Instructors

Clinicians having differing interests and patient populations take this course so it has been designed so you have slightly different materials available to you depending on what your interests are and the types of patients you see. The depth of knowledge you need on different topics depends on how the physiological bases of your patients’ problems relate to the types of assessments and interventions you provide. If you work in a setting where most of the patients have social interaction and anxiety problems rather than complex medical problems, the required text book will suffice to meet your needs. This level meets all requirements for BCIA certification. The lectures will provide sufficient medical material so you will recognize most of the physiological problems influencing your patients’ behaviors (hormones, respiration, senses, muscles, brain & nerve wiring, etc.). If you work in a setting where many of the patients have medical problems complicating their behavioral problems, or you are using biofeedback to treat medical / physiological problems, or you need to communicate with members of the medical community, understand results of medical tests, etc., an optional clinically oriented book has been provided for you to use in addition to the required book. If you are a health psychologist, a behavioral medicine specialist, or in a graduate program leading to one of these degrees, you should take this option. If you are doing muscular rehabilitation, working with people having muscular dysfunctions, or in a clinical psychophysiology graduate program or track, an optional book emphasizing kinesiology has also been provided.

You will learn by watching audiovisual lectures provided on the course web site or CDs, reading assignments both from materials provided on the course web site or CDs and one or more standard texts, watching a movie, and interacting extensively with the instructor via e-mail and, if you wish, by phone. You will answer short essay questions after each lecture rather than taking exams. Previous students have required between 45 and 95 hours of work (with a median of 65 hours) to complete this course. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Each basic physical structure and organ system (including the nervous system) is discussed with regard to both anatomical structures and physiological functions as they change over time and in relation to both the external and internal environment. The main course objective is to provide the depth of knowledge behavioral clinicians require to understand the physical bases for psychophysiological problems and interventions. These must be understood before psychophysiologically oriented assessments and interventions can be effectively added to a behavioral clinician’s practice. The course is also intended to enhance communication with physicians and other medical professionals by providing common concepts, information, and vocabulary essential to understanding the discussion of medical disorders.

Review Syllabus: View Now

None

(The cost of the text(s) is not included in the course fee.)

Elaine Marieb: Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology, either the 10th edition (ISBN 10: 0-321-69598-4), 2012 or the soft cover 9th edition (ISBN 10: 0-321-51342-8), 2009. There is also a much less expensive e-book version. A used copy of the soft-cover 8th edition will do if you can get it. Published by Benjamin/Cummings Science Publishers / Addison Wesley Longman of New York. The book comes with a CD but this is not to be confused with the audiovisual lecture CD discussed above. Do not get Marieb’s “Human Anatomy and Physiology” book (without “essentials” in the title) as this is a different book.

45 CE credits.

The Behavioral Medicine Research and Training Foundation is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Behavioral Medicine R&T Foundation maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

There is one year to complete the course. Courses not completed by that time are void and must be repurchased if still available.

No refunds after purchase and the course materials are received.