Online BCIA Certification

	phone: 1-877-669-6463 ..... 914-762-4646

Psychophysiology and BCIA Preparatory Course

Widener University

Celeste De Bease, PhD, BCIAC, Instructor

We strongly believe that there are many advantages to attending our face-to-face training programs including hands-on experience working with biofeedback equipment, training on hardware and software, meeting and working with other professionals, and the opportunity to complete some of your mentoring requirements during the session. We have added this online course for those who cannot attend our face-to-face programs.

Registration Form: You may download and print the registration form (with instructions) and fax or mail to us.
For more information or to register, please contact our workshop coordinator: 1-877-669-6463 or 914-762-4646 or email

This self-directed on-line course is designed to meet the didactic requirements for BCIA (Biofeedback Certification Institute of America) certification in general biofeedback.
The course content includes 10 lectures (PowerPoint with audio). Each lecture has a quiz which you must mail in and pass in order to obtain BCIA credit. The quiz packet can be emailed to you or sent by postal mail upon your registration.
You will notice that I am not just reading the slides in my audio lecture. Both the audio and slides contain vital information.

LECTURE BCIA BLUEPRINT AREA LECTURE CONTENT

1 I History-Concepts-Learning

2 II ANS Stress-Coping-Illness

3 III Psychophysiological Recording

4 IV Surface EMG

5 V ANS Applications - Intake Procedures

6 V ANS Applications - Thermal biofeedback

7 V ANS Applications - Cardiovascular

8 V ANS Applications - Electrodermal Activity

9 VI EEG Applications

10 VII & VIII Adjunctive Interventions-Professional Conduct

Widener University's Institute of Graduate Psychology is interested in all aspects of mind-body interactions; recognizing that optimal functioning and health contribute to emotional well-being. Psychophysiological treatments and biofeedback techniques are used in clinical, sports, business and educational arenas as well as many others. We hope this learning adventure will be rewarding for you and we will endeavor to guide your exploration of this exciting field.

1. History-Concepts-Learning - This first lecture entitled "Biofeedback Psychophysiological Training" covers the elements in the BCIA blueprint in under section I Orientation to Biofeedback. The lecture answers "what is biofeedback and what is psychophysiology" and covers applied psychophysiology, including a history of psychophysiology, cybernetic and learning theory and biofeedback, definitions of biofeedback, a history of biofeedback, clinical applications of biofeedback training, the history of EMG and EEG biofeedback, important research studies, popular biofeedback techniques, feedback schedules, efficacy, biofeedback and the mind-body movement, and complimentary alternative medicine. 2. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Stress, Coping and Illness - The second lecture covers the structure and function of the nervous system, parasympathetic and sympathetic branches, Canon's fight / flight response, acute stress, Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, chronic stress, autonomic balance and psychophysiological flexibility, perceptions and psychosocial mediators of stress, biofeedback and classical conditioning, cognitive, behavioral and physiological aspects of the stress response, autonomic measures, correlates of arousal and biofeedback measures.

3. Psychophysiological Recording - This lecture describes the most commonly employed biofeedback modalities: sEMG, skin temperature, electrodermal activity, EKG and heart rate, respiration, EEG, and introduces the student to sensors and sensor placements, characteristic signals; signal processing and feedback displays; use of computers in biofeedback; sources of artifact and their effects on physiological recordings, and essential electronic terms and concepts for biofeedback applications, such as electrode impedance, signal-to-noise ratio, bandpass, peak-to-peak voltage, root mean square voltage, power spectrum. 4. Surface EMG - This lecture covers muscle anatomy and physiology; antagonistic and, synergistic muscle groups; central nervous system, chronic neuromuscular pain; general treatment considerations; target muscles, typical electrode placements, and SEMG treatment protocols for specific neuromuscular conditions.

5. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) applications. Intake Procedures - The Psychophysiological Stress Profile (PSP) - The fifth PowerPoint in the series covers the structure and function of the autonomic nervous system; psychophysiological concepts, and general applications of autonomic biofeedback; Pathophysiology, biofeedback modalities, and treatment protocols for specific ANS biofeedback applications. 6. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Thermal (Temp) biofeedback - Psychophysiological Concepts, psychophysiological responses, types of stress, vascular disorders, migraine, Raynaud's, hypertension, the structure and function of the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, circulatory system, peripheral hand temperature, thermal biofeedback, general relaxation strategies, biofeedback assisted relaxation, breath training, hyperventilation, physiological mechanisms underlying skin temperature, single pointed concentration, blood volume pulse, Migraine, Raynaud's, thermal biofeedback, hypertension, blood pressure.

7. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Respiration & Respiratory Disorders, Cardiovascular System and Disorders - The first part of this seventh lecture covers the respiratory system, including CO2 functions, hypocapnia, functional respiration dysfunction, biofeedback assessments of respiration rate, treatments, and a complete breath training program. The second part covers the cardiovascular system and disorders including, physiological basics, heart rate, high blood pressure and psychophysiological treatments, and heart rate variability (HRV). 8. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Somatic & Cognitive Anxiety Electrodermal Activity - Somatic and cognitive anxiety, the stress response, the physiology of electrodermal activity (EDA), history of Galvanic Skin Resistance (GSR) in physiology, Tarchanoff Response, Jungian use of GSR, skin conductance and skin resistance, Ohm's law and GSR, biofeedback session, the GSR pattern is labile, measuring GSR, treatments using GSR, the impact of diversity on psychophysiology.

9. EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback) Electroencephalography, Operant condition of the central nervous system, learned normalization of EEG patterns - This lecture covers organization of specific central nervous system, structures and neurotransmitter pathways, EEG patterns and their behavioral correlates, including delta, theta, alpha, beta, and SMR frequency ranges, clinical uses and efficacy of EEG biofeedback, potential effects of prescribed and non-prescribed drugs on clinical presentation, EEG measures, and Entrainment stimulation. 10. Adjunctive Interventions-Professional Conduct - This 10th and final lecture in the series first covers intake procedures relaxation methods, and cognitive interventions. The lecture then continues on professional conduct including; responsibility and competence, legal versus ethical requirements, client rights, supervision and consultation and professional relationships.

Note: To see the syllabus for the Psychophysiology and BCIA Preparatory Course, please click here.

Registration Form: You may download and print the registration form (with instructions) and fax or mail to us.

For more information or to register, please contact our workshop coordinator: 1-877-669-6463 or 914-762-4646 or email

Required Materials

Course Text: Schwartz, M. & Andrasik, F., 3rd ed. (2003). Biofeedback - A Practitioner's Guide, Guilford, New York.
Course Educational CD: Biofeedback Tutor; Dr. Fred Shaffer, 2006 Biosource Software.
Additional internet-based readings (listed in the syllabus)
You must have Flash Player to view the course material. It can be downloaded without charge at Adobe under Downloads.

1. History-Concepts-Learning - This first lecture entitled "Biofeedback Psychophysiological Training" covers the elements in the BCIA blueprint in under section I Orientation to Biofeedback. The lecture answers "what is biofeedback and what is psychophysiology" and covers applied psychophysiology, including a history of psychophysiology, cybernetic and learning theory and biofeedback, definitions of biofeedback, a history of biofeedback, clinical applications of biofeedback training, the history of EMG and EEG biofeedback, important research studies, popular biofeedback techniques, feedback schedules, efficacy, biofeedback and the mind-body movement, and complimentary alternative medicine.	2. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Stress, Coping and Illness - The second lecture covers the structure and function of the nervous system, parasympathetic and sympathetic branches, Canon's fight / flight response, acute stress, Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome, chronic stress, autonomic balance and psychophysiological flexibility, perceptions and psychosocial mediators of stress, biofeedback and classical conditioning, cognitive, behavioral and physiological aspects of the stress response, autonomic measures, correlates of arousal and biofeedback measures.
3. Psychophysiological Recording - This lecture describes the most commonly employed biofeedback modalities: sEMG, skin temperature, electrodermal activity, EKG and heart rate, respiration, EEG, and introduces the student to sensors and sensor placements, characteristic signals; signal processing and feedback displays; use of computers in biofeedback; sources of artifact and their effects on physiological recordings, and essential electronic terms and concepts for biofeedback applications, such as electrode impedance, signal-to-noise ratio, bandpass, peak-to-peak voltage, root mean square voltage, power spectrum.	4. Surface EMG - This lecture covers muscle anatomy and physiology; antagonistic and, synergistic muscle groups; central nervous system, chronic neuromuscular pain; general treatment considerations; target muscles, typical electrode placements, and SEMG treatment protocols for specific neuromuscular conditions.
5. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) applications. Intake Procedures - The Psychophysiological Stress Profile (PSP) - The fifth PowerPoint in the series covers the structure and function of the autonomic nervous system; psychophysiological concepts, and general applications of autonomic biofeedback; Pathophysiology, biofeedback modalities, and treatment protocols for specific ANS biofeedback applications.	6. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Thermal (Temp) biofeedback - Psychophysiological Concepts, psychophysiological responses, types of stress, vascular disorders, migraine, Raynaud's, hypertension, the structure and function of the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, circulatory system, peripheral hand temperature, thermal biofeedback, general relaxation strategies, biofeedback assisted relaxation, breath training, hyperventilation, physiological mechanisms underlying skin temperature, single pointed concentration, blood volume pulse, Migraine, Raynaud's, thermal biofeedback, hypertension, blood pressure.
7. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Respiration & Respiratory Disorders, Cardiovascular System and Disorders - The first part of this seventh lecture covers the respiratory system, including CO2 functions, hypocapnia, functional respiration dysfunction, biofeedback assessments of respiration rate, treatments, and a complete breath training program. The second part covers the cardiovascular system and disorders including, physiological basics, heart rate, high blood pressure and psychophysiological treatments, and heart rate variability (HRV).	8. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Applications: Somatic & Cognitive Anxiety Electrodermal Activity - Somatic and cognitive anxiety, the stress response, the physiology of electrodermal activity (EDA), history of Galvanic Skin Resistance (GSR) in physiology, Tarchanoff Response, Jungian use of GSR, skin conductance and skin resistance, Ohm's law and GSR, biofeedback session, the GSR pattern is labile, measuring GSR, treatments using GSR, the impact of diversity on psychophysiology.
9. EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback) Electroencephalography, Operant condition of the central nervous system, learned normalization of EEG patterns - This lecture covers organization of specific central nervous system, structures and neurotransmitter pathways, EEG patterns and their behavioral correlates, including delta, theta, alpha, beta, and SMR frequency ranges, clinical uses and efficacy of EEG biofeedback, potential effects of prescribed and non-prescribed drugs on clinical presentation, EEG measures, and Entrainment stimulation.	10. Adjunctive Interventions-Professional Conduct - This 10th and final lecture in the series first covers intake procedures relaxation methods, and cognitive interventions. The lecture then continues on professional conduct including; responsibility and competence, legal versus ethical requirements, client rights, supervision and consultation and professional relationships.