Heart Rate Variability Podcast

Dr. Aliyah Snyder & Dr. Nate Ewigman join Matt to discuss their Psychophysiology Resilience Training Model.  Psychophysiology Resilience Training (PRT) is a 12-session, mindfulness-based biofeedback treatment protocol developed by Drs. Nate Ewigman & Aliyah Snyder. The treatment is applicable to a wide range of conditions and concerns that impact stress management and recovery by way of the Autonomic Nervous System. Some examples include traumatic brain injury, long COVID, migraine, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. In the first part of treatment, the client receives a stress profile which is a comprehensive psychophysiological assessment with individualized feedback and then learns evidence-based skills of psychophysiological stress recovery. After these skills are mastered and practiced regularly, the client then learns about their mind-body connection and how it relates to their concerns and/or symptoms, how to improve their healthy body awareness, skillful ways to deal with emotions and thoughts, and how to use these techniques to recover from and prevent stress from becoming chronic. Finally, the client receives tailored feedback on their progress. Currently, this treatment is still being tested and is currently only available in person in private clinics in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Nate Ewigman: drnateewigman@gmail.com  Aliyah Snyder: aliyahsnyderphd@gmail.com

In this episode, Dr. Christine Sanchez joins Matt and Inna to discuss her work providing mental skills training and executive coaching to high-level performers and teams. Dr. Christine Sanchez specializes in providing mental skills training and executive coaching to high level performers and teams. Her diverse portfolio of clients includes elite military service members, first responders, executives, professional athletes, and other performers who desire to unlock their true potential. She is passionate about being an “aid to navigation” in assisting clients to return home to their authentic self and purpose. Dr. Sanchez is best known for her work targeting mindful performance under pressure, productive failures, and well-being optimization. She routinely integrates Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and capnography training for facilitating optimal performance in high stress scenarios. Restorative practices for deliberate recovery is a popular topic she works with clients on, integrating breathwork, nature based wisdom, mindfulness, meaningful social connection, and movement.  Dr. Sanchez earned her PhD in Sport and Performance Psychology from Florida State University, and currently holds the following certifications: Board Certified in Biofeedback (BCB), Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), Certified Breathing Behavioral Analyst (CBBA), and ICF Associate Certified Coach (in progress). She resides in Virginia Beach, VA where she soaks up all the water time she can get paddling, surfing, and swimming. drchristinesanchez@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchristinesanchezphd/   Books mentioned in this episode: Burnout by Nagoski and Nagoski Heart, Breath, Mind by Lagos and Harcourt

In this episode, Stephanie White nerds out with Matt about the differences between two popular heart rate variability biofeedback forms: coherence and resonance frequency breathing.  Web:        www.measurableresilience.com

In this episode, Dr. Fred Shaffer returns to discuss the frequency domains of heart rate variability and what they tell us about the health of our nervous system and bodies. Fredric Shaffer, PhD, BCB-HRV is a biological psychologist and professor of Psychology and former Department Chair at Truman State University, where he has taught since 1975 and has served as Director of Truman’s Center for Applied Psychophysiology since 1977. In 2008, he received the Walker and Doris Allen Fellowship for Faculty Excellence. In 2013, he received the Truman State University Outstanding Research Mentor of the Year award. Dr. Shaffer was the principal co-editor of Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (3rd ed.) and authored 12 of its chapters. He was a co-editor with Donald Moss of Foundations of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback: A Book of Readings. He co-authored with Mark S. Schwartz a chapter on entering the field and assuring competence in Biofeedback: A Practitioner's Guide (4th ed.). He co-authored with Donald Moss, a chapter on biofeedback in the Textbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2nd ed.). He co-authored with Rollin McCraty and Christopher Zerr, the Frontiers in Psychology review article "A healthy heart is not a metronome: An integrative review of the heart's anatomy and heart rate variability." He co-authored with Jack Ginsberg, the Frontiers in Public Health review article “An Overview of heart rate variability (HRV) metrics and norms.” He is a contributing editor for the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. His current research focuses on techniques to increase heart rate variability. Dr. Shaffer is a BCIA Senior Diplomate in Biofeedback. Dr. Shaffer is the Past-Chair of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), director of its Biofeedback and HRV Biofeedback Task Forces, and member of its Neurofeedback Task Force, and Treasurer for the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).  https://www.truman.edu/faculty-staff/fshaffer/

HRV nerds rejoice! Dr. Fred Shaffer, a friend of the show, returns to geek out about HRV time-domain measures. Fred and Matt deeply dive into the nature of metrics and what they tell us about nervous system functioning. Fredric Shaffer, PhD, BCB-HRV is a biological psychologist and professor of Psychology and former Department Chair at Truman State University, where he has taught since 1975 and has served as Director of Truman’s Center for Applied Psychophysiology since 1977. In 2008, he received the Walker and Doris Allen Fellowship for Faculty Excellence. In 2013, he received the Truman State University Outstanding Research Mentor of the Year award. Dr. Shaffer was the principal co-editor of Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback (3rd ed.) and authored 12 of its chapters. He was a co-editor with Donald Moss of Foundations of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback: A Book of Readings. He co-authored with Mark S. Schwartz a chapter on entering the field and assuring competence in Biofeedback: A Practitioner's Guide (4th ed.). He co-authored with Donald Moss, a chapter on biofeedback in the Textbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2nd ed.). He co-authored with Rollin McCraty and Christopher Zerr, the Frontiers in Psychology review article "A healthy heart is not a metronome: An integrative review of the heart's anatomy and heart rate variability." He co-authored with Jack Ginsberg, the Frontiers in Public Health review article “An Overview of heart rate variability (HRV) metrics and norms.” He is a contributing editor for the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. His current research focuses on techniques to increase heart rate variability. Dr. Shaffer is a BCIA Senior Diplomate in Biofeedback. Dr. Shaffer is the Past-Chair of the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), director of its Biofeedback and HRV Biofeedback Task Forces, and member of its Neurofeedback Task Force, and Treasurer for the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB).  https://www.truman.edu/faculty-staff/fshaffer/

Matt Bennett shares his thoughts on the recent Netflix documentary Untold: The Liver King in this current event episode. This cautionary story warns about influencer culture and how we talk about and promote valid practices like HRV biofeedback. 

Deb Borne joins Matt to discuss how she is integrating HRV into her work in addiction and medicine  Deb obtained her master’s degree in social work at Columbia University and her medical training at Brown University and UCSF. As both a social worker and a physician, she has worked with highly marginalized communities, including homeless persons, drug users, psychiatric patients, and incarcerated and recently released individuals. Deb is very interested in how research can inform and assist with community-based clinical work. HIV prevention is one of her personal and professional passions. https://cfar.ucsf.edu/people/deborah-borne

In this episode, Matt Bennett uses his expertise in motivation to help people start a successful and lasting HRV biofeedback practice habit. 

Discover the journey of integrating heart rate variability tracking into wellness practices and its effects on self-care. The discussion reflects on the early days of HRV biofeedback and the excitement of personal experiments. Dive into the role of self-disclosure in therapy, enhancing client comfort through shared experiences. Mindfulness emerges as a transformative tool, improving emotional regulation and daily interactions. Explore how posture and mindfulness practices influence heart rate variability, emphasizing self-compassion and adapting routines for busy lifestyles.

In this episode, Steven Paliakas joins Matt Bennett to discuss how his training and life experience with chiroprotic therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, and red light therapy inform his thinking and practice about his own health. We explore the role heart rate variability and HRV biofeedback played in his journey.