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Every week, you will engage in a live webinar with Dr. Moenter to learn about a specific FND-related topic, connect with other participants, learn skills to help with your FND, and ask topic-related questions. The group call happens through Zoom, which will be available at no cost. The lectures are recorded and can be accessed the next morning if you can not participate in the live call.
Each week you will receive a new meditation specifically designed and recorded for FND symptoms to help you feel more grounded, in your body, and resourced.
Handouts and homework sheets (mindful check-ins) are provided every week for you to print out and work with on a daily basis.
The “Community Conversations” forum is for current students to reflect and share insights. Dr. Moenter also offers weekly office hours to offer insight and support.
Students and care partners who have completed the FNDcourage course lead peer and care partner study groups. These small groups (6-8 people) meet weekly after the Monday session to encourage each other in engaging with the course materials. There is a separate group for caregivers and another for those diagnosed with FND. The study groups focus solely on the course content, helping participants understand it better and stay committed to improving their nervous system health.
This course is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical care and we highly recommend that you are under the care of a trained and licensed mental health professional while participating in this course, to work with any challenging emotions or experiences that might arise. FNDcourage is based in the principles and clinical application of Polyvagal Theory and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy®.
My clients have taught me, educated me, invited me to deeply understand the complexity of FND. Without their help I would have not come to a place of such intimate understanding of an experience that might have one name, though shows up in such unique ways. FND is never the same, it is deeply personal.
Functional Neurological Symptoms are an expression of your body.
At the level of body, you may experience uncontrollable shaking, difficulty breathing, clenching, paralysis, inability to speak, or stiffening of the body.
Pat Ogden (2006) describes the importance of directly working with the body in the healing process “Without the balance of non-linguistic world of images, feelings, and sensations, the seduction of words and ideas can keep us from direct experience in our daily lives and professional work…In a psychotherapeutic setting, focusing primarily on word-based thinking and narratives can keep therapy at a surface level and trauma [or FND] may remain unresolved. (p. xiv)
As part of The FNDcourage course you will discover how to listen more deeply to your body, identify and stay present with physical sensations, and respond to these signals in order to interrupt the cycle of your episodes. You will learn how your nervous system works and how to down-regulate (relax) or up-regulate (if in a state of hypo-activation) your nervous system using specific skills such as resourcing, breath, and movement practices.
Functional Neurological Symptoms are an expression of your mind.
At the level of mind, you may experience racing thoughts, negative beliefs about yourself, repetitive worries, intrusive memories, constant fears about the future. The mind may tell you to avoid certain aspects of your life because of the possibility of having an episode.
Within the Foundation of Mind you will discover that you do not always have to believe your thoughts. You will become more aware of how your thoughts affect the way your body reacts and how, in turn, your interpretation of these physical sensations affects the way you feel.
By being a “witness” to your internal narrative, your body can relax into the present moment rather than re-live the past or anticipating the future.
Functional Neurological Symptoms are an expression of your emotions.
At the level of emotion, you may experience helplessness, fear, confusion, hopelessness, isolation, shame, anger, overwhelm, anxiety, or loss of control. These are very common feelings for people who have been diagnosed with FND.
Within the Foundation of Emotion you will discover that these feelings are normal and healthy reactions to an overwhelming and often misunderstood life situation. You will become more aware of the human tendency to struggle against painful emotions and chase pleasant emotions.
In learning neither to push away nor hold onto emotions, you build the capacity to experience the full spectrum of feelings and tap into their natural wisdom. This “emotional freedom” allows you to slow down and change the neuropathways of the FND spiral.
Functional Neurological Symptoms are real. They are explainable. They are not just something you have to deal with, but neuro-physiological expressions of a dysregulated nervous system, and often an expression of great suffering. You are not making it up, it is not just in your head, and you can’t just get over it. And yet, you are not a victim, you can learn about your body, your nervous system, emotions, thoughts, and become free not only of FND, but your limiting beliefs, overwhelming emotions, and unhelpful habits.
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