The Science of Coherence: Heart, Brain & Earth 

Rollin McCraty, PhD 

1.5 CE credits for All Boards

Level: Beginner to Intermediate 

This presentation focuses on the individual health benefits of developing heart coherence, the importance of heart rate variability as a measure of heart coherence and physical and psychological health. Dr. McCraty describes field effects of the hearts magnetic field and how heart coherence or incoherence can be measured and transmitted at distances from the body, thereby having interpersonal effects with ramifications for relationships and therapy.  

Objectives 1) Discuss the significance of heart coherence for individual health 2) Describe heart rate variability as an objective measurement of heart coherence and health 3) Discuss the influence of the heart’s magnetic field on interpersonal coherence. 4) Describe the influences of sun activity on global heart coherence and human activity  

Rollin McCraty, PhD, is director of research at the HeartMath Institute. A psychophysiologist, he focuses on the mechanisms by which emotions influence cognitive processes, behavior, health and the global interconnectivity between people and Earth’s energetic systems. His published articles have appeared in the American Journal of Cardiology, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Stress Medicine and Biological Psychology. 

Why the Vagal System is Important for Energy Healing

Stephen Porges, PhD 

1.5 CE credits NO CE for psychologists

Level: Intermediate 

This presentation discusses the healing effects of energy psychology and energy healing from the perspective of polyvagal theory (PVT). It describes the importance of helping clients process negative or traumatic events while remaining in a physiological state that is contained and/or calm. PVT emphasizes the biological importance of interpersonal co-regulation for feeling safe, and auditory cues in a neural process known as neuroception, in which risk is evaluated without conscious awareness. Porges discusses how many aspects of energy psychology tapping approaches activate neural circuits that regulate the vagal nerve to produce an increased sense of safety. The Safe and Sound Protocol, that uses auditory signals to regulate vagal activity for children and trauma survivors is also discussed. Finally, Dr. Porges describes some of the problems and possibilities in Western culture from a polyvagal perspective.

Objectives 1) Discuss the importance of helping clients regulate their physiological states as part of therapy 2) Delineate the healing effects of energy psychology and energy healing from a polyvagal perspective. 3) Describe how aspects of tapping approaches activate neural circuits to regulate the vagal nerve. 4) Discuss the interpersonal variables of co-regulation.  

Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is also Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. Stephen has published more than 300 peer-reviewed papers across multiple disciplines. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation, and The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe. He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by more than 1400 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement.

Seeds of an “Energetic Biology”: Quantum Physics, Epigenetics and More 

Bruce Lipton, PhD 

1.5 CE credits NO CE for psychologists
Level: Beginner to Intermediate 

In this far reaching presentation, Dr. Lipton discusses how quantum physics necessitates changing how we view biology and the body from a mechanistic view to an energetic understanding. He describes the science of epigenetics, how it has radically altered the standard view of biology and genes, and its implication for energy psychology and energy healing methods. Dr. Lipton describes the science of psychoneuroimmunology and how our thoughts and perceptions influence our brains, genes and our immune system. Finally, he describes exosomes, a new frontier in biology and medicine that may revolutionize our understanding of health and disease.  

Objectives 1) Discuss at least two findings within quantum physics that influence the standard view of biology. 2) Describe how epigenetic control differs from genetic control. 3) Describe how perception influences, gene expression, brain or immune function.  

Bruce Lipton, PhD is a cell biologist, author of the best selling book, The Biology of Belief, as well as other books. His early scientific work on cells presaged the science of epigenetics. Dr. Lipton speaks around the world on the power of the mind to effect healing.  

Exceptional Healer Pilot Study: What We Know & Aim to Learn About Energy Healing

Helané Wahbeh, ND, MCR 

1.0 CE credit NO CE for psychologists
Level: Beginner to Intermediate 

Dr. Wahbeh will give a brief overview of energy healing studies through the years and what we know about how it works. She will then discuss a landmark pilot study of 17 exceptional energy healers in clients with hand and wrist pain. The study is unique in that it includes subjective measures of both the healer and the client and a third-party seer who observes the interaction. It also includes objective measures such as nerve conduction studies and electrocardiography. Dr. Wahbeh will share about the study's methods, energy healing study methods in general, and preliminary results of the study. 

Objectives 1) Describe known evidence for energy healing effects. 2) Detail issues in energy healing research studies. 3) Describe novel methods to evaluate energy healing modalities.  

Helané Wahbeh is director of research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Trained as a naturopathic physician, she also has a masters in clinical research. Helané's research on mind-body medicine, stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder and their relationships to physiology, health and healing has been widely published. 

Scientific Frontiers in Energy Healing

William F. Bengston, PhD 

1.5 CE credits NO CE for psychologists
Level: Intermediate 

Dr. Bengston is arguably the leading experimental researcher on energetic healing. His work often challenges the prevailing thinking of conventional and alternative medicine approaches. In this presentation, Dr. Bengston will summarize the research on: a) energy healing of cancer in mice, b) what appears to be a dose response to energy healing of cancer in mice, c) that healing appears to occur in a nonlinear fashion in bursts and the challenges that creates for healing in humans.  

Dr. Bengston describes fMRI and EEG research that provides evidence of the importance of resonance bonding in energy healing as well as the controversial proposition that energy healing appears to be a function of the need of the healee rather than the intention of the healer. Finally, he describes the research and challenges on how to take energetic healing and make it scalable by recording the effect.  

Objectives 1) List the research on the healing effects of energy healing on cancer in mice. 2) Describe the dose response and nonlinear aspects of energy healing in cancer. 3) Discuss the research and challenges on creating a scalable delivery method of energy healing.  

William F. Bengston, PhD, is a professor of statistics and research methods, and president of the Society for Scientific Exploration. He has researched anomalous healing for over 35 years. Author of The Energy Cure, Bill has numerous scientific publications, and has lectured internationally. 

Roger Jahnke, OMD

1.0 CE credits for All Boards
Level: Beginner to Intermediate  

Qigong and Tai Chi are among the oldest of energy healing techniques, using mind focus and intention as the primary method for regulating our physiological, psychological and energetic states. You will learn the research that demonstrates the healing benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi for a variety of conditions such as, stress, PTSD, heart disease, balance and falls. We will also explore the mechanisms through which Qigong and Tai Chi influence different aspects of the mind body system; including changes in blood pressure, lymphatic circulation, neurotransmitter productivity, HRV, gene expression, telomere health.

Objectives 1) Name the two primary physiological state changes that Qigong creates. 2) List at least two types of medical conditions that the research demonstrates is improved by Qigong. 3) Discuss at least to measures of health that research shows are positively impacted by Qigong.

Roger Jahnke, OMD has dedicated his life to sharing the healing traditions of China and led 10 research and study tours to China’s hospitals and sacred mountain temples. . Roger is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and founder/director of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi. He is co-founder of the National Qigong Association (NQA) and author of The Healing Promise of Qi.  

Energy Psychology: Research Update

Peta Stapleton, PhD

1.0 CE credit for All Boards
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

There are three features that distinguish energy psychology as a 4th Wave therapy. It is a true mind-body approach in that it includes direct interventions at the level of the body; it changes brain activity very rapidly; and it has special advantages in quickly and permanently shifting outdated emotional learnings. These three qualities come together to make energy psychology unusually rapid and effective in relation to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wave therapies. The latest research and science behind the somatic components of energy psychology are presented.

Objectives 1) List at least 2 meta analyses that show energy psychology approaches are effective at treating different psychological problems 2) List at least 2 objective findings about the positive effects of energy psychology that have come out in the last two years.  

Peta Stapleton, PhD, is a psychologist and associate professor at Bond University. She specializes in eating disorders, women’s health and adolescent issues, and is a lead EFT researcher. Her most recent book is The Science Behind Tapping.