Why Board Certification?

Board certification is not a requirement to practice biofeedback in many states including Indiana. The field has attracted some people with more dubious backgrounds because people can acquire equipment quite easily. Biofeedback distributors or equipment manufacturers offer workshops or short courses related to specific type of equipment or computer software and issue a certificate of attendance and training. This is not the same as board certification.

Dr. Jan Cise is board certified in biofeedback and neurofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance

Biofeedback Health Solutions, LLC Fostering Mind-Body Connections Biofeedback, Neurofeedback & Health Counseling,
info@biofeedbackhealthsolutions.com www.BiofeedbackHealthSolutions.com 317-201-6903

Requirements for Certification

Biofeedback Certification International Alliance

Are All Certifications Equal?

BCIA provides the credential of acknowledged expertise in a specialized area of biofeedback.

Patients and referring health care providers are assured that the board certified therapist meets minimum standards of education, knowledge and specialty training.
Insurance companies frequently request BCIA certification information for reimbursement of claims.
Some states require BCIA certification for Worker’s Compensation coverage for biofeedback services.
BCIA certification is recognized by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) as the standard in the field.

Certification in a therapy is awarded by an independent national or international organization and is identified as board certification. Board certification is the mark of distinction for providers of biofeedback services. Recertification at four-year intervals indicates providers have undergone continuous peer review of ethical practice and have continued to acquire knowledge of recent developments in the field.

Proper training takes months, not hours. Requirements for certification are met though a rigorous program of study which includes:

Reading from specified books and scientific publications, attendance at an approved training program, a certifying exam based on key concepts, and personal biofeedback training by a BCIA approved mentor. BCIA requires that certificants adhere to one of the strongest ethical codes in the field.

Biofeedback certification is not a license to practice. Certificants are required to hold a professional license to practice in an approved health care field: psychology, nursing (RN not LPN/LVN), physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, counseling, physician's assistant, and physicians. Biofeedback technicians with no specific health care background may be certified to work under a licensed professional who carries a current Board Certified Biofeedback (BCB) credential.

Viewpoint

Look for the BCIA Logo

The certifying body for all areas of biofeedback is the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA). The Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (formerly the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America) was established in 1981 with the primary mission to certify individuals who meet education and training standards in biofeedback and re-certify those who advance their knowledge through continuing education.

Biofeedback Health Solutions, LLC

Importance of Board Certification

What to Look for When Choosing a Biofeedback Practitioner

Look for a health care licensed professional (nurse, psychologist, social worker, etc.) certified by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance .
Meet with the practitioner to be sure there is a good personality fit.
The field is changing rapidly. Verify the practitioner is using state-of-the-art biofeedback methods and equipment.
Ask how long the therapist has been in practice, where they received training and internships.
Ask about any research that supports practitioner's methodology and what kind of training he or she has had.