Course Detail: HRVC - Heart Rate Variability 16-Hour certificate Program - BCIA Approved

Course Overview

Stress is America's number one health problem.  Research shows that between 75% and 90% of visits to primary care physicians directly result from stress-related disorders.  Most people are unaware of the adverse effects of stress, and some do not recognize stress in their lives.  Heart rate variability (HRV) allows people to "see" how stress affects their overall well-being and healthily cope with stress.

HRV Biofeedback is a treatment technique whereby people learn to improve and maintain their health using signals from their bodies.  Noninvasive sensors are placed on the body to determine physiological changes stimulated through the fight-or-flight response.  Therapists, who use HRV biofeedback as a treatment tool, train people to alter their heart rate and other body functions that clients often believe to be involuntary.  Eventually, the client attains improved self-regulation without the aid of these devices.

The Center for Applied Psychophysiology (CAP) at East Carolina University offers HRV coursework to prepare health care professionals to use it in a clinical setting or for non-clinical practices such as optimal performance training.  The coursework meets the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) Blueprint of Knowledge (16-hour) requirement.  Our goal is to offer you the knowledge and skills necessary to use biofeedback as a treatment intervention or performance enhancement technique.

Who Should Take It

This program is intended for non-clinical professionals (i.e. clinical licensure is not required), psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, counselors, recreational therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals.  To begin the HRV-Certificate (HRV-C) process, you must agree to abide by the BCIA's Professional Standards and Ethical Principles, complete our program, document 3-hours of ethics/professional standards course work within the previous 5-years, and pass the BCIA HRV-C exam.  

Course Format & Textbook

This course uses a non-traditional method of instruction as it is virtual through the Online Canvas Learning Management System, asynchronous, and available for 3-months to complete requirements.  This program is the 16-hour certificate program versus the 42-hour certification program.  You can find a comparison of the certificate versus certification program here.  This course uses the HRV Biofeedback Tutor (BCIA-approved Textbook), quizzes to assess students' knowledge and comprehension, and provides the certificate of completion needed for the HRV-C.  It consists of six distinct modules.  The modules are designed for you to complete in succession, in the order in which they appear.  Within each module, there are multiple quizzes you must complete successively.  To advance from one module to the next, you must score at least an 80% on each module quiz.  There is no comprehensive exam for this course.

After registration, you will receive information on purchasing and accessing the e-text using specific credentials.  These credentials are not the same as the ones you will use to access the course in Canvas.  The text for this specific course is titled "HRV Biofeedback Tutor" and must be purchased separately.  You can purchase it by clicking here.  Once you have created a login, it is recommended you save the credentials in the browser you will utilize for this course. This action will enable you to avoid logging in each time you click on the course reading link in Canvas. 

Participants will receive email communications 2-3 business days prior to the start of the course with information on accessing Canvas.  

Course Costs

This course will introduce you to the basics of HRV biofeedback, its history, theories, instrumentation, and intervention techniques, including assessment, treatment, and evaluation processes.  The course covers clinical (treatment of pathology) and non-clinical (human performance) applications of biofeedback.  
 
Heart Rate Variability 16-Hour certificate program ($500) 
 

HRV-C Professional Requirements

To complete the course, you must score an 80% or better on all quizzes and exams in the program.  There is no comprehensive exam.  Additionally, you must complete all items within 90-days of the program start date.  Once you have successfully achieved the program requirements, we will verify that you completed the course by sending you a certificate of completion.  You may then move on to complete the next steps to take the BCIA HRV-C exam.

Available Sessions - Click on Date/Location