When experts from different fields collaborate, they unlock new ways to understand and solve problems. This is especially powerful when technical precision meets human-centered insight: engineering brings structure, while the social sciences ensure relevance and empathy. That combination inspired Bob Hertz, CDP, and Mary Clark, PhD, to found Psy-Tek Labs along with Gaetan Chevalier, PhD, on the campus of CIHS (California Institute of Human Science), blending a technologist's curiosity with a psychotherapist's understanding, along with a physicist's critical eye, to create a research-driven approach to science, medicine, and healing.
Psy-Tek is a research and testing center focused on technologies that aim to assess what the founders call subtle energy within the biofield, alongside a suite of non-invasive scans and analyses. High-resolution thermal imaging, brain mapping, interstitial fluid analysis, and various imaging techniques are among the methods the lab uses to generate data and visual reports intended for practitioners, individuals, and supplement producers.
Medical Thermal Imaging utilizes the highest pixel FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) cameras to monitor and examine many conditions relating to inflammation and tissue health. Meanwhile, its energy field scans use GDV (Gas Discharge Visualization), also known as EPI (Electro-Photonic Imaging), to reveal congestion and depletion on an organ-by-organ basis. Along with a view of what healers refer to as aura and chakra fields.
Psy-Tek utilizes three different types of brain mapping. "We can measure the P3 wave, which measures performance. This allows us to potentially detect conditions such as PTSD and ADHD quickly," Hertz states.
All procedures are designed to offer alternatives that avoid radiation, compression, or invasive techniques. Hertz and Clark established Psy-Tek to contribute clarity and credibility to the evolving field of integrative health.
"We're here to offer information that complements mainstream care," Hertz says. "Whether you're a nutritionist, a bodywork therapist, or just someone curious about your own health, we want to provide additional insights that may complement conventional care." The lab, therefore, positions itself as community-oriented, with a focus on assessments, practitioner education, accessibility, and open-minded research into wellness tools and technologies.
It's worth emphasizing that Psy-Tek's work doesn't exist in a vacuum. Public interest in complementary health approaches has been steadily rising, with data showing significant growth in practices like meditation and yoga. "More people are exploring alternatives alongside conventional care, and that shift makes our mission at Psy-Tek feel especially timely. Now that the wellness landscape is becoming more crowded, we aim to offer a commitment to curiosity and critical thinking," Hertz says.
That balance is rooted in the personal histories of its founders. Hertz is a veteran of computing and systems automation, bringing technical precision to the lab's equipment evaluation and data design. A life-threatening medical crisis and a long recovery further strengthened his resolve to help advance health technology that eventually led him to build the first automated Pediatric Cardiology medical group at the Children's Hospital in San Diego.
Meanwhile, Clark, a licensed psychotherapist and longtime educator in energy-based healing, leads clinical interpretation and practitioner outreach. Essentially, their partnership is the foundation of Psy-Tek's ethos. "We built this together because we saw the same gap from different angles," Clark says. Over the years, they've developed protocols for evaluating devices, conducted research studies, and offered assessments designed to sit alongside conventional diagnostics.
The lab's impact is designed to serve multiple audiences. For individuals, it offers non-invasive ways to explore bodily patterns and functional medicine. For practitioners, it provides an additional view and metrics that can contribute more information to be able to assess patients. And for the broader field, Psy-Tek acts as a filter, helping practitioners and individuals identify potentially promising medical alternatives.
As the field around integrative and complementary practices continues to evolve, Psy-Tek sees itself as part of that ongoing conversation, an independent lab committed to testing, educating, and making data available to those who want to explore responsibly. Their story is as much about partnership as it is about protocols. It's a reminder that technical skill and human care can coexist in meaningful ways.
Psy-Tek remains committed to translating subjective experience into forms that can be observed, discussed, and refined. The founders' blended personal and professional path is the driving force behind the lab's ongoing work. Hertz states, "We're here to explore. If something can be measured, visualized, or tracked, then it can be better understood. And when understanding deepens, healing may become more intentional."
