Professional Diploma Program: Behavioral Breathing Science

Statistics suggest that tens millions of people worldwide suffer with the profound and misunderstood symptoms and deficits of learned dysfunctional breathing habits, effects that may seriously compromise health and performance.  Unfortunately, these habits are rarely identified by practitioners, their effects mistakenly attributed to other causes, and their resolutions prescriptive in nature where focus is on symptoms rather than on causes.

It is estimated that 10 to 25 percent of the US population suffer the debilitating consequences of dysfunctional breathing habits, a serious problem only superficially addressed, if at all, by healthcare providers.  There has been nowhere to go for professionals who interested in comprehensive training that addresses the psychology of breathing, that is, habit analysis and modification.

We offer a solution.  We offer a Professional Diploma program in Breathing Behavior Analysis that prepares experienced healthcare practitioners, human service professionals, health educators, and performance consultants to help clients improve health and performance through the application of behavioral learning principles to breathing physiology.  Professionals learn to provide clients with breathing learning services in their existing practices and/or in new businesses specifically organized to offer such services.

Professionals learn (1) to apply the principles of applied behavior analysis to identify dysfunctional breathing habits and their effects (symptoms, deficits, and interactions), behavioral components such as triggers, motivations, outcomes that sustain them, and histories; (2) to apply the principles of behavior modification for disengaging dysfunctional breathing habits and learning new habits that improve health and performance; (3) to focus clients on learning solutions, that is, on their own role in identifying, managing, and overcoming dysfunctional breathing habits; (4) to communicate effectively about the relevance and importance of breathing services to colleagues, clients, and the community at large; (5) to prepare a business plan for offering breathing learning services within their own businesses and/or within the framework of their employers or others; and (6) to draw upon evidenced-based literature for helping themselves (and others) to evolve their practices based on advancements in relevant sciences.

Curriculum

A total of 18 units is required for diploma completion which must be completed in one year, six units per trimester.  Certification as a Breathing Behavior Analyst constitutes the first six of the 18 units and must be completed before officially enrolling in the Diploma program.

TRIMESTER ONE (certification)
301 Respiratory Psychophysiology (1 unit)
404 Breathing Habit Assessment (1 unit)
405 Breathing Habit Modification (1 unit)
611 Case Analysis, Review, and Practicum (3 units)

TRIMESTER TWO
104 Breathing Muscle Psychophysiology (1 unit)
409 Somatic Biofeedback & Breathing Habits (2 units)
304 Behavioral Counseling (1 unit)
307 Behavior Modification (1 unit)
308 Cognitive Behavior Modification (1 unit)

TRIMESTER THREE
305 Autonomic Psychophysiology (1 unit)
406 Autonomic Biofeedback & Breathing Habits (2 units)
411 Performance Training & Breathing Habits (1 unit)
612 Case Analysis, Review, and Practicum (2 units)

FACULTY: Robert N. Grove, Ph.D., Maria Katsamanis, Psy.D., Peter M. Litchfield, Ph.D.,
Jan Newman, M.D., Sandra Reamer, MS, MFA, CBBA, CBBP, CSOM, CST