Group
Treatment
Our 12-week FND/PNES Group Treatment Program combines three powerful treatment approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic Regulation Strategies, and the Safe and Sound Protocol. This combination of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to treatment is crucial for comprehensive healing and well-being.
Top-down processing involves using cognition (thinking) to interpret situations and make conscious decisions. It occurs in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
Examples: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) are top-down approaches.
Purpose: These methods help clients become aware of negative thoughts or beliefs and work to change them. For instance, CBT helps reframe inaccurate or harmful thinking patterns.
Advantages: Top-down approaches allow conscious control over thoughts and behaviors.
Bottom-up processing focuses on automatic and unconscious responses. It doesn’t rely on conscious awareness.
Examples: Somatic therapies, such as body-based interventions, fall into this category.
Purpose: These approaches address responses that are deeply ingrained and bypass conscious thought. They work directly with the nervous system and body sensations.
Advantages: Bottom-up methods help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and promote safety.
Why Combine Both? Our nervous system responses involve both cognitive and physiological aspects. Combining top-down and bottom-up approaches ensures a more comprehensive treatment.
Our next FND/PNES Group Treatment Program will be starting soon! This is a 12-week program that meets weekly for 90 minutes. Each week you will learn new skills, combining top-down and bottom-up strategies. You will have "homework" between group meetings so that you can continue your learning throughout the week and practice implementing new tools.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT has been the most studied and validated form of psychological treatment in FND/PNES. We utilize a manual that was specifically designed to provide knowledge and tools for starting to take control of your symptoms. The authors developed this treatment approach based on extensive clinical experience and research with epilepsy and PNES.
Somatic Regulation Strategies
Learn tools for calming your nervous system down when it is over-stimulated, and for energizing your nervous system when it is shutting down.
Safe and Sound Protocol
The SSP is a unique listening therapy that helps to create a safe space for brain and body integration and healing to achieve impactful, long-lasting results.
