Psychotherapy apparatus and method for the inputting and shaping new emotional physiological and cognitive response patterns in patients

A psychotherapy apparatus for inputting and shaping new emotional, psychological and cognitive response patterns in a patient, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) means for isolating a patient from external stimuli;
• (b) means for presenting visual and auditory stimuli to the patient;
• (c) means for delivering a flow of air to the patient for inhalation by the patient;
• (d) means for controlling the temperature of the flow of air delivered to and inhaled by the patient to thereby control the temperature of the patient's hypothalamus;
• (e) means for physiologically monitoring the patient and feeding back data about the patient;
• (f) means for receiving and responding to the feedback of patient data and for coordinating and timing the occurrence of the visual and auditory stimuli with the controlling of the temperature of the flow of air delivered to and inhaled by the patient to assist in the shaping of the new emotional, psychological and cognitive response patterns in the patient;
• and
• (g) means for actuating extensor and flexor muscles of the patient concurrently with the receipt of other stimuli, said actuating means being a push-pull bar pivotally mounted in said patient isolating means in front of the arms of the patient for use by the patient in extending and flexing the muscles of the arms as other stimuli is presented to the patient.

A air flow generating and delivery device, comprising:

• (a) air flow delivering means having spaced apart entry and discharge ends for receiving a flow of air from a first location and delivering the air flow to a second location;
• and
• (b) air temperature controlling means including
• (i) means for generating the flow of air,
• (ii) an electro-thermal heat pump coupled to said air flow generating means and having opposing heated and cooled heat exchangers for receiving and respectively heating and cooling portions of the flow of air generated by said air flow generating means, and
• (iii) a flow control valve disposed between said heat pump and said entry end of said air flow delivering means and being operable to control the proportion of heated and cooled air flowing from said respective opposing heated and cooled heat exchangers of said heat pump into said entry end of said air flow delivering means and thereby control the temperature of the air flow delivered to said discharge end of said air flow delivering means.

A psychotherapy method for inputting and shaping new emotional, physiological and cognitive response patterns in a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) isolating a patient from external stimuli;
• (b) presenting visual and auditory stimuli to the patient;
• (c) delivering a flow of air to the proximity of nostrils of the patient for inhalation of the flow of air by the patient;
• (d) controlling the temperature of the flow of air delivered to the proximity of the patient's nostrils and inhaled by the patient to thereby control the temperature of the patient's hypothalamus;
• (e) physiologically monitoring the patient and feeding back data about the patient;
• and
• (f) receiving and responding to feedback of patient data and coordinating and timing the occurrence of the visual and auditory stimuli with the controlling of the temperature of the flow of air delivered to the proximity of the patient's nostrils and inhaled by the patient to assist in the shaping of the new emotional, psychological and cognitive response patterns in the patient.