Preliminary Observations of Coordinated Psychological and Neurophysiological Shifts Following a Five-Day Multi-Modality Immersive Program: A Retrospective Observational Pilot Analysis (n = 15)
Ronald Blackburn, Julia Brodska
Research Square June 5, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9916532/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective observational pilot analysis |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Adult participants (11 female, 4 male; age range approximately 25-75 years) who attended the Quantum Peak program at the Garden of the Gods Resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Interventions | breathwork structured movement sound therapy and heart coherence training |
| Duration | Five-day program; pre-program assessments October 2, 2024, post-program assessments October 6, 2024 |
| Measures | Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), qEEG metrics via NeuroField instrumentation (resting and task-based Theta/Beta ratio, beta task response, alpha response, alpha recovery, peak alpha frequency) |
| Key findings | The authors report that a five-day multi-modality immersive residential wellness program was associated with concurrent directional changes in self-reported stress, sleep quality, and selected qEEG regulation metrics, including lower Perceived Stress Scale and Insomnia Severity Index scores and reduced Theta/Beta ratios. They characterize these findings as preliminary, descriptive, and hypothesis-generating, and state that they do not constitute evidence of causal efficacy. |
Abstract
Abstract Background Individual therapeutic and somatic modalities—including mindfulness meditation, breathwork, structured movement, sound therapy, and heart coherence training—have each been independently associated with reductions in perceived stress, improvements in sleep quality, and shifts in quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) indices of neural regulation. Whether concurrent exposure to multiple such modalities within a structured immersive residential setting is associated with simultaneous and directionally coherent shifts across these domains over a compressed time frame remains insufficiently characterized. The present retrospective observational pilot analysis sought to describe pre- and post-program measurement changes across psychological and neurophysiological domains following a five-day multi-modality immersive wellness program, as a basis for future controlled investigation.
Methods: This study constitutes a retrospective observational pilot analysis of de-identified measurement data from fifteen adult participants (n = 15; 11 female, 4 male; age range approximately 25–75 years) who attended the Quantum Peak program at the Garden of the Gods Resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado (October 2–6, 2024). The program was designed and delivered by Best Life-ing (program director: Julie Brodska) with a facilitation team of approximately ten practitioners. Ancient Science conducted an independent retrospective analysis of de-identified pre- and post-program data. EEG assessments were administered and supervised by Carli Streich, LPC, BCN (Bright Wave Neurofeedback, Colorado Springs, Colorado). Outcome measures included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and qEEG metrics via NeuroField instrumentation (resting and task-based Theta/Beta ratio, beta task response, alpha response, alpha recovery, peak alpha frequency). Pre-program assessments: October 2, 2024 (11:00–12:30 MDT); post-program assessments: October 6, 2024 (18:00–19:30 MDT). Analysis was restricted to descriptive statistics; no inferential testing was conducted. Ethics oversight was provided by the Harmonic Research Oversight Council (HROC; memorandum HROC-OBS-2026-001), an independent oversight body operating under IRB-aligned standards. HROC is not federally registered with OHRP.
Results: Group mean PSS scores decreased from 17.53 to 12.40 (~ 29–35%). Group mean ISI scores decreased from 9.13 to 4.53 (~ 47–50%), shifting the group mean below the subthreshold insomnia threshold. qEEG measures showed mean reductions in resting Theta/Beta ratio (~ 14.8%) and task-based Theta/Beta ratio (~ 14.6%), and a mean increase in beta task response (~ 40%). Alpha response showed limited mean change (~ 4.6%) with high inter-individual variability; alpha recovery showed no consistent group-level shift; peak alpha frequency remained stable (~ 1.3%). All findings are descriptive only.
Conclusions: Preliminary observations suggest that a five-day multi-modality immersive residential wellness program may be associated with concurrent directional shifts across self-reported stress, sleep quality, and selected qEEG regulation metrics. These findings are hypothesis-generating and exploratory. They do not constitute evidence of causal efficacy. Significant methodological limitations preclude generalization. Adequately powered, controlled prospective designs are required to evaluate reproducibility and intervention-specific effects.