Frank Echenhofer, Ph.D.

Developmental Psychologist
Tibetan Buddhist

Frank Echenhofer received his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Temple University in 1985. He is a licensed psychologist and has been a clinical research associate at Temple University and has been in private practice since 1985. Since 1998 he has been a professor of clinical psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. His specializations, which bridge east-west psychology, are eastern and western comparative psychology, philosophy, and psychophysiology. He has done research in exceptional and deficit attention (ADHD, mild brain injury, single-pointed concentration and visualization meditation), EEG biofeedback for normalizing the EEG associated with attention and arousal level problems, and EEG assisted self-regulation methods for creativity, meditation facilitation, imagery self-regulation, and experimental transpersonal psychology. Frank has conducted research with Tibetan Buddhist meditators in India, under the guidance of the Dalai Lama at his monastery.

EEG and Ayahuasca Research in Progress:

Frank Echenhofer is currently meeting with research collaborators to plan the next EEG and ayahuasca research project. The goals of this research are to explore; 1) the EEG neural correlates of very vivid mental imagery, and 2) the potential to facilitate spiritual practice and development. To acquire research approval would be very long and far from guaranteed in the United States and one additional goal at this research planning stage is to determine if the legal and institutional environment in Peru will permit the development of ayahuasca research.

A primary research strategy is to use EEG recording during ayahuasca sessions to determine precise neural network patterns associated with specific experiential states, such as the allowing and acceptance of difficult memories, ayahuasca journey experiences, and other related transpersonal experiences. The clinical value of the full experiencing and acceptance of experience for the release of traumatic memory is fairly well established in many psychotherapy traditions. Journey and related transpersonal experiences are also reported in the major religious traditions, in mysticism, in shamanism, in folklore, and in mythology and may have a common basis that may be able to be directly investigated with ayahuasca.

Over repeated sessions, the EEG neural network patterns closely related to a set of specific experiential states for each individual using normal doses of ayahuasca can be established and these EEG neural network patterns will then be used to create EEG biofeedback protocols. In subsequent studies each individual examined in the first study will use threshold doses of ayahuasca with EEG biofeedback to facilitate the re-experiencing of those states that seem to be naturally emerging during the threshold dose sessions. Preliminary EEG biofeedback protocols for 12 individuals have been developed. The research in progress would be to conduct pilot research using both full and threshold doses of ayahuasca and EEG biofeedback with several individuals over several sessions to refine procedures and to recruit additional participants for a larger study. A series of dissertation research studies chaired by Frank Echenhofer have been crucial to the development of this approach (Benitz, G.A., 2007; Burton, 2007; Heuser, J., 2006; Stuckey, 2004; Stuckey, Lawson, & Luna, 2005).