The Misophonia Institute (MI) was organized in December 2015 with Tom Dozier as the director. The mission of MI is two fold. In September 2016, we became a nonprofit company with Tom Dozier as president, Michelle Lopez as treasurer, and Chris Pearson as secretary. We are now a 501C3 nonprofit company registered with the US IRS. So donations to the Misophonia Institute are tax deductable.
First, we want to provide reliable information about misophonia to individuals and families who are struggling with misophonia. This includes an understanding of misophonia (what it is, how it develops, and how it changes with time) and techniques to manage the condition for both the individual with misophonia and families/others who are impacted. This mission is primarily accomplished through the MisophoniaInstitute.org website. We hope you find this free resource to be very beneficial and we would appreciate any feedback you have to offer.
The second mission of the Misophonia Institute is to promote research and collaboration of treatment professionals to enhance both our understanding and treatment of misophonia. The Misophonia Institute accepts the validity of all forms of treatment of misophonia that can be shown to be beneficial. We are inclusive of all views of misophonia treatment as long as it follows the principle, “First, do not harm.”
The Misophonia Institute is a virtual institution, with collaborators and associates around the world. At the beginning of 2016, we are engaged in four formal research studies. We have also held 5 webinars for clinicians.
The Misophonia Institute is a 501C3 nonprofit. It is currently supported by donations (for research and awareness) and by Tom Dozier.
About our Directors
Tom Dozier, President Misophonia Institute
Tom Dozier, M.S. BBehavior Analysis is the basic science of human behavior. A part of this science involves human reflexes and how we acquire them. Misophonia appears to be a conditioned (acquired) reflex to the trigger sounds. Tom developed Relaxation and Counterconditioning Therapy (RCT) as a treatment for misophonia. This includes muscle relaxation training and the Neural Repatterning Technique based on the concept of counterconditioning of reflexes. Using the Trigger Tamer app or real-life experiences, it can slowly reduce the misophonic reflex. This process actually changes the neurology associated with the misophonic reaction. Tom is also the author of seven peer-reviewed journal articles on misophonia and the book, Understanding and Overcoming Misophonia, 2nd Edition, A Conditioned Aversive Reflex Disorder.
Tom received a Master’s of Science from California State University, Stanislaus in 2012 in an interdisciplinary program titled, “Behavior Analysis and the Family.” His primary career focus is on parenting and parenting skills (see 3LParenting.com, guaranteedpt.com, or LDSParentCoach.org). Tom became interested in misophonia in 2012 because he worked with parents of children with misophonia. He recognized that the misophonic reaction to trigger sounds was an involuntary reflex behavior. As such, misophonia triggers should respond similar to other acquired reflexes. Tom saw an opportunity to help individuals suffering with a condition that had no known cure or treatment.
Based on the research in acquired reflexes and relevant published journal articles, Tom developed a new misophonia treatment method and has applied this method successfully to individuals, primarily using telehealth video-chat. When the treatment conditions are right, individuals experience a great decrease in the reactions to trigger sounds or even have no reaction (cured) for that trigger.
Tom’s first career was as a manufacturing engineer. He began his career in parent training in 2003 because of the help he received from Dr. Glenn I. Latham on parenting concerns. Tom received a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis in 2004. He received a certification of board certified assistant behavior analyst in 2008. He received his MS in Behavior Analysis from CSU Stanislaus in 2012 and received a certification of board certified behavior analyst that same year. In 2017 Tom was awarded the Behavior Analyst Mastery Certification: Behavioral Consultation and Clinical Behavior Therapy (BAMC:BCCBT) by the Board of Behavior Analyst Specialties. Tom and his wife have 4 children and 9 grandchildren.
Nate Mitchell, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the treasurer of Misophonia Institute. Dr. Mitchell provides treatment for misophonia in his private practice and has developed an effective cognitive behavior therapy treatment for misophonia that can be delivered in weekly sessions or an intensive one week visit to his clinic in Louisville.
Chris Pearson is an Accredited Member of National Council for Hypnotherapists (NCH) and a Member the UK National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP). Chris is a Certified Clinical Neuropsychotherapy Practitioner and a Member of The Royal Society of Medicine. His practice is based in Upton, Yorkshire in northern England, and he has developed a Misophonia specialism during the last five years. Chris developed Sequent Repatterning as a therapeutic framework specifically designed to treat Misophonia. Chris has now worked with more than 250 individuals having Misophonia and in 2015 spoke at the Misophonia Conference in Chicago. Since then he has also spoken on Misophonia at The Neuropsychotherapy Conference in Queensland, Australia and at APHP 2017 in London, England. He has shown Sequent Repatterning to be effective as a therapy provided when delivered face-to-face and also remotely via online video consultations. He has been a board member of Misophonia Institute since its inception.
