|
|
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. PeakMind also receive support from the Centre for Psychology and Counselling at Swansea Metropolitan University, where some of our neurofeedback training takes place. Dr. Soren Andersen and Dr. Neil Rutterford
founded PeakMind in September 2005. |
 |
Dr. Soren
Andersen, a Danish citizen of 34, 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.
|
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 neurofeedback research students from Aalborg University, Denmark.
|
 |
Dr. Neil Rutterford was trained in the use of neurofeedback by EEG Spectrum and has extensive clinical experience. After reading Psychology and Chemistry as an undergraduate he obtained a postgraduate diploma in Psychology and worked for several years in a neurorehabilitation context. Since then he has developed a research focus to his work, gaining an MSc in Psychological Research Methods and a PhD in Psychology.
|
Neil is currently the Head of a newly established Centre for Psychology and Counselling at Swansea’s Metropolitan University.
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.
|
| |
 |
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.
|
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). |
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).
PeakMind also run some sessions at the Townhill Campus of Swansea Metropolitan University, the UK's newest university, but a provider of higher education for over 150 years.
|
|
|
