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 technique 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 ...

, 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 instrument called an electromyograph to produce a record called an electromyogram. 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 Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. 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 Catho ...

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 in southern Nevada, north-northwest of Las Vegas. A remote detachment administered by Edwards Air Force B ...

. 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 explanation, interpretatio ...

in the State of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. He was an Affiliate Professor at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, 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 devi ...

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 bio signals detected by EEG have been shown to represent the postsynaptic potentials of pyramidal neurons in the neoc ...

;

chronic fatigue syndrome Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling Chronic condition, chronic illness. People with ME/CFS experience profound fatigue that does not go away with rest, as well as sleep issues and problems with memory ...

; and applications for

chronic pain Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months.https://icd.who.int/browse/2025-01/mms/en#1581976053 It is also known as gradual burning pain, electrical pain, throbbing pain, and nauseating pain. This type of pain is in cont ...

, enhanced academic performance, and the enhancement of

cognitive processes Cognition is 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, ima ...

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 "difficulty ...

, and the

elderly Old age is the range of ages for people nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People who are of old age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, senior citizens, seniors or older adults. Old age is not a definite biological sta ...

. 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 forebearer of the modern field o ...

; 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. The publication began as a bimonthly magazine, which first appeared in 1967. The print magazine's reported circulation is 275,000 as of 2023. ...

;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 most recent editor-in-chief was Stephen Smith. The journal drew attention in 2023 wh ...

. 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 main professional organization of psychologists in the United States, and the largest psychological association in the world. It has over 170,000 members, including scientists, educators, clin ...

; 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 Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

;

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

; the

University of Munich The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public university, public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke ...

; and the

University of Düsseldorf A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...

, Germany. Budzynski developed a series of Life Management subliminal and primin

recordings. Applying his research on brainwave activity, he created peak performance tools utilizing research and theory on brain lateralization, lateralized emotions, dual track brain messaging,

binaural beats In acoustics, a beat is an Interference (wave propagation), interference pattern between two sounds of slightly different frequency, frequencies, ''perceived'' as a periodic variation in amplitude (music), volume whose rate is the Difference (math ...

, 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 form of psychological and mental discomfort. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial, as it can improve athletic performance, motivation and reaction to the envi ...

and

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

, 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 remembe ...

self-confidence Confidence is the feeling of belief or trust that a person or thing is reliable. * * * Self-confidence is trust in oneself. Self-confidence involves a positive belief that one can generally accomplish what one wishes to do in the future. Sel ...

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth, abilities, or morals. 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 Macki ...

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 Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...

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 11,970 at the 2020 census and an estimated 10,927 in 2018. The Suquamish people hav ...

. 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 disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...

Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, is a diagnostic label that has historically been used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and no ...

, depression, and

disorders through the use of

neurofeedback Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that uses electrical potentials in the brain to reinforce desired brain states through operant conditioning. This process is non-invasive neurotherapy and typically collects brain activity data using elect ...

, 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 t ...

, 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