Penijean Gracefire

Click here to view Curriculum Vitae

Penijean is a neural frequency analyst and published author who rides motorcycles, drinks tea, and designs therapeutic applications for emerging neurotechnology.

As a licensed mental health clinician, she constructs closed loop EEG-based feedback paradigms which alter neural dynamics in real time, helping people to recover from injury and trauma or improve cognitive flexibility and adaptive cascades.

Penijean’s ground-breaking work has led to industry-wide changes in neuromodulation and is the basis for current standards in international certification. Her passions include spectral analysis, donuts, and taking things apart to see how they work.

She regularly collaborates on the wild and weird, exploring how much we can really know about the subjective human experience by measuring and observing biometric data.

In one of her recent projects she investigated brain patterns associated with heartbreak and designed a feedback paradigm to help increase resiliency in romantic relationships.

Consulting

Clinical Applications for Neurotechnology

Interested in having more nuanced and complex conversations with the brain, Penijean specializes in creating multi-sensory feedback cascades based on cortical biometrics. Her designs are grounded in the principle that neural stability is a function of adapability, and that you can coax any brain to change if your information delivery mechanisms are both meaningful and novel.

Years of first hand clinical experience with an array of software and hardware have equipped Penijean to contribute to the development of various neurotechnologies by identifying distinctive features that can be offered in each device. Her goal is to help companies bring new and original products to the market that expand both the availability and the efficacy of neuromodulation therapies.

Her current focus is collaborating with patient-led initiatives researching the long term impact of COVID-19 on the brain and central nervous system to help formulate practial and effective therapeutic options for people struggling to recover from Long Covid symptoms.

Closed-Loop Neuromodulation Design

Penijean has been creating innovative EEG-based feedback designs since 2004.

She is the originator of over a hundred unique feedback paradigms, including:

• the first clinical EEG database referenced biofeedback designs with an interactive tri-threshold monitoring real-time percentage of biometrics within a standard deviation range

• the first integrated auditory and visual feedback based on aggregate movement percentages of selected z-scored EEG metrics

• the first multi-modal clinical model using z-scored EEG biofeedback and neural stim

• the first EEG biofeedback designs integrating simultaneous sLORETA and surface z-scored database references in real time with percentage based auditory feedback

• first EEG-modulated pEMF closed loop feedback designs

• the first EEG-modulated pNIR closed loop feedback designs

• the first combined EEG, pEMF, pNIR, auditory and visual closed loop feedback design

Research and Program Design

Penijean is a knowledgeable, perceptive consultant who specializes in designing effective EEG biofeedback protocols and adapting the principles of quantitative EEG for innovative clinical applications.

Her project history includes

• Exceptional performance program designs for musicians, dancers, competitive athletes, drivers, and motorcyclists

• TBI and PTSD research designs for the Dept of Defense

• Workflow design for over a hundred clinics

• Co-writing grant applications

• Creating original content modules for continuing education

• Collaborating with professional teams to design both supportive programs and research initiatives for

  • substance abuse, addiction and obsessive-compulsive behavior sets

  • attentional disorders and learning challenges

  • complex trauma and intimate partner violence

  • brain injury and post-concussion syndrome

Neurofeedback Education

Public Speaking*

An experienced presenter, Penijean's speaking style is relaxed and humorous, helping to set her audience at ease, even when discussing challenging material. 

She can flexibly engage a crowd, adapt on the fly to questions, and encourages discussion and participation.

While she primarily accepts invitations to speak at conferences, universities and workshops, she did agree one time to be the main event at a bat mitzvah. 

She regrets nothing.

*Currently only accepting virtual speaking opportunites, thank you for your understanding.

Neurofeedback for Beginners

Are you intimidated by new technology? Stressed out trying to learn modern computer skills? Overwhelmed by all the different equipment options?

Penijean remembers how it felt when she was a beginner and this is why she specializes in patient, reassuring instruction for clinicians adding neurofeedback to their practice.

She offers both individual and group online education sessions for the busy professional.

BCIA and qEEG Mentoring

Looking for a skilled mentor to complete your hours for BCIA Neurofeedback certification or qEEG certification? Penijean is uniquely qualified to help you.

She created the first BCIA didactic program that included instruction on qEEG, Z-score feedback and sLORETA training, shifting the industry approach to educating clinicians. Her material is currently being taught worldwide.

She has over twenty thousand hours of experience and is committed to adapting your mentoring sessions to fit your specific educational needs.

Learn to analyze qeeg brain maps

Known for her comprehensive, clinically oriented method of qEEG analysis, Penijean has a distinctive ability to make both the science and the art behind brain maps accessible to all.

An enthusiastic dataphile, she enjoys introducing clinicians to the world where frequencies and neurophysiology intersect, allowing us to observe the real time networks underlying cognitive function and emotional resiliency.

Quantitative EEG as an assessment tool contains a wealth of information for clinicians and researchers which, when compared to other imaging technology, is an unparalleled combination of sensitivity, portability and economy.

Penijean is currently offering remote consultation for qEEG data analysis and protocol development, or remote clinician education for providers interested in adding qEEG assessment to their practice.