About
me
Megan Vaughan has over 10 years of experience with traumatic brain injury using integrated mindfulness, breathwork and manual therapy as part of her approaches to cognitive communication, temporomandibular pain, and sleep disordered breathing interventions. Her work with integrative speech-language pathology care has focused on interventions with Tony Award winning celebrities and Special Forces Operatives in the STAR program. Dr. Vaughan has served on the Executive Boards for ACRM CIRM, Richmond Veteran’s Affairs Whole Health Task Force, National Veteran’s Affairs Speech Pathology Whole Health Task Force as the Mindfulness Expert, and is faculty for the VA ECHO Whole Health Implementation Initiative.
During the completion of her doctorate at Northwestern University, she developed the Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement (MBCE) Program for Special Operators with mild TBI. This program has since expanded to other sites in the VA health system. Dr. Vaughan has presented at numerous national conferences on mindfulness in speech-language pathology, multidisciplinary collaborative mindfulness approaches, and has pioneered a specialized mindfulness course for communication and Special Forces.
Personal Philosophy
Therapy: I believe that there is a center to someone's need that can be targeted through integrative therapy which has a ripple effect on a person's life purpose, their family and future generations.
Archery with Recreational, Physical, Psychology Therapy with our Special Forces.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is not about sitting in perfect silence without a thought. Mindfulness to me is like a tiger. An inner strength that is always present that can flex to be in any environment and is not impulsive but thoughtful and deliberate with its actions. These are the skills that mindfulness cultivates. Mindfulness unleashes your inner tiger.
Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement (MBCE) Program
MBCE was not developed in my garage, but I still channeled my inner Steve Jobs when developing MBCE up in my attic after the family went to bed. Since its inception in 2021, the program has launched at multiple VA sites and soon will be offered as a free beta course to practicing therapists.
The program works on mindful communication and interpersonal skills. Improvements in this skill set was 66% across various measures in attention, memory, interpersonal relationships and decreased irritability with others.
Mindfulness in the Literature
Changes in the brain
•Amygdala-tended to be less active and have less gray matter density following mindfulness session (Lutz, Dunne & Davidson, 2008).
•Hippocampus-it regulates the amygdala. Following mindfulness training- found to be more active (Goldin & Gross, 2010).
•Prefrontal cortex-associated with impulse control and maturity- became more active following mindfulness training (Chiesa & Serretti, 2010).
•Cortical regions-related to attention and sensory processing- became thicker in long-term meditation practitioners. And, meditation may offset thinning brought about by aging ( Lazar et al. 2005).
Changes in relationships
•Couples who were meditating reported more closeness and relationship satisfaction (Caron, J, et al., 2004).
•Increased empathy (Beddoe & Murphy, 2004). Seminal study examining over 4,000 scientific papers on varying degrees of mindfulness.The study shows improvements in quality of attention, interpersonal relationships, and empathy and compassion.
Consciousness Explorers Club Special Forces Group
I run a chapter of the CEC inspired groups that is dedicated to Special Forces. The group is currently offered to those who have completed introductory mindfulness training and wish to continue practice with their peers. The group is free of charge and will meet biweekly via zoom. The group launches in 2024.
About CEC
The Founder and Chief Exploration Officer of the CEC is Jeff Warren, author of Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics.
"The CEC was born of desire to gleefully explore the middle ground between the dead boring clinical mindfulness worlds and the fundamentalist New Age and religious ones. We thought you could be rational and still be spiritual, just as you could be passionately engaged in the external world and still do internal work"- CEC.
Mindfulness Training Legacy
Jon Kabat-ZinN, PHD
j. Greg Serpa, PhD
Megan vaughan, slpd
jack kornfield, phd
christiane wolf, md
areas of expertise:
Mindful interventions
snoring and obstructive sleep apnea therapy
assistive technology
cognitive therapy
myofascial release for headaches and tmj
Quality improvement
Sound-Based Mindfulness for Tinnitus
certified specialties
Brain injury specialist
Additional training
acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) for complex trauma
trauma informed care
ACT for perfectionism
Buddhist Psychology
mindful interventions
cognitive behavioral therapy
dialectal behavioral therapy
Veteran's affairs calm mindfulness interventions
Formal Education
Doctoral degree in speech language pathology--northwestern university
merit scholarship recipient
focus on translational research and program development
DISC Personality communication
interpersonal neurobiology
Manual/ Myofascial Release For Headaches and TMJ
mindfulness Based stress reduction
mindfulness for elite performers
Mindfulness for Leadership- Google's Search Inside Yourself
Mindfulness and Imagination
motivational interviewing
Myofunctional Therapy for Sleep Disordered Breathing
Trauma influences on Memory and Cognition
Presentations and Publications
VAUGHAN, M. & Haire, s. "Mindfulness Based communication enhancement (MBCE): Multi-site spead. avaslp annual conference, west palm beach, fl. april 2023.
Vaughan, M. Mindfulness Based Communication Enhancement (MBCE) from Quality Improvement Perspectives for Special Forces [abstract]. In: The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation 2022.
Vaughan, m , & Robbins, w “Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement Group and Special Forces” American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Convention, Chicago, IL. November 2022.
Vaughan, m “Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement Group from Quality Improvement Perspective” Joint Brain Injury Conference, New York, NY. April 2022.
Vaughan, m “Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement and Speech-Language Pathology” ACRM Complimentary Medicine Summit Meeting. June 2022.
Vaughan, m “Mindfulness-Based Communication Enhancement Group from Quality Improvement Perspective” Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System Grand Rounds. May, 2022.
Vaughan, M., Robbins, W., and Schmidt, H. (2021). Process improvement for mind body medicine: Physical therapy and speech therapy group for special forces with TBI. Oral presentation at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Conference, Washington D.C.
Oliver, M., Vaughan, M. (2019). Assistive technology for college and adolescents with
mild traumatic brain injury: Applications and considerations. Oral presentation at The Brain Injury Association of Virginia Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.
Robbins, W., Vaughan, M. (2019). Applications of alternative medicine in a rehabilitation model for service members with TBI and PTSD. Poster session presented at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
Robbins, W., Vaughan, M. (2019). Applications of alternative medicine in a rehabilitation model for service members with TBI and PTSD. Oral presentation at The Brain Injury Association of Virginia Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.
Robbins, W., Vaughan, M. (2019). Applications of alternative medicine in a rehabilitation model for service members with TBI and PTSD. Poster session presented at the International Brain Injury Association, Toronto, Canada.
Vaughan, M. (2019). Assistive technology apps and devices for high school and college students and adolescents with mild traumatic brain injury. Oral presentation at The Brain Injury Association of Virginia, Virginia Beach, VA.
Vaughan, M., and Young, C. (2019). Academic accommodations and strategies for adolescents and college students with mild traumatic brain injury. Oral presentation at The Brain Injury Association of Virginia Annual Conference, Richmond, VA.
Robbins, W., Schirer, R., Vaughan, M. (2018). Vocationally focused therapy in rehabilitation of veterans and service members in rehabilitation of veterans and service members following traumatic brain injury. Oral presentation at the Williamsburg Brain Injury Annual Conference, Williamsburg, VA.
Vaughan, M., Lee, D. and Hagge, D. (2017). Mindfulness and awareness in adolescents and young adults with TBI: Clinical and support group applications. Poster presentation at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Ostergren, J., Montgomery, J., and Carey, M. (2012). AT for individuals with TBI: Current technologies and available evidence. Oral presentation at Speechpathology.com.
Carey, M., and Hasselbroek, C. (2011). Generational differences: Increasing student involvement in state organizations. Oral presentation at the Council of State Association Presidents Fall Conference, San Diego, CA.
Hagge, D., Carey, M., and Vickers, C. (2011). Student volunteerism: Active learning and networking in communication recovery. Oral presentation at the California Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Ostergren, J., Carey, M., and Montgomery, J. (2011). Assistive technology (AT) for impairments in attention, memory, and executive function: Current technologies and available evidence. Oral presentation at the California Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, CA.
Carey, M., Vickers, C., and Hagge, D. (2010). Collaboration and hope in a volunteer-led communication recovery book club. Poster presentation at the California Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Monterey, CA.
Carey, M., Vickers, C., and Hagge, D. Collaboration and hope in a volunteer-led communication recovery book club. Poster presentation at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA.
Email to join the: Integrative Medicine in Speech Therapy and Audiology
Vision: Empowering Speech Therapy and Audiology, both individually and collectively, to build tangible access and success with CIRM.
Mission-To promote and disseminate knowledge and information on the use of complimentary integrative rehabilitation medicine (CIRM) in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology through study, recommendation, and implementation.
Objectives
•Identify areas of CIRM that address populations, or impairments that fall within the scope of AuD and SLP
•Identify needs of SLPs and AuDs not using CIRM
•Explore the existing research of CIRM use in SLP and AuD
•Promote the use of CIRM therapy to achieve patient and organizational goals within SLP and AuD interventions
•Disseminate evidence-informed and evidence-based knowledge and practice guidelines for SLP and AuD
•Develop suggestions for core competencies for SLP and AuD practitioners using CIRM
2023 GOALS
•Develop presentation for ACRM 2023
•Complete needs assessment portion of the PDSA
Chair: Megan Vaughan, SLPD
Co-Chair: Amber Richardson, SLPD
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