Thomas Hice Budzynski (October 13, 1933 – February 14, 2011)''U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014'' was an American psychologist and a pioneer in the field of

biofeedback Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiology, physiological functions of one's own body by using Electronics, electronic or other instruments, and with a goal of being able to Manipulation (psychology), manipulate t ...

, inventing one of the first

electromyographic Electromyography (EMG) is a technique for evaluating and recording the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles. EMG is performed using an medical instrument, instrument called an electromyograph to produce a record called an electromyog ...

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 The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic universi ...

and served as an aerospace inertial systems engineer on the SR-71 Blackbird project at

Area 51 Area 51 is the common name of a highly classified United States Air Force (USAF) facility within the Nevada Test and Training Range. A remote detachment administered by Edwards Air Force Base, the facility is officially called Homey Airport ...

. He later received a master's and a PhD in psychology. Budzynski was a licensed

psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...

in the State of

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

. He was an Affiliate Professor at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

, where he also conducted

neurotechnology Neurotechnology encompasses any method or electronic device which interfaces with the nervous system to monitor or modulate neural activity. Common design goals for neurotechnologies include using neural activity readings to control external devic ...

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 Electroencephalography (EEG) is a method to record an electrogram of the spontaneous electrical activity of the brain. The biosignals detected by EEG have been shown to represent the postsynaptic potentials of pyramidal neurons in the neocortex ...

;

chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, is a complex, debilitating, long-term medical condition. The causes and mechanisms of the disease are not fully understood. Distinguishing core symptoms are ...

; and applications for

chronic pain Chronic pain is classified as pain that lasts longer than three to six months. In medicine, the distinction between Acute (medicine), acute and Chronic condition, chronic pain is sometimes determined by the amount of time since onset. Two commonly ...

, enhanced academic performance, and the enhancement of

cognitive processes Cognition refers to "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

in individuals with head injuries,

learning disorders Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

, and the

elderly Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...

. Budzynski's research and clinical findings were published in professional journals including: the Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis; Experimental & Clinical Psychopharmacology;Experimental & Clinical Psychopharmacology the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry; Biofeedback and Self-Control; Biofeedback: Behavioral Medicine;

Psychosomatic Medicine Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field exploring the relationships among social, psychological, behavioral factors on bodily processes and quality of life in humans and animals. The academic forebear of the modern field of ...

; the Journal of Dental Research; Biofeedback and Self-Regulation; Consciousness and Self-Regulation;

Psychology Today ''Psychology Today'' is an American media organization with a focus on psychology and human behavior. It began as a bimonthly magazine, which first appeared in 1967. The ''Psychology Today'' website features therapy and health professionals direct ...

;Psychology Today Somatics; Education; the Journal of Neurotherapy; Applied Neurophysiology and Brainwave Biofeedback;

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. It encompasses both research regarding the pathophysiology ...

; and

NeuroImage ''NeuroImage'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on neuroimaging, including functional neuroimaging and functional human brain mapping. The current Editor in Chief is Michael Breakspear. Abstracts from the annual meeting of ...

. Budzynski gave lectures at conferences, including several Annual Meetings of the Biofeedback Research Society; Annual Meetings of the

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...

; Annual Meetings of the

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

;

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

;

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

; the

University of Munich The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich or LMU; german: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) is a public research university in Munich, Germany. It is Germany's List of universities in Germany, sixth-oldest u ...

; and the

University of Düsseldorf A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

, Germany. Budzynski developed a series of Life Management

subliminal Subliminal may refer to: * Subliminal stimuli, sensory stimuli below an individual's threshold for conscious perception * Subliminal channel, in cryptography, a covert channel that can be used over an insecure channel * Subliminal (rapper) (born ...

and primin

recordings. Applying his research on brainwave activity, he created peak performance tools utilizing research and theory on

brain lateralization A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a ve ...

, lateralized emotions, dual track brain messaging,

binaural beats In acoustics, a beat is an interference pattern between two sounds of slightly different frequencies, ''perceived'' as a periodic variation in volume whose rate is the difference of the two frequencies. With tuning instruments that can produce su ...

, and priming. These techniques are used in coping with

psychological stress In psychology, stress is a feeling of emotional strain and pressure. Stress is a type of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial, as it can improve athletic performance, motivation and reaction to the environment. Exces ...

and

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...

, as well as enhancing

memory Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...

self-confidence Confidence is a state of being clear-headed either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Confidence comes from a Latin word 'fidere' which means "to trust"; therefore, having ...

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

and relaxation. He maintained a private practice of neurofeedback, biofeedback, and

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...

in his clinic in

Poulsbo Poulsbo ( ) is a city on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is the smallest of the four cities in Kitsap County. The population was 9,200 at the 2010 census and an estimated 10,927 in 2018. The area was historically in ...

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

Honors

In 1999, he received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the

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

posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inap ...

Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a former neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in Interpersonal relationship, social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and re ...

, depression, and

disorders through the use of

neurofeedback Neurofeedback (NFB), also called neurotherapy, is a type of biofeedback that presents real-time feedback from brain activity in order to reinforce healthy brain function through operant conditioning. Typically, electrical activity from the brain i ...

, QEEG,

music therapy Music therapy, an allied health profession, "is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music th ...

, and the LORETA diagnostic tool. In 2003 he received the CAAPB Johann Stoyva award. He was president of the Biofeedback Research Society (now, the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback/ AAPB) from 1974 to 1975; and president of the EEG Biofeedback Section of AAPB (1995–1996).

Bibliography

Books

*Thomas H. Budzynski, Helen Kogan Budzynski, James R. Evans, and Andrew Abarbanel, 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,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Budzynski, Thomas 1933 births 2011 deaths People from Grand Rapids, Michigan 20th-century American psychologists University of Detroit Mercy alumni People from Poulsbo, Washington