HRV Certificate Program

Why did BCIA launch a certificate program in HRV?

BCIA’s Certificate of Completion in HRV biofeedback confirms that a professional has successfully completed an educational program recognized by the biofeedback field.  We believe that building and maintaining educational standards is crucial for all biofeedback modalities to gain respect from the health care community and to take their rightful place alongside other recognized treatments.

A certificate of completion demonstrates that an applicant has successfully completed an approved and standardized didactic workshop based on fundamental science that meets rigorous academic standards. Following a needs assessment, BCIA concluded that an HRV certificate of completion would better promote BCIA’s educational mission than a new certification. A certificate could increase the rigor of didactic programs teaching HRV biofeedback and enhance the expertise of academics, technicians, performance specialists, and licensed health care professionals who utilize HRV biofeedback.

Since this program is not a full certification, those who earn the certificate will not be listed on the Find a Practitioner listing on our website.

Who can earn this certificate?

The HRV certificate of completion is intended for anyone who wants to demonstrate that they have followed a standardized training program to learn how to use this modality, but specifically for:

• BCIA certificants
• health care professional who uses it clinically 
• individuals with no specified clinical background who provide optimal performance training using this modality.

Where do I start?

The first step is to file an application.  All applicants must:

1.   agree to abide by BCIA’s Professional Standards and Ethical Principles (PSEP),
2.   complete a BCIA-approved HRV biofeedback didactic program,
3.   document completion of 3 hours of ethics/professional standards course work, taken within the last 5 years
4.   pass a nationally-standardized online exam based on the 15-hour Blueprint of Knowledge, based on this reading list.

Didactic Education

The 15-hour blueprint content is divided into 8 rubrics as follows:

Cardiac Anatomy/Physiology	1 hour	HRV Instrumentation	3 hours
Respiratory Anatomy/Physiology	1 hour	HRV Measurements	2 hours
ANS Anatomy/Physiology	.5 hour	HRV Biofeedback Strategies	4 hours
Heart Rate Variability	2 hours	HRV Biofeedback Applications	1.5 hours

 

BCIA-Accredited Didactic Training Providers

Complete blueprint coverage may be documented by courses taken at AAPB and ISNR annual conferences or from the following providers:

• Behavioral Medicine Research & Training Foundation.
• Seminars Without Borders – the HRV Tutor, published by Seminars Without Borders, is also sold by AAPB, Bio-Medical Equipment, Stens, and Stress Therapy Solutions.
• Stens Corporation
• StressTherapy Solutions
   

Ethics/Professional Conduct - Completion of 3 hours of course work taken within the last 5 years through:  BCIA accredited training programs, university or national professional organizational courses, BCIA webinars or CE articles, etc. as would be appropriate for BCIA certification or recertification.

Fees

All applications must include a filing fee:

• $25 for all students enrolled in a health care degree program at a regionally accredited academic institution according to BCIA certification standards
• $25 for all BCIA certificants – BCB, BCN, BCB-PMD
• $50 for all other applicants

All fees are non-refundable and must be paid in US funds by check or online.