2014 Misophonia Convention

Summary of CONVENTION TWO:

Don’t forget soon you can purchase the entire convention for yourself via digital downloads OR traditional DVDs, coming early 2015.

SUMMARY:  

Two full days, 8 am to 5 pm.  About 125 people attended including about 20-22 teens and children.  Biggest group yet but only 2nd year!  Here are the main speakers and what was presented, remember we had some fantastic panels presentations by attendees and by the youth group.  Also good break out sessions where the speakers/presenters led different topics, people signed up for one of three choices each day.

Dr. Marsha Johnson, AuD (opened the session with some of her clinical misophonia/4S observations collected over 17 years, provided a view of what the Misophonia Association has accomplished in its first year, and plans/visions for the near future, and for the long range goals.  On the 2nd day, she presented some of her slides on data from over 900 subjects about misophonia, its characteristics, demographics, and more.  She also led two break out sessions, Miso in the Workplace and Your Legal Rights, and a General Miso Session Day Two, Open Forum.  Dr. Johnson is from Oregon and has been closely associated with misophonia/4S since 1997.

Dr. Jaelline Jaffe, PhD Psychology, had two speaking sessions, one Psychological Approaches to Treating Misophonia, and Tools & Strategies for Patients and Families.  She also led two break out sessions, which were packed, Parents & Family Support, and Communication Role Play and Brain/Mind Experiments. Dr. Jaffe is from California and currently has 30 misophonia patients in her care.

Dr. Aujan Shroder, Psychiatrist, The Netherlands, via VSEE, presented his research on misophonia and answered questions from the audience about his important article which was published, and can be found on the internet.  This was a terrific session for the audience and our first use of advanced technology to bring the researchers from afar into our convention.

Dr. Christopher Spankovich, PhD.  From Universtiy of Florida, he lectured on The Misunderstood Misophonia, a  research project that was published in Audiology Today in 2014.  Dr. Spankovich is from Florida and his presentation and data was very well received and appreciated.  He also led a break out session on the Evaluation and Diagnosis of Misophonia.

Dr. Cindy Simon, AuD, presented on the technology available to misophonics, To Misophonia or Not Misophonia: That is the Question, and also led several youth group sessions for discussion, sharing, and more.  She also fit many people with bilateral Zen To Go units by Widex which have sound generators with noise and chimes.  Dr. Simon is from Florida and was the host for this year’s convention.  She also led a break out session on Technology.  Her clinic is located in South Miami, Florida.

Dr. Scott Sessions, DC, from Wyoming, presented a unique treatment approach he calls PRT, and invited two audience members to receive his treatment that evening.  The next day he presented the two cases, one of whom came up and described immediate results, and the other did not have any benefit.  Dr. Sessions has worked as a chiropractor for 25 years and is working with Mr. Dozier on various reserach and projects aimed at discovering innovative approachs.

Tom Dozier, MS, presented from his cruise vacation using the VSEE technology internet method, and spoke on The Misophonia Reflex:  How it develops and expands.  This is based on his research and clincial practice of nearly three years and he included information on his Trigger Tamer App.  Mr. Dozier is from California and has founded the Misophonia Research Institute.

Michael Mannino, Ph D Candidate, Neurology, gave a dynamic presentation on The Misophonia Brain: A Brief Neurobiological Evaluation and Review.  He has misophonia, and his speech was very well received and created excitement with this new point of view to our convention.  Mr Mannino is from Philadelphia and intendeds to steer his career towards areas like misophonia.

Meredith Rosol, grad student from Baltimore, led the panel presentation and a break out session on How To Form Meet Up Chapters of the Misophonia Association.

The Misophonia Assocation board of directors held a lunch meeting and selected three new members, Abby Dees, attorney, from California, Karissa Anderson, accounting, and Susan Hodo, CPA.  Meredith Rosol will act as a non voting advisory member.  Marsha Johnson was selected as President, Susan Hodo as Treasurer, Cindy Simon as Secretary.  The three new members are on a three month probabtionay period, until January 2015, to try out the group and if all goes well, will be officially voted in at that time.  Abby is close to submitting the paperwork for the non profit status to the IRS, and the corporation paperwork is completed.

Immediate goals for the group:  selection of 2015 convention site, set up Meet Up Chapters around the globe, create effective organizational structure including the search for a part time association manager in 2015, formalize the membership process to attract donations and contributions, publish lists of global resources and research, assist in forming an international research professional group, and create materials that can be used by members and public, i.e., letters for the 504 educational plan process and work place rights.

We managed to acquire a terrific logo, too, from a very sweet kid named Meghan!  Perfect.

Ambitious goals?  We can do it.  We have already done so much.

A father of a misophone, Ed, offered to rework and create a new website to help.

Another participant offered to head up any study volunteers-needed,  list for the M.A.

An executive promised to help speed up significant fund raising to aim at our mutual goals for the M.A., he has many ideas on how to proceed.

A volunteer, Seth Shapiro, who came to manage our technical equipment and in so many other ways, stepped right up and started creating all sorts of internet goodies for us.  What a wonderful young man!

One family just donated $500 to help other people attend this convention, wasn’t that just amazing!

We would like to thank WIDEX, our corporate sponsor, for paying for two snacks, and providing technical equipment and Zen to Go Demo units plus being there for two days!  Thank you Lesley and Eric!

A life changing experience, all basically run by volunteers and the most delightful people, ever, and meeting so many sincere and intelligent and sweet kids, teens and adults, just makes life so much better.

Try to arrange your life so you can get to the midwest next October.  The price is reasonable and you can figure it out, somehow, if you start now.  Please do come, it was a great event, next year we will seek a larger meeting space to manage better but remember, we planned for 100 and 125 showed up!  That is good news but also made things a bit crowded….but we MADE IT HAPPEN.

We are gathering steam and energy and we will move forward.  Come with us.