Skip to main content
Back
Your image

Laurence Sugarman

Details
Name
Laurence
Last name
Sugarman
Degree
MD
Language
English
Biography

Laurence Irwin Sugarman serves as Research Professor and Director of the Center for Applied Psychophysiology and Self-regulation (CAPS) in the Institute and College of Health Sciences and Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology, a behavioral pediatrician at the Easter Seals Diagnostic and Treatment Center, and Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, New York.

He completed his undergraduate degree at Washington University in Saint Louis, received his MD with honors from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and completed a residency and Senior Chief Residency in pediatrics at the University of Rochester where he received awards for both his teaching and research.

For two decades Dr. Sugarman ran a solo, community-based primary care practice. In order to effectively address the myriad psychobiological problems in general pediatrics, he developed an interest in biofeedback training and clinical hypnosis. Through his teaching and writing he has emerged as an international leader in the field of hypnosis and self-regulation with children.  He is an Approved Consultant and Fellow with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis for which he has served as vice-president and co-director of education. He has been a directing member of the teaching faculty for the National Pediatric Hypnosis Training Institute (NPHTI), elected to the Executive Committee of the Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is past president of the American Board of Medical Hypnosis.

Dr. Sugarman has published numerous papers, audio-recordings, book chapters and produced an internationally acclaimed video-documentary, Hypnosis in Pediatric Practice: Imaginative Medicine in Action. With Dr. William Wester, Dr. Sugarman has co-authored and co-edited the text, Therapeutic Hypnosis with Children and Adolescents, now in its second edition. Since coming to RIT to found and direct CAPS, his work has focused on how best to evoke the abilities of young people with autism spectrum and other developmental differences to control their own stress with a combination computerized biofeedback and hypnotic techniques. He has received many awards and citations for his efforts, the essence of which, he writes, “is exploring and investing in the therapeutic potential of each child’s imagination.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Sugarman has been a musician longer than he has been a doctor. His recordings of both traditional and original compositions on the banjo have received critical acclaim for both their originality and technical range. He says he would be happy just being a banjoist, but he would probably still need to keep his malpractice insurance.

Location
Rochester, New York, USA
location_lat
43.1566199
location_lng
-77.6088199
Publications
Publications

Summers, A. O. & Sugarman, L. I. (1974). Cell-Free Mercury (II)-Reducing Activity in a Plasmid-Bearing Strain of Escherichia Coli. Journal of Bacteriology 119:242-9.

 

Sugarman, L. I. & Perkoff, G. T. (1981). Lay Health Care Advice in a Sample of Family Practice Patients. Clinical Research 29:803A.

 

Sugarman, L. I., Eskenazi, A., Miller, M., Woodin, K., McCormick, K., Sladek, C. & Powell, K. (1988). Fluid Management in Bacterial Meningitis. Pediatric Research.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1988, 1990, 1997). Infancy: A Primer for Parents (24-page pamphlet). Rochester, NY: Self-published.

 

Powell, K. R., Sugarman, L. I., Eskenazi, A. E., Woodin, K. A., Kays, M. A., McCormick, K., Miller, M. E. & Sladek, C. D. (1990). Normalization of plasma arginine vasopressin concentrations when children with meningitis are given maintenance plus replacement fluid therapy. Journal of Pediatrics 117:515-22.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1990). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. (6-page pamphlet for families). Rochester, NY: Self-published.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1991). Kawasaki Syndrome: Questions and Answers. Perspectives: A Journal of Adoption, Fall.

 

Pichichero, M. E., Marsocci, S. M., Francis, A. B., Green, J. L., Disney, F. A., Rennels, M. B. Lewis, E. D., Sugarman, L. I., Losonsky, G. A., Zito, E. & Davidson, B. L. (1993). A Comparative Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of a Single Dose of Unbuffered Oral Rhesus Rotavirus Serotype 3 and Rhesus/Human Reassortant Serotypes 1, 2, and 4 and Combined (Tetravalent) Vaccines in Healthy Infants. Vaccine 11(7):747-753.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2006). Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. (pamphlet introducing families to clinical hypnosis). Rochester, NY: Self-published.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1996). Hypnosis: teaching children self-regulation. Pediatrics in Review 17:5-10.

 

Kane, T. C. & Sugarman, L. I. (1996). Adjunctive Pain Management Strategies, in Pediatric Pain Resource Manual, Rochester, NY: Children’s Hospital at Strong.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1996). Hypnosis in a primary care pediatric practice: developing skills for the new morbidities. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 17:300-305.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1996). Hypnosis: helping children help themselves. Contemporary Pediatrics 13:107-123.

 

Kane, T. C. & Sugarman, L. I. (1997). Adjunctive pain management strategies, Table 2.5 in Pediatric Medications, Miller. S, ed. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book.

 

Sugarman, L. I., Kohen, D. P. & Kreipe, R. E. (1997). Learning Guide for Imaginative Medicine: hypnosis in pediatric practice. (24-page booklet accompanying video documentary of same name.) Rochester, NY: 1997. Self-published.

 

Reaney, J. B., Sugarman, L. I. & Olness K. (1998). Taking biofeedback to where kids are. Biofeedback, 26:30-32.

 

Sugarman, L. I. & Olness, K. N. (1999). Self-hypnosis, self-care. In Ambulatory Pediatrics, fifth ed., Green, M., Haggerty, R. J. & Weitzman, M. L, eds. Orlando, FL: W.B. Saunders.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (1996 & 2000). Hypnosis and biofeedback. In Primary Pediatric Care, third and fourth eds. Hoekelman RA, et al, editors. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book.

 

Wester, W. C. & Sugarman, L. I., eds. (2007). Therapeutic Hypnosis with Children and Adolescents. Carmarthen, UK: Crown House Publishers.

 

Sugarman, L. I. & Wester, W. C., eds. (2013). Therapeutic Hypnosis with Children and Adolescents, 2nd edition. Carmarthen, UK: Crown House Publishers.

 

Sugarman, L. I., Garrison, B. L., & Williford, K. L. (2013). Symptoms as Solutions: Hypnosis and biofeedback for autonomic regulation in autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 56(2): 152-173.

 

Sugarman, L. I., Garrison, B. L., & Hope, A. E. (2014). Self-Adjusting Biofeedback with a Dynamic Feedback Signal Set (DyFSS). http://scholarworks.rit.edu/eatc/Papers/Papers/9

 

Berberich, F. R. & Sugarman, L. I. (2014). Functional symptoms in young people: conceptualizations, definitions, approaches. In Functional Symptoms in Pediatrics: A Clinical Guide. Ran D. Anbar (ed), New York, NY: Humana Press.

 

Hope, A. E. & Sugarman, L. I. (2015). Orienting Hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 57(3): 212–229.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (2015). Mapping the Domain of Hypnosis. Editorial, Guest Editor, Special edition of American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 57: 209–211.

 

Hunt, E. T., Hicks, D. M., Alvut, L. A., Hope, A. E., & Sugarman, L. I. (2016) "Improving the Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the Dynamic Feedback Signal Set (DyFSS): Increasing Accessibility for the Neurodiverse." Retrieved from http://scholarworks.rit.edu/eatc/Papers/papers_3/1/. 

 

Hunt, E., Hicks, D., Hope, A. E., Garrison, B. L., Jacobs, S., & Sugarman, L. I. (2016) "Introducing and Illustrating Biofeedback to Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder." Poster presented at the 3rd annual Effective Access Technology Conference, Rochester, NY. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.rit.edu/eatc/Papers/poster_3/9/.

 

Sugarman, L. I. (2017). Exploring, evolving and refining hypnosis education. Editorial, Guest Editor, Special Edition. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 59(3): 231-232.

 

Alter, D. S. & Sugarman, L. I. (2017). Reorienting hypnosis education. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 59(3): 235-259.

 

Landry, J. M., Alvut, L. M., Garrison, B. L., Hope, A. E. & Sugarman, L. I. (2017). Autonomic regulation training: using multimodal peripheral biofeedback in a higher education setting. Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, in press.

 

Sugarman, L. I., Schafer, P. M., Alter, D. S. & Reid, D. B. (2018). Learning hypnosis wide awake: Can we teach hypnosis hypnotically? American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 61(2): 140-148.

 

Jee, S., Phillips Swanson, D., Sugarman, L. I. & Couderc, J.-P. (2018). It takes a village: Reflections on a randomized controlled trial to teach mindfulness skills to teens in foster and kinship care. Developmental Child Welfare, in press.

 

NON-PRINT MEDIA

Sugarman LI. Hypnosis for needle phobia. Documentary videotape, 11 minutes. Rochester, NY:1996. Self-produced.

 

Sugarman LI. Hypnotic inductions with children and adolescents. Documentary videotape, 50 minutes. Rochester, NY:1996. Self-produced.

 

Sugarman LI. Hypnosis: Teaching children self-regulation with Hypnosis for needle phobia together on interactive CD-ROM. Elk Grove Village, IL: 1996. American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

Sugarman LI. Imaginative Medicine: hypnosis in pediatric practice. Documentary videotape, 74 minutes. Rochester, NY: 1997. Self-produced. Published as Book and DVD as Hypnosis in Pediatric Practice: Imaginative Medicine in Action. Crown House Publishing, Carmarthen, UK; 2006

 

Sugarman LI, Olness KN Culbert TC. Pediatric hypnosis and biofeedback. Audiotape. AAP Pediatric Update. American Academy of Pediatrics/Medical Information Services, Port Washington, NY. 20:2. August, 1999.

 

Sugarman LI. Learning to keep the bed dry. Documentary videotape and CD, 17 minutes. Rochester, NY: 2000. Self-produced.

 

Sugarman LI. Minding Headaches and Minding Habits and Tics. Audiocassette produced by Audio-Digest, 47:09. Audio-Digest, Glendale, CA.. May 2001.

 

Sugarman LI Lodata C Grimshaw J. The Parenting Effectiveness Program. Online video presentation for research intervention. Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester New, York 2013 (in production).

 

PATENT

Sugarman, L.I., Jacobs, S.A. & Garrison, B.L. System and Method for Feedback of Dynamically Weighted Values. Patent No.: US 10,085,690 B2. Date of Patent: Oct. 2, 2018. Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology.

 

SELECTED FEATURES IN LAY MEDIA

“Taking a Trance.” Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, section D, p. 1, December 4, 1994, Rochester, NY.

“Healing Therapies for Kids.” Good Housekeeping, pp. 178-18, October, 1997.

“Hypnosis for Kids” Parent, 232-237, June 2001.

“Captured: Hypnosis” MSNBC television documentary, aired July 2002.

“Family Matters” Monthly contribution to City Paper, Rochester, NY April, 2004-2007

“RIT doctor helps those with autism help themselves” James Goodman, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Section A, Page 1, 2 December 2013.

“Mind Your Mind” Mary Stone, POST Magazine Issue 10: 20-29. March / April 2015,

“You are the man behind the curtain” Shannon Fischer, New Scientist magazine, March 11-18, 2016.

“Changing our Minds: On and Off the Spectrum” occasional blog for Psychology Today

 

PUBLICATIONS IN PREPARATION

Sugarman LI. Stage hypnosis interference in therapy – a case report

Sugarman, L.I. Beyond the Biopsychosocial Model. For publication 2019.

Schafer, P. M & Sugarman, L. I. Not All That Counts Can Be Counted: Therapeutic scaling in hypnotic contexts. for publication 2019

Sugarman, L.I., Linden, J.H. Brooks, L.W. Clinical Hypnosis Changes Minds: Narratives and discourse for a new health care paradigm. Book under contract with Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 1st Qtr. 2020.

Presentations/ teachings
Qualifications

CLINICAL TEACHING

Precepting medical students, pediatric/family medicine/medicine-pediatric house officers, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows, pediatric nurse practitioner students, mental health counseling interns, and social work students in Easter Seals clinical office.

Lecturing on behavioral counseling in the primary care pediatric office, University of Rochester School of Nursing, Advanced Nursing Care, 1994-2007.

Workshops on clinical hypnosis skills for professionals, 3-6 yearly, internationally.

Self-regulation Training presentation for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows “Boot Camp” at the University of Rochester, 2015-17.

 

UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING

RIT, CHST, MEDS 360: Placebo Research, Suggestion and Health, 3 credits. College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology. Spring semester since 2012.

RIT, CHST, MEDS 361: Applied Psychophysiology and Self-regulation, 3 credits. College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology. Fall semester since 2012.

RIT, CHST, Independent Study students 1-3 per semester/summer yearly.

 

RESEARCH/PROJECTS IN PROCESS

Hypnosis and biofeedback for anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

The DyFSS as a novel, customizable, biofeedback algorithm for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Development of the “Dynamic Feedback Signal Set” (DyFSS) as physiological controller in interactive games and media

Parent Effectiveness Program: Parenting education for families with autism spectrum disorder with AutismUp

Parent Effectiveness Program: Train-the-Trainer program with AutismUp

Mobile App in development for augmenting therapy of youth with anxiety/autism spectrum disorder/repetitive behavior disorders in association with RIT MAGIC Center and St. John Fisher Colege

Mobile App in development for self-directed hypnosis interventions for pain in association with RIT MAGIC Center and University of Washington

 

GRANT SUPPORT

RIT Office of the Vice-President of Research, Accelerated Research Program, $30,000

The Golisano Family Foundation, $57,000 (2011), $20,000 (with AutismUp) 2013, $20,000 (with AutismUp), 2014

The Douglas Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, 19,000

RIT Office of the Vice-President of Research, Competitive Grant for Assistive and Adaptive Technology Development, $20,000, 2013