Dan Kaufmann, Ph.D. C.Ht.

 

I did my undergraduate degree in both Biology and Chemistry and received my Ph.D. in pharmaceutics and medicinal chemistry in 2009, from the school of pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.  In my research I worked to develop novel drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain. This work has led to the development of a novel drug, sec-Butyl propylacetamide (SPD), currently in pre-clinical trials for the treatment of epilepsy, pain disorders and migraine. I proceeded to do my post-doctoral fellowship in the anti-convulsant drug development (ADD) program where I pursued the potential of SPD as a future drug. 

However, my career path led me to translational neuroscience work on brain excitability where I changed approaches, and have spent the past several years learning and applying systems neuroscience and physiological approaches to understanding as well as treating migraine. My particular interest is the modulation of migraine by sex, stress, and affect, where I hope to apply my full skill set – pharmacology, physiology, and behavior – to the understanding and treatment of migraine. 

I have always been intrigued by the healing arts in regard to pain management, understanding cognitive and emotional processes and their connection to the human body. This passion has led me to pursue other disciplines remote from science such as Biofeedback, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and hypnosis. I am a Biofeedback practitioner, master practitioner in NLP, and a certified clinical hypnotherapist approved by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (A.C.H.E). 

Presently, I am working in  the University of Utah as a Research Assistant Professor studying stress induced migraine in males vs. females. 

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I believe that every person is unique, with their own complex set of emotional and mental characteristics, genetics and past history, which shaped who they are in the present moment.  Although different people might present similar symptoms, the causes are likely to be different. In order to account for these differences, I have trained in multiple modalities which I incorporate in my practice including: ego state therapy, Biofeedback, parts therapy, NLP, suggestion therapy, gestalt, Integral theory (Ken Wilber), symbolic modeling, core transformation process and coming to wholeness process, to name a few. This is why every client receives a tailored intervention to address their own desired outcome as they rightly deserve.