About

Mary Lee Esty, LCSW-C, Ph.D., has been in private practice in the Washington DC area following biofeedback training at the Menninger Clinic in 1989.  Clinical applications of Menninger thermal biofeedback led to the creation of the on-going Mind-Body Skills Group training program at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Use of the Menninger Alpha-Theta application eventually led to research with the Flexyx Neurotherapy System (FNS) of Len Ochs.  That research experience created wonderful clinical experiences and a path to an ongoing body of research data focusing on TBI and PTSD.

In 1996 Dr. Esty was asked to accept a grant from the new NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine for use of FNS in the treatment of TBI. Pre/Post- evaluations were done by a Kessler Rehabilitation Hospital neuropsychologist. (Jrl of Head Trauma Rehabilitation 2001)

Subsequent research for TBI/PTSD has been focused on wounded veterans.  Those results are published in the Journals of Neurotherapy, Pain, Brain Injury, Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, and several in Military Medical Research. Recent study data were presented at the Military Health System Research Symposium.  This recent study was done in collaboration with the Traumatic Injury Research Program (TIRP) at the military medical school at Walter Read in Bethesda.

After years of seeing clients who were mislabeled with DSM diagnoses, but whose histories of post-concussion/TBI were either not appreciated or ignored, Dr. Esty decided to create a brochure about post-concussion symptoms for her clients.  That brochure grew to 500 pages. Following some biblio- surgery, Conquering Concussion was born with co-author Carol Shifflett.  Conquering Concussion received awards including the Kirkus 100 Best Books of 2014, Non-Fiction Authors Gold Winner, and the Blue Ink Starred Review.

Currently Dr. Esty provides pro-bono treatment to veterans with TBI &/or PTSD continuing the mission of improving treatment outcomes, and hopefully adding to the large body of research support to elevate the discipline of Neurotherapy into its rightful place in our health care system.

Beth Bitonti-Mruk has more than 30 years in enterprise-wide business areas including sales and business development, and customer relationship management. As the mother of a Marine, Beth has now dedicated her life and work efforts in support of our military men and women and first responders, who suffer from the devastating effects of traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress.

She works closely with multiple non-profit organizations to support our Military community and is Executive Director of the Brain Wellness Fund, which raises funds to provide our military and first responders with lifesaving treatment.  Beth holds a BA in psychology from Marist College.