Institute of HeartMath Historic Benchmarks

Research, education and community service since 1991

• 1991 Institute of HeartMath, founded by Doc Childre, is granted 501 (c)(3) nonprofit status as a research and educational organization.
• 1991 HeartMath publishes first book, The How to Guide for Teen Self-Discovery, by Doc Childre.
• 1992 – 1994 HeartMath Research Center and Scientific Advisory Board are established in 1992, and first basic research studies are initiated.

• HeartMath researchers observe that positive emotional states are associated with a distinct shift in heart activity.
• The term, heart coherence, is coined at HeartMath.
• Numerous scientific papers are submitted to peer-reviewed Journals.
• IHM delivers first training program, Heart Empowerment, in April of 1993.
• HeartMath’s publishing company, Planetary Publications, publishes four more books.

• 1995 First research paper, The Effects of Emotions on Short-Term Power Spectrum Analysis of Heart Rate Variability, is published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Cardiology.

• Training intervention and study for hypertensive participants who practice HeartMath methods wins Motorola creativity and innovation award in annual corporatewide total-customer-satisfaction competition.

• 1997 Capital campaign results in construction of new research wing at HeartMath campus to expand electrophysiology and biophysics research.
• 1998 HeartMath LLC, a for-profit training, product development and distribution company spins off of the Institute of HeartMath.
• 1999 Harper SanFrancisco publishes a signature HeartMath work, The HeartMath Solution, by Doc Childre and Howard Martin.
• 1999 Development completed on Freeze-Framer^® Interactive Learning System, a heart-rhythm monitor and coherence-building software/hardware program.
• 2000 HeartMath staff-retention program implemented at Delnor Community Hospital in Chicago.

• HeartMath receives $100,000 grant from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation to develop an intervention program for California Youth Authority.

• 2001 HeartMath publishes seminal work, Science of the Heart.

• IHM releases the Emotional Security Tool Kit for Children to help facilitate emotional balance in the aftermath of 9/11.

• 2002 Quantum Intech Inc., a HeartMath technology development and licensing company, established.

• HeartMath publishes the TestEdge learning program, the first in a series, for high school students.

• 2003 Harvard Business Review publishes Pull the Plug on Stress, HeartMath’s research of executive health and stress reduction.

• HeartMath publishes Transforming Anger, the first in the popular Transforming Series books.

• 2004 U.S. Department of Education gives HeartMath $1,000,000 research grant for study of test anxiety and improving test scores with students in grades 3-12.

• Electrophysiological Evidence of Intuition published in Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

• 2005 HeartMath wins American College of Healthcare Executives management innovations award for improving staff well-being, retention and patient satisfaction at Delnor-Community Hospital.

• First Caring Initiative, Heart-Based Education Sponsorship Fund, launched.
• The Qualified Instructor^® Program and the Resilient Educator^® are launched.

• 2006 The handheld emWave^® Personal Stress Reliever, a heart-rhythm monitor and coherence-building device, released.

• Grant received from U.S. Department of Education for research and development of a social and emotional learning program.

• 2007 emWave^® PC Stress Relief System, a computer-based heart-rhythm monitor and coherence-building software/hardware program, released.

• The Heart-Based Education Sponsorship Fund, HeartMath’s first Caring Initiative, launched in midyear.
• HeartMath releases the HeartSmarts™ Grades 3-5 social and emotional learning program, the first in a series.
• HeartMath Military Service Appreciation Fund launched to assist service members, their families and veterans.

• 2008 The Global Coherence Initiative (GCI), a new division of the Institute of HeartMath, launched.

• GCI’s first Global Coherence Monitoring System sensor is built and installed.
• HeartMath Interventions training for counselors, psychologists and other health professionals launched.

• 2009 GCI launches Global Care Room, where people can join others in synchronized heart coherence sessions.

• Funding received from U.S. Navy for development and implementation of service-member resilience training.
• Kansas Air Force National Guard gives HeartMath research award for its Coherence Advantage™ resilience training.
• The Wild Ride to the Heart™ game, the first in a series of early childhood family products for ages 2-6, is released.
• emWave^® PSR wins Last Gadget Standing award at International Consumer Electronics show.

• 2010 The Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine journal devotes entire issue to heart coherence, featuring several studies using HeartMath interventions.

• Institute of HeartMath launches the HeartMath for Communities Project, including the De-Stress Workshop to assist nonprofits and social and community agencies.
• Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and San Francisco Business Times names HeartMath one of Bay Area’s best places to work.
• GCI’s second Global Coherence Monitoring System sensor is built and installed in Saudi Arabia.

• 2011 GCI’s third Global Coherence Monitoring System sensor is built and installed in United Kingdom.