Co-sponsored by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB)

This course offers 2 hours of continuing education credits through the American Psychological Association.

Biofeedback is a powerful treatment modality shown to be effective in improving clients’ health and performance. Biofeedback provides a way to work with challenging conditions in cases for which other interventions have been unsuccessful, such as chronic pain, anxiety, headaches, and trauma. Biofeedback helps improve performance for athletes and professionals when they feel hopeless in making progress. At the same time, biofeedback treatment itself can stall, leaving the client and the therapist feeling frustrated and unsure of how to proceed. These challenges include situations when the client is highly anxious about his/her physiological symptoms, feels pressure to “do things right,” becomes easily overwhelmed with emotional stimuli, or is simply too distracted to attend to the computer screen for more than a few minutes at a time. Oftentimes, these challenges are due to the clients’ unhelpful efforts to control the fundamentally uncontrollable aspects of their internal experience. 

Mindfulness and compassion-based approach to biofeedback can help people experience change through mindful, non-judgmental awareness and compassion, providing the therapist and the client a way to work with what gets in the way of biofeedback success. In this talk, participants will learn how to apply mindfulness and compassion-based skills to their biofeedback practice in order to help their clients reap the benefits of biofeedback without getting stuck in unproductive attempts to control their internal experience.

What You'll Learn

This beginner-friendly, AAPB co-sponsored online training is designed for healthcare professionals, wellness coaches, therapists, or anyone seeking to enhance their well-being and performance.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the concepts of mindfulness and compassion

• Introduce skills necessary for integrating mindfulness and compassion into biofeedback

• Apply mindfulness and compassion skills in optimizing health and performance

Meet Your Expert Presenters

Inna Khazan, PsyD, BCB

Inna is the Chief Science Officer with Optimal HRV and a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in biofeedback and mindfulness-based approaches to optimizing health and performance. As a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, she teaches and supervises trainees. With over 20 years of clinical experience, Inna helps individuals overcome various personal and professional challenges. Recognized as a pioneer in mindfulness-based biofeedback, Inna is a popular speaker at national and international conferences on biofeedback and mindfulness.

Matt Bennett, MBA, MA

Matt Bennett is a co-founder of Optimal HRV. His passion for HRV and human performance is captured in his books, including Heart Rate Variability: The Future of Trauma-Informed Care, The Heart(beat) of Business, and his popular Heart Rate Variability Podcast. Matt combines his master’s degrees in psychology and business administration with his practical experience as a therapist and leader to develop research-based solutions and training to improve the health of individuals, staff, organizations, and systems.

Why Optimize Your Recovery with HRV?

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best in the field and deepen your understanding of heart rate variability. This workshop offers valuable insights that can enhance your knowledge and practice. Attendees will gain actionable knowledge to improve personal health and support others in achieving better health outcomes.

Date: December 18th, 2025

Time:

• 1 pm to 3 pm Eastern

• 12 pm to 2 pm Central

• 11 am to 1 pm Mountain

• 10 am to 12 pm Pacific

Format: Live virtual session (Recording available for those unable to attend live).

Flexible Pricing Options

• $100 – Registration with Continuing Education Credit (must attend the live session to qualify for CE credits; CE credits are unavailable for watching the recording).

• $75 – Registration without CE credit (Live or Recorded).

• $50 – Student Registration (Live or Recorded).

  
  

Note for registration:

• If you require Continuing Education Credits, please provide your degree, state, and license number during registration.

• Can't make it live? No problem! Indicate your preference for the recording during registration to ensure access to the workshop materials.

Register today to unlock the full potential of HRV for better health outcomes!

AAPB and Continuing Education Details

Program Information

Level: INTRODUCTORY

Content is designed for psychologists who may have little to no background in a specialized skill or content area. Through this programming, the learner can become acquainted with the theoretical underpinnings, principles, methods, and perspectives of a content area. An introductory-level program also may serve as the foundation for subsequent intermediate and advanced learning, or it may simply focus on breadth, enrichment, or general knowledge. For psychologists using the modality of biofeedback and interested in efficacy, science, and the latest clinical applications, this conference:

1. Presents research relevant to psychological practice, education, and science.

2. Helps psychologists keep up with the most current scientific evidence regarding assessment, intervention, and education.

3. Allows psychologists to increase their competencies to improve services to patients.

Note: This conference is in no way a substitute for the basic academic education and training needed for entry into the field of psychology.

Target Audience: Whether you are a healthcare professional, a wellness coach, or simply someone interested in the science of the human body, this workshop offers valuable insights that can enhance your knowledge and practice. Attendees will gain actionable knowledge that can be applied to improve personal health and support others in achieving better health outcomes.

Continuing Education Credits

CE Credits: 2 CE credits for the remainder of the series total live participation.

• Important Notice: Those who attend this conference in full and complete the appropriate sign-in and evaluation forms will receive CE credits. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before a given conference activity is completed will not receive CE credit.

• Note: We cannot offer CE Credits for those purchasing the recording.

Psychologists: The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback maintains responsibility for the program and its content.

Psychologists (APA) Coverage & Reciprocity:

The following state boards accept courses from APA providers for:

• Counselors: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MO, NC, ND, NH, NE, NJ, NM, NV, OK*, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY. MI has no CE requirements.

• MFTs: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, MD, ME, MO, NE, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, OK*, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WY. MA / MFTs: Participants can self-submit courses not approved by the MAMFT board for review.

• Addictions Professionals: AK, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IN, KS, LA, MD, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY (outstate held), OK*, OR, SC, UT, WA, WI, WY.

• Social Workers: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, ME, MN, MO, NE, NH, NM, OR, PA, VT, WI, WY.

*OK accepts APA credit for live, in-person activities. For all ethics and/or online courses, an application is required.

Important Disclosures & Policies

Materials & Scope of Practice: Materials included in this course may cover interventions and modalities beyond the authorized practice of some mental health professionals. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing your scope of practice, including activities defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice, in accordance with and in compliance with your profession’s standards.

Risks/Utility: All interventions discussed in this webinar are empirically supported (see references below). Minimal risks, such as feelings of lightheadedness while breathing, exist for HRV-based interventions and will be addressed during the webinar.

Financial Disclosures: There is known commercial support for this program. Our presenters have financial interests to disclose. Dr. Khazan (Chief Science Officer) and Mr. Bennett (Co-founder of Optimal HRV)are affiliated with Optimal HRV. Optimal HRV produces in-app biofeedback training modules. The presenters may potentially benefit financially from the research findings on in-app biofeedback training modules presented herein. This webinar will be presented free of commercial bias.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) STATEMENT: ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law. If you require ADA accommodation, please indicate your needs at the time of registration. We cannot ensure the availability of appropriate accommodations without prior notification.

GRIEVANCE POLICY: The Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. AAPB will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content, and in the treatment of program participants. The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of the Education Chair in consultation with relevant committee members and chairpersons.

• When a participant files a grievance expecting action, the following steps are taken: If the grievance concerns a speaker, content, or presentation style, the comments will be put in writing and passed to the speaker, assuring confidentiality.

• If the grievance concerns a workshop offering, its content, level, or facilities, the convention chair will mediate and be the final arbitrator. Solutions may include moving the participant to another workshop, providing credit for a future workshop, or a partial/full refund.

• If the grievance concerns an AAPB CE program, the CE Chair will attempt to arbitrate.

Contact for Grievances and ADA:

• Name: Leslie Shivers, AAPB Executive Director

• Email: info@aapb.org

• Telephone: 800-477-8892 or +1 303-422-8436

• Address: PO Box 461797, Aurora, CO 80046-1797

Refund/Cancellation Policy

Please contact OptimalHRV at Support@OptimalHRV.com for cancellation. Cancellations received by OptimalHRV at least 2 weeks prior to the event will be refunded minus a $10 processing fee. Cancellations within 2 weeks prior to the event will not be refunded but can be credited for future events. Fees cannot be refunded for registrations canceled after the presentation begins.

References

• de Bruin E., van der Zwan, J.E., Bögels, S.M. (2016). A RCT Comparing Daily Mindfulness Meditations, Biofeedback Exercises, and Daily Physical Exercise on Attention Control, Executive Functioning, Mindful Awareness, Self-Compassion, and Worrying in Stressed Young Adults. Mindfulness, 7(5), 1182-1192

  
  

• Hölzel, B.K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S.M., Gard, T., and Lazar, S.W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research, 191(1), 36–43.

  
  

• Hofmann, S.G., Sawyer, A.T., Witt, A.A., and Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness‐based therapy on anxiety and depression: a meta‐analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 169–183.

  
  

• Kirby, J.N., Doty, J.R., Petrocchi, N., and Gilbert, P. (2017). The Current and Future Role of Heart Rate Variability for Assessing and Training Compassion. Frontiers Public Health, Mar 8 (5), 40.

  
  

• Svendsen, J.L., Osnes, B., Binder, P.E., Dundas, I., Visted, E., Nordby, H., Schanche, E., and Sørensen, L. (2016). Trait Self-Compassion Reflects Emotional Flexibility Through an Association with High Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability. Mindfulness, 7(5), 1103-1113.

This session will introduce the audience to the skills of mindfulness and compassion, which enhance the effectiveness of biofeedback practice and therefore improve patient care.