Thomas H. Budzynski was an American psychologist and a pioneer in the field of biofeedback

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is the process of becoming aware of various physiological functions using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will...

, inventing one of the first electromyographic biofeedback

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is the process of becoming aware of various physiological functions using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will...

 training systems in the mid 1960s. In the early 1970s, he developed the Twilight Learner in collaboration with John Picchiottino. The Twilight Learner was one of the first neurotherapy systems.

Budzynski earned a BSEE at the University of Detroit and served as an aerospace inertial systems engineer on the SR-71 Blackbird project at Area 51

Area 51

Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...

. He later received a master’s and a Ph.D. in psychology.

Budzynski was a licensed psychologist

Psychologist

Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...

 in the State of Washington. He was an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington

University of Washington

University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...

 in Seattle, where he also conducted neurotechnology

Neurotechnology

Neurotechnology is any technology that has a fundamental influence on how people understand the brain and various aspects of consciousness, thought, and higher order activities in the brain...

 research with his wife, Helen Kogan Budzynski. He conducted studies on the effects of audio-visual stimulation on the brain; the priming effects of binaural tones as measured by the EEG

EEG

EEG commonly refers to electroencephalography, a measurement of the electrical activity of the brain.EEG may also refer to:* Emperor Entertainment Group, a Hong Kong-based entertainment company...

; chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...

; and applications for chronic pain

Chronic pain

Chronic pain has several different meanings in medicine. Traditionally, the distinction between acute and chronic pain has relied upon an arbitrary interval of time from onset; the two most commonly used markers being 3 months and 6 months since the initiation of pain, though some theorists and...

, enhanced academic performance, and the enhancement of cognitive processes in individuals with head injuries, learning disorders, and the elderly.

Budzynski's research and clinical findings have been published in professional journals including: the Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis; Experimental & Clinical Psychopharmacology; the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry; Biofeedback and Self-Control; Biofeedback: Behavioral Medicine; Psychosomatic Medicine; the Journal of Dental Research; Biofeedback and Self-Regulation; Consciousness and Self-Regulation; Psychology Today

Psychology Today

Psychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...

; Somatics

Somatics

The field of somatics encompasses holistic body-centered approaches that help people reconnect with self and transform through movement practices that promote psycho-physical awareness and well-being...

; Education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

; the Journal of Neurotherapy; Applied Neurophysiology and Brainwave Biofeedback; Clinical Neurophysiology

Clinical neurophysiology

Clinical neurophysiology is a medical specialty that studies the central and peripheral nervous systems through the recording of bioelectrical activity, whether spontaneous or stimulated....

; and Neuroimage

NeuroImage

NeuroImage is a scientific journal in the neuroimaging field. It publishes neuroscientific as well as methodological papers, often about functional neuroimaging and functional human brain mapping. When Karl J...

.

Budzynski has given lectures at conferences including several Annual Meetings of the Biofeedback Research Society; Annual Meetings of the American Psychological Association

American Psychological Association

The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...

; Annual Meetings of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback

Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback

The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback was founded in 1969 as the Biofeedback Research Society . The association aims to promote a new understanding of biofeedback and advance the methods used in this practice...

; Stanford University

Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

; University of Washington

University of Washington

University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...

; Oxford University; the University of Munich; and the University of Düsseldorf, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.

Budzynski developed a series of Life Management subliminal

Subliminal

Subliminal may refer to:* Subliminal stimuli* Subliminal , Israeli rapper and producer* Subliminal , an electronic music label...

 and priming http://lifemanagementtoolsonline.com/page10/page15/page15.html recordings. Applying his research on brainwave activity, he created peak performance tools utilizing research and theory on brain lateralization, lateralized emotions, dual track brain messaging, binaural beats

Binaural beats

Binaural beats or binaural tones are auditory processing artifacts, or apparent sounds, the perception of which arises in the brain for specific physical stimuli...

, and priming. These techniques are used in coping with psychological stress and anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...

, as well as enhancing memory

Memory

In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....

, self-confidence

Self-confidence

The socio-psychological concept of self-confidence relates to self-assuredness in one's personal judgment, ability, power, etc., sometimes manifested excessively.Being confident in yourself is infectious if you present yourself well, others will want to follow in your foot steps towards...

, self-esteem

Self-esteem

Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...

 and relaxation

Relaxation (psychology)

In psychology, relaxation is the emotional state of low tension, in which there is an absence of arousal that could come from sources such as anger, anxiety, or fear. Relaxation is a form of mild ecstasy coming from the frontal lobe of the brain in which the backward cortex sends signals, or...

.

He maintained a private practice of neurofeedback,biofeedback, and psychotherapy

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...

 in his clinic in Poulsbo, Washington.

Budzynski died suddenly of a heart attack on February 14, 2011.

Honors

In 1999 he received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback

Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback

The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback was founded in 1969 as the Biofeedback Research Society . The association aims to promote a new understanding of biofeedback and advance the methods used in this practice...

 at their annual meeting in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In 2002 he received a Career Achievement award from the International Society for Neuronal Research.
Thomas H. Budzynski, James R. Evans, Andrew Abarbanel, and Helen Kogan Budzynski co-authored Introduction to Quantitative EEG and Neurofeedback: Advanced Theory and Applications, 2nd Edition, published December 2008 by Elsevier. New treatment protocols are outlined in this edition for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...

, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Asperger syndrome

Asperger syndrome

Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...

, depression, and anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...

 disorders through the use of neurofeedback

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback , also called neurotherapy, neurobiofeedback or EEG biofeedback is a type of biofeedback that uses realtime displays of electroencephalography or functional magnetic resonance imaging to illustrate brain activity, often with a goal of controlling central nervous system activity...

, QEEG, music therapy

Music therapy

Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...

, and the LORETA diagnostic tool. In 2003 he received the CAAPB Johann Stoyva award.

He was president of the Biofeedback Research Society from 1974 to 1975; and president of the EEG Biofeedback Section of AAPB (1995–1996)

Books

• Thomas H. Budzynski, James R. Evans, Andrew Abarbanel, and Helen Kogan Budzynski, Introduction to Quantitative EEG and Neurofeedback: Advanced Theory and Applications, 2nd Edition, Elsevier, December 2008

Articles

• Budzynski, T. H. & Stoyva, J. M. (1969). An instrument for producing deep muscle relaxation by means of analog information feedback. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2, 231-237.
• Budzynski, T.H., Stoyva, J. M. & Adler, C.S. (1970). Feedback-induced muscle relaxation: Application to tension headache. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 1, 205-211.Republished in N.E. Miller, et al. (Eds.) (1970). Biofeedback Annual: 1970 Papers. Chicago: Aldine.Republished in F.J. McGuigan, & P.J. Woods (Eds.) (1972). Contemporary Studies in Psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1972). Biofeedback procedures in the clinic. In Birk, L. (Ed.). Biofeedback: Behavioral Medicine, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.*
• Budzynski, T.H. (1972). Some applications of biofeedback-produced twilight states. Fields within Fields . . . within Fields. 5, 105-114.Republished in D. Shapiro, et al. (Eds.) (1973). Biofeedback and Self-Control. Chicago: Aldine-Atherton.
• Budzynski, T.H. & Stoyva, J. M. (1972). Biofeedback techniques in behavior therapy. In Birbaumer, N. (Ed.), Die Bewaltingung von Angst. Beitrage der Neuropsychologie zur Angstforschung. (The Mastery of Anxiety. Contributions to Anxiety Research). Reihe Fortschritte der Klinischen Psychologic, Ed. 4. München, Wien: Verlag, Urban & Schwarzenberg. Republished in D. Shapiro, et al. (Eds.) (1973,. Biofeedback and Self-Control, Chicago: Aldine-Atherton.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1973). Biofeedback procedures in the clinic. Seminars in Psychiatry, 5, 537-547.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1973). Biofeedback procedures in the clinic. In L. Birk (Ed.), Biofeedback: Behavioral medicine. New York: Grune & Stratton, pp. 177–187.
• Budzynski, T.H. & Stoyva, J.M. (1973). An electromygraphic feedback technique for teaching voluntary relaxation of the masseter. Journal of Dental Research, 52,116-119.
• Budzynski, T.H., Stoyva, J.M., Adler, C.S. & Mullaney, D. (1973). EMG biofeedback and tension headache: A controlled outcome study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 35, 484 496.
• Budzynski, T.H., Stoyva, J.M., Adler, C.S. & Mullaney, D. (1973). EMG biofeedback and tension headache: A controlled outcome study. In L. Birk (Ed.), Biofeedback: Behavioral medicine. New York: Grune & Stratton, pp. 37–50.
• Stoyva, J.M. & Budzynski, T.H. (1975). Biofeedback in general and specific anxiety disorders. In H. Legewie, & L. Nusselt (Eds.), Biofeedback-therapie: Lernmethoden in der Psychosomatics, Neurologie und Rehabilitation (Fortschritte der Klinischen Psychologie, Vol. 6). München-Berlin: Urban & Schwarzenberg.
• Budzynski, T.H. & Padnes, S. (Eds.) (1976). How to make the involuntary voluntary. A Roche Scientific Series of Eight Monographs. Nutley, NJ: Hoffman-LaRoche.
• Sittenfeld, P., Budzynski, T. & Stoyva, J. (1976). Differential shaping of EEG theta rhythms. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 1, 31-45.
• Fowler, J., Budzynski, T. & VandenBerg, R. (1976). Effects of an EMG biofeedback and relaxation program on the control of diabetes. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 1, 105-112.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1976). Biofeedback and the twilight states of consciousness. In G.E. Schwartz, & D. Shapiro (Eds.), Consciousness and Self-Regulation, Vol. 1. New York: Plenum Press.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1977). Tuning in on the twilight zone. Psychology Today, 11, 38-44.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1977). Clinical implications of electromyographic training. In Schwartz, G.E. & Beatty, J. (Eds.), Biofeedback: Theory and Research. New York: Academic Press.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1978). Biofeedback strategies in headache. In J.V. Basmajian (Ed.), Biofeedback: A Handbook for Clinicians. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1978). Biofeedback applications to stress-related disorders. International Review of Applied Psychology, 27, 73-79.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1979). Brain lateralization and biofeedback. In B. Shapin, & T. Coly (Eds.), Brain/Mind and Parapsychology International Conference, Montreal, Canada, 1978. New York: Parapsychological Foundation.
• Budzynski, T. H. & Peffer, K.E. (1980). Biofeedback training. In I.L. Kutash, & L.B. Schlesinger (Eds.), Handbook on Stress and Anxiety. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Budzynski, T., Stoyva, J. & Peffer, K. (1980). Biofeedback techniques in psychosomatic disorders. In A. Goldstein, & E. Foa (Eds.), Handbook of Behavioral Interventions. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1981). Brain Lateralization and re-scripting. Somatics. Spring/Summer, 3-9.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1982). Introduction to techniques for the treatment of muscle contraction headaches. In PA. Kelly & L.G. Ritt (Eds.), Innovations in Clinical Practice: A Sourcebook. Sarasota. FL: Professional Resources Exchange, Inc.
• Budzynski, T.H. & Stoyva, J.M. (1984). Biofeedback methods in the treatment of anxiety and stress. In R. Woolfolk, & P. Lehrer (Eds.), Principles and Practice of Stress Management. New York: The Guilford Press.
• Budzynski, T.H. & Doche-Budzynski, L. (1985). Douze ans d'experience de biofeedback dans une clinique privee aux U.S.A. Psychologie Medicale, 17, 1545-1550.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1986). Clinical applications of non-drug induced states. In Wolman, B.B. & Ullmann, M. (Eds.), Handbook of States of Consciousness. New York: Van Nostrand-Reinhold.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1989). Biofeedback strategies in headache treatment. In J.V. Basmajian (Ed.), Biofeedback: Principles and Practice for Clinicians, (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
• Doche-Budzynski, L. & Budzynski, T. (1989). Subliminal self-esteem enhancement in adult Type A males. Education, 110, 50-56.

Cram, J.R. & Budzynski, T.H. (1989). Biofeedback and relaxation therapies. In C.D. Tollison, & M.L. Krieger (Eds.), Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation of low back pain. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.

• Budzynski, T.H. (1989). Pain Control. A four phase audiotape program with manual. Montreal: Thought Technology, Ltd.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1990). Hemispheric asymmetry and REST. In P. Suedfeld, J.W. Turner, Jr., & T.H. Fine (Eds.), Restricted Environmental Stimulation: Theoretical and Empirical Developments in Flotation REST. New York: Springer-Verlag.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1991). Selected Research on Light/Sound. Synetics Systems. Seattle, WA.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1991). Clinical Considerations of Light/Sound. Synetics Systems. Seattle, WA.
• Stoyva, J.M., & Budzynski, T.H. (1993). Biofeedback methods in the treatment of anxiety and stress disorders. In R. Woolfolk, & P. Lehrer (Eds.), Principles and Practice of Stress Management (2nd Ed). New York: Guilford.
• Rozelle, G.R., & Budzynski, T.H. (1995). Neurotherapy for stroke rehabilitation: A single case study. Biofeedback & Self-Regulation, 20, 211-228.

Budzynski, T.H. (1995). Virtual reality biofeedback: A brief concept paper. Biofeedback, Fall.

• Budzynski, T., & Andrasik, F. (1995). The Ponce de Leon Project: Brain Brightening. Report on pilot study. Pensacola, FL: Center for Behavioral Research, University of West Florida.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1996). Brain Brightening: Can Neurofeedback Improve Cognitive Process? Biofeedback, 24, 14-17.

Billiott, K.M., Budzynski, T.H., Andrasik, F. (1997). EEG patterns and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Journal of Neurotherapy, 2, 20-30.

• Budzynski, T.H. (in press). Twilight learning revisited. In R. Kall, J. Kamiya, & G.E. Schwartz (Eds.). Applied Neurophysiology and Brainwave Biofeedback. Bensalem, PA: Futurehealth, Inc.
• Budzynski, T.H. (1999). From EEG to Neurofeedback. In J.R. Evans & A. Abarbanel (Eds.). Introduction to Quantitative EEG and Neurofeedback. San Diego: Academic Press.
• Budzynski, T., Jordy, J., Kogan Budzynski, H., Tang, J., & Claypoole, K. (1999). Academic performance enhancement with photic stimulation and EDR feedback. Journal of Neurotherapy, 3, 11-21.
• Budzynski, T.H. (2000). Reversing age-related cognitive decline: Use of neurofeedback and audio-visual stimulation. Biofeedback, 28, 19-21.
• Budzynski, T.H., Kogan Budzynski, H., Fischer, M., Ashton, S., Goldberg, J., & Buchwald, D. (2003). A study of quantified EEG among monozygotic twins discordant for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. (Resubmitted for a second time with revisions to Clinical Neurophysiology).
• Budzynski, T.H. (2005). Best practices: An interview with Dr. Tom Budzynski. ISNR Newsletter, April, 2005.
• Budzynski, T.H., Budzynski, H.K., & Tang, H.Y. (2007). Brain brightening: Restoring the aging mind. In J.R. Evans (Ed.). Handbook of Neurofeedback: Dynamics and Clinical Applications. New York: Haworth Press.
• Sherlin, L., Budzynski, T., Budzynski, H.K., Congedo, M., Fischer, M. E., & Buchwald*, D. (2007). Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography in monozygotic twins discordant for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. NeuroImage, 34, 1438-1442.
• Budzynski, T. & Budzynski, H. Maret, K., & Tang, H.Y. (2008). The Effect of Lifewave Energy Technology on Heart Rate Variability: A Double-Blind Experimental Pilot Study. Journal of Neurotherapy, 11,