Many psychologists in the United States of America are required to take training to keep up with new developments in the field and to remind them of things that they may have learned a long time ago.
There are many options for training including face to face programs, online programs, and material that psychologists can read. There are also many different topics that can be studied. As long as you have to take training you might as well make it something interesting, enjoyable, and useful. Biofeedback and neurofeedback are subjects that check all of those boxes. Psychologists tend to do a lot of talking and paperwork as a part of their routine. Some of this can become monotonous. Biofeedback and neurofeedback introduce technology that helps the clients of psychologists to learn about themselves. It helps them to learn how to make real physiological measurable changes. They can learn to change how their body reacts to stress using biofeedback. They can train their brain to become more regulated through neurofeedback.
Some psychologists may have had minimal exposure to biofeedback or neurofeedback during their initial education in psychology. Most have not had extensive training in these areas. The most recognized body offering certification in biofeedback and neurofeedback is the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA). The didactic educational requirement for BCIA peripheral biofeedback certification is 42 hours. The requirement for neurofeedback is 36 hours. With a course approved for APA continuing education credits for biofeedback or neurofeedback, a psychologist can receive a large number of required hours in a short amount of time while learning an exciting and effective skill.
This can be a great opportunity for psychologists to gain required hours while learning an evidenced based therapy tool that can also bring some variety to their work and help their clients as well.
More information is available on the American Psychological Association (APA) continuing education program on the APA website: https://www.apa.org/education/ce/index
Information on an approved biofeedback training that offers 42 credits is at: https://biofeedbackinternational.com/biocert/
Information on an approved neurofeedback training offering 36 credits is at: https://biofeedbackinternational.com/neurocert/
Teaching relaxation exercises to clients is helpful. Being able to use biofeedback and neurofeedback to show clients the changes that are going on with their muscle tension, heart rate, breathing, brain and other activity is on another level and can help them understand what is happening in ways that cannot easily be put into words. They are able to learn from themselves through the instruments. Some of what they learn is at a subconscious level. It can also help to speed up the learning process because the information that is fed back to the client is faster than you could explain it to them.
Harry L. Campbell, BPS, BCB, BCN
President, Biofeedback Resources International Corp.
Author of What Stress Can Do, Available on Amazon.com
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