In order for psychotherapy to have any chance of working, the psychologist needs to have targets to work on and goals for change. The most obvious goal for change in PNES is for the behavioral episodes (i.e. non-epileptic seizures) to stop. In reality, there are a number of other important goals in treating PNES but […]
About ten days ago I announced that we will be offering a psychogenic non-epileptic webinar in September of 2013. I received incredibly positive responses from patients, family members and a number of health professionals. But I was surprised to receive some unhappy comments from others in the medical profession. Today’s blog talks about some of
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures webinar in 2013-differences in opinions Read More »
In December of 2012, the neuropsychology team from the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group will present some interesting early findings about patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures as compared to patients with epilepsy. The study compared executive functions (planning and organizing, problem solving, attention, working memory, mental flexibility, set shifting) in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES)
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: what is neuropsychology showing us? Read More »
A few months back I wrote on my Navigating Epilepsy Blog about stigma in epilepsy. I’m writing on the same topic with regards to psychogenic non epileptic seizures because non-epileptic patients face this kind of stigma too. What is stigma?? According to www.dictionary.reference.com, it’s “a mark of disgrace; a stain or reproach, as on one’s
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: stigma and strength in numbers Read More »
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of being invited to Colombia with two of my colleagues from the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group to the XVth National Epilepsy Congress. I was asked to speak about psychogenic non –epileptic seizures and in today’s blog I would like to share the experience with you. The congress was
Talking about Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures in Colombia (South America) Read More »
So, for those who dismiss PNES as something that is “just psychological,” don’t be so hasty. The fact that it is psychological does not mean it does not have some very real consequences.
If we spend our energy avoiding, we miss so many moments in our life, we end up being mindless rather than mindful. Mindfulness and psychotherapy of psychogenic non epileptic seizures aim to shift the balance the other way.
Mindfulness and psychogenic non epileptic seizures Read More »
Last week, I was invited to the Third International Neuropsychology conference in Guadalajara on Rehabilitation and Epilepsy. It gave me a wonderful opportunity to talk about a little known condition that is actually quite common in epilepsy centers: psychogenic non epileptic seizures. The conference had drawn 500 attendees (psychology students, neuropsychologists and neurologists from all
Talking about psychogenic non epileptic seizures in Guadalajara, Mexico Read More »
These last two weeks have been stressful for anyone who lives in the Northeast (USA). Understandably, the news has been the main topic for all my patients with psychogenic seizures. And I admit it, even this psychologist was rattled. Two earthquakes 5 days apart (note that our last earthquake was around 100 years ago), a
Psychogenic non epileptic seizures: When life throws you a hurricane Read More »
The topic for this month’s post came to me after finding a thread of comments made by emergency medical professionals (EMPs) about psychogenic non epileptic seizures (http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?p=299085). It was saddening to read how EMPs talked about how they are often berated by hospital staff for bringing in patients with non epileptic seizures. I hope reading
The stigma of psychogenic non epileptic seizures (PNES) is still with us Read More »
