HRV Certificate Program
What Is Heart Rate Variability?
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the physiological phenomenon of variation in the time interval between heartbeats. It is measured by the variation in the beat-to-beat interval.
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?
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 16-hour Blueprint of Knowledge, based on this reading list. As of June, 2018, the exam must be proctored and there is a required pass score, based on the accumulated psychometric information.
Didactic Education
The 16-hour blueprint content is divided into 6 rubrics as follows:
| HRV Anatomy and Physiology | 3 hours | HRV Measurements | 2 hours |
| Heart Rate Variability | 2 hours | HRV Biofeedback Strategies | 4 hours |
| HRV Instrumentation | 3 hours | HRV Applications | 2 hours |
BCIA-Accredited Didactic Training Providers
Complete blueprint coverage may be documented by courses taken at AAPB and ISNR annual conferences, when offered, or from the following providers. Each program is responsible for the content, pricing, schedule, and all other information for their course. Please contact the individual program, not BCIA, should you need further information.
- Behavioral Medicine Research & Training Foundation
- Biofeedback Workshops Europe
- Biosource Software/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 as would be appropriate for BCIA certification or recertification.
Filing an Application
You may file your application at any time you wish during the certification process. In order for the application to be valid, you must include your filing fee.
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.
To learn more about HRV, BCIA has offered webinars over the years and the recordings are available for purchase. Each one is only $40 and they will provide more insight into the science and clinical application of HRV Biofeedback. This link provides more information about how to access the recordings. Click here to view a list of these recordings.