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PeakMind
Founders
PeakMind is a Swansea University spin-out
enterprise, having been awarded a grant from Finance Wales
and receiving support from the Department of Psychology within
the university. Dr. Soren Andersen and Dr. Neil Rutterford
founded PeakMind in September 2005.
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Dr. Soren
Andersen, a Danish citizen of 35, completed his PhD in Psychophysiology
in 2004 from the University of Portsmouth, focusing on the
biological basis of behaviour, emotions and personality.
He received neurofeedback training from the
Society of Applied Neuroscience (SAN) of which he is a council member.
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He
has also represented Denmark in the Diagnostic and
Treatment working group of the European COST Action B27 initiative:
“Electric Neuronal Oscillations and Cognition”,
which focuses on the use of electric neuronal oscillations
in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders.
Soren
is both a neurofeedback researcher and practitioner and his research
interests centre around personality and individual differences and
their influence on the spontaneous EEG, as well as their moderating
impact on the conditioning process during neurofeedback training. Soren
has been funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
to investigate the efficacy of neurofeedback in reducing anxiety. He
also acts as supervisor for BSc and MSc research students from Aalborg
University, Denmark. Recently, he supervised a master student who
succesfully completed a controversial theoretical thesis on addiction
to stress (march 2009).
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Dr. Neil Rutterford,
CPsychol CSci.
Currently
works at a university in Cambridge as a Senior Lecturer. Prior to his
appointment to this post in August 2008, Neil was Head of Centre for
Psychology and Counselling at Swansea Metropolitan University . He
completed a PhD in neuropsychology at Swansea University in 2005 after
working in clinical settings with a number of neurorehabilitation
providers. Neil received EEG Spectrum accredited training in
neurofeedback in 2005 and has since practised this treatment approach
as a director of PeakMind.
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Neil has published a number of articles in peer-reviewed journals and
presented his work at international and national conferences. He also
supervises several research students, and projects on which Neil is
currently working include the efficacy of neurofeedback in a traumatic
brain injury population; efficacy of neurofeedback in enhancing
executive function performance; combining biofeedback and
cognitive-behavioural therapy techniques in treating Sudanese people
with social phobia; investigating the inhibition of responses after
ventro-medial brain damage.
As
well as being a Chartered Psychologist, Neil is a member of the
Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology of the British
Psychological Society, and an associate member of the British
Neuropsychological Society, International Neuropsychological Society,
and Society of Applied Neuroscience.
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Louise
Venables completed her PhD in Psychology in 2007 from Liverpool John
Moores University. The PhD research attempted to establish the
corresponding changes in psychophysiological and neuropsychological
brain activity associated with improved performance and the investment
of mental effort. Prior to this, Louise attained an MSc with
distinction in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience at the University
of Liverpool.
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She
has been conducting research within the field of neuroscience since
2001, working on grants from both the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC), and the Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC). This included applied investigations into the effects of
neurofeedback on anxiety reduction, performance enhancement, and
dieting success.
Louise is currently working
as a Senior Research Associate in Psychology based at Swansea
University but collaborating with both Bangor and Cardiff Universities.
This involves carrying out investigations for a range of
electroencephalograph (EEG) and neuroimaging projects as part of a
research fellowship for the Welsh Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
(WICN). |
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Berta
Pacheco is currently studying for he PhD in Cambridge. Her research
project is focused on the applications of neurofeedback for cognitive
enhancement purposes. She received training in neurofeedback provided
by the Society of Applied Neuroscience in 2008.
Berta finsihed her Psychology Degree at the University of Lisbon in
2007, where she received training in Clinical Psychology and Cognitive
Behavioural interventions. Berta also worked in the Psychology
Department of a paediatric hospital in Lisbon, where she provided
psychological support and psychological assessments to children and
adolescents.
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Berta is graduate member of the British Psychological Society, a member
of the International Soceity for Neurofeedback and Research, Society of
Applied Neuroscience, and Association of Applied Psychophysiology and
Neurofeedback training.
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Where are we located? |
PeakMind is in the fortunate position
of being located within the Singleton Campus of Swansea University.
This ensures PeakMind benefits from facilities, such as car
parking, disabled access and nearby cafeterias. The university
lies within Singleton Park on the broad sweep of Swansea Bay,
between the City of Swansea and the old fishing village of
Mumbles. The beautiful Gower Peninsula, which was the first
designated Area Of National Beauty in 1956, with its famous
beaches and tranquil countryside, lies immediately to the
west. The Singleton Campus is well known for its marvellous
coastal location (see above).
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