, Ph.D.: Eric was described in the “Faculty” area above.

Gerald Paul Kozlowski, PhD: Jerry was described in the faculty section above.

Susan Middaugh, Ph.D., PT: Susan was described in the Faculty area above.

Mary J. Scholz, PhD, RN: Mary is in private practice and is the Director of Northwest Psychophysiology in Seattle Washington. She received her PhD in 2001 in clinical psychophysiology form the Northwest College of Behavioral Medicine. She has an MS in clinical behavioral medicine from the Behavioral Physiology Institutes and a BSN from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Nursing. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Natural Medicine in Santa Fe and is a Contributing Editor for RN Magazine. Her clinical and research interests are in clinical applications of psychophysiology, clinical hypnosis, headache, pain and stress management.

Richard A. Sherman, PhD: Rich was described above in the faculty section.

Timothy J. Sobie, MS, PT, and GCFP:  Tim is the founding director of Northwest Mind Body Learning Institute / Old Town Physical Therapy PLLC. He maintains his primary private practice in Tacoma, Washington with a secondary location in Olympia, Washington.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, an MS in Clinical Behavioral Medicine from Behavioral Physiology Institutes, and certification in practicing The Feldenkrais® Method from The Movement Studies Institute in Berkeley, CA. His clinical and research interest areas include sensory integration, perception training, and movement recovery processes as applicable toward the development of effective pain modulation, autonomic regulation, and optimum functioning.

Shelley Spencer-Hellmich, MS, LMFT, PhDc: Shelley has a BA in Psychology from Indiana university, and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Butler University. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Natural Medicine in Clinical Psychophysiology. Her certifications/licenses include Marriage and Family Therapy, domestic violence, drug and alcohol
abuse, and sports counseling. She has been a psychotherapist and educator for 14 years. Therapy and research experiences have been in a variety of settings with adults and children. She integrates psychophysiological techniques into her practice and research.

Barbara Peavey, Ph.D., M.S. Psych Pharm: Barb received her doctorate in psychology from the U of North Texas in 1982 and her Post Doctoral Masters in Clinical Psychopharmacology in 2001. She is an adjunct professor at the U of North Texas. Her main interest is in behavioral medicine centering on self-regulation and biofeedback. She teaches biofeedback and psychophysiology instrumentation, clinical intervention, and ethics regionally, nationally, and internationally, including Italy (dentists) and Austria (neurologists). Barb has published and has presented widely on biofeedback related issues.

Barbara McDermid, PhD, ARNP, LCSW: Barbara received her AA nursing degree in 1970 and ARNP in 1974.  She then received a Bachelors (1986) and Masters in Social Work from Florida State University (1988).  She received her doctorate in clinical psychophysiology (2001) from Northwest College of Behavioral Medicine.  Barbara has worked primarily in pediatric arenas in clinical and child protective services.  Working in both hospital and public health nursing and social work has resulted in a professional blend that provided a natural segway for biofeedback and neurofeedback.  Barbara has worked in family services, adoptions and behavioral health programs for troubled adolescents.  She is trained in trauma reduction, EMDR, hypnosis, sand tray, biofeedback and neurofeedback.  She is trained as a Florida Supreme Court certified family mediator. She works currently in public health as a Psychiatric  Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with prescriptive authority.  She serves both adults and children in individual and family therapy.  She uses all modalities in her daily practice in Gulf County, Florida.

Jay Gunkelman, QEEG Diplomate: Jay started in the field of Biofeedback and EEG in 1972 as a clinical researcher, co-authoring a grant which initiated the first State Hospital Biofeedback research and treatment facility.  Having worked in the world’s business EEG laboratory for decades, the depth of experience with EEG morphology has made him a popular international presenter in the areas of Brain anatomy/physiology, EEG/qEEG, and Mind/Brain/Consciousness topics.  After authoring the initial examination for Quantitative EEG Technologist and Diplomate, he became the first person to become certified QEEG, with certificate 1A issued in 1996, with his prior EEG Technologist certification granted in 1981.  Jay has published many papers and co-authored the classic text “The Art of Artifacting”, detailing various EEG artifacts and their presentation within the EEG/qEEG.  He has served on both the ISNR and AAPB Boards, as well as being the 2007-2008 Biofeedback Society of California President.  

Members of the Foundation's Advisory Board
John Arena
Tom Budzynski
Rhonda Greenberg
Don Moss
Erik Peper
Crystal Sherman
Seb Striefel
Eric Willmarth

Please feel free to contact us for further information.