Calming the Storm: Using Audio-Visual Entrainment to Enhance Mental Health Crisis Response

This presentation was part of the 6th Annual Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response Summit.

In high-pressure mental health crisis situations, professionals need effective tools to quickly reduce stress and stabilize emotions. This 1-hour CEU course, “Calming the Storm: Using Audio-Visual Entrainment to Enhance Mental Health Crisis Response,” introduces participants to the science and application of Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE). Attendees will explore how AVE leverages rhythmic light and sound to regulate the nervous system, reduce acute stress, and improve cognitive clarity. Through evidence-based insights, practical demonstrations, and ethical considerations, participants will gain actionable strategies to integrate AVE into their crisis intervention protocols safely and effectively.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Define Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE) and explain its role in mental health crisis intervention. 
2. Explain the neuroscience behind AVE and evaluate its evidence-based applications for trauma, PTSD, and acute stress. 
3. Demonstrate how to incorporate AVE into crisis response protocols while addressing safety considerations and ethical practices.

Content Level: Innovation: Designed to highlight new learnings, strategies, or lines of thinking.

Presenters: Fran Bieganek, MS, Licensed Psychologist, Board Certified Neurofeedback Practitioner, and Guy Odishaw, Psychotherapist, Co-Founder – Bhakti Brain Health Clinic

Bios:
Fran Bieganek is a Licensed Psychologist, Psychophysiologist, Board Certified in Neurofeedback as an Associate Fellow. She is Co-Founder of Bhakti Brain Health Clinic and has a private psychotherapy practice where she specializes in treating first responders. She is also a retired tenured track Professor of Psychology in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.  Fran has over 30 years of experience in the field including neuroimaging and neurotherapy services, clinical psychotherapy services and teaching at the college level.

Guy Odishaw, is CTO, Psychophysiologist Healthcare Entrepreneur, Bioelectric Medicine Practitioner, Co-founder of the Bhakti Brain Health Clinic with Fran Bieganek. Founder of Bhakti Wellness Center, what was one of the largest, most diverse, integrative medicine clinics in the country. Co-founder of the first integrative student health clinics in the country at the University of Minnesota. Additionally he founded Bhakti Labs, a wellness device design and manufacturing company. Guy’s 30 years of clinical experience specializing in treatment resistant chronic pain, traumatic brain injury and psycho-emotional trauma informs his approach to brain health. Additionally, his 20+ years as meditation instructor and facilitator of courses on personal growth help him understand how to support clients through the potent changes arising from Neurotherapy.