In the past, there were no treatments designed exclusively for PNES, but significant advancements have been made in recent years. Today, various psychotherapies have been adapted to treat both PNES seizures and co-occurring psychological conditions.
In theory, psychotherapists who are trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based therapy (MBT), group therapies, and prolonged exposure therapy (PE) are equipped to work with PNES. However, it is recommended that certain modifications be made to these clinical approaches when working with patients who carry this diagnosis. These adjustments include targeting seizure symptoms, modifying treatment rationales, incorporating certain tools, and revising measurements of success. Psychotherapists trained in these existing modalities might be unsure of how to apply their approach to patients with PNES; this webinar is designed to help them make informed decisions and understand how to begin to tailor their therapeutic approaches.
Psychotherapists trained in these existing modalities might be unsure of how to apply their approach to patients with PNES; this webinar is designed to help them make informed decisions and understand how to begin to tailor their therapeutic approaches.
This course combines Chapter 3 "Treating adults diagnosed with PNES" from the Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures Pocketbook with the recorded course.
Audience: Health professionals (mental health professionals including psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, psychiatric nurse practitioner, psychological associates, etc.)
Learning Points: Throughout this course, you will:
• What treatments are available for adults with PNES?
• How does psychotherapy work in the treatment of PNES?
• What are the commonalities and differences between these existing therapies?
• How can each treatment be tailored to target the seizure symptom?
• What other treatments are coming down the pipeline?
Credits:
1 educational credit: 0.5 credit + 0.5 credit from Chapter 3 "The PNES Pocketbook"
Dr. Lorna Myers is the director of the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) Program in New York and New Jersey, USA. She is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist and has been working with patients who have PNES and/or epilepsy for over 20 years. Her research has been published in a number of scientific journals, she has authored professional book chapters, and presents in meetings across the US and abroad. In 2013, she wrote “Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A Guide,” a book for patients and their caregivers. Royalties from that book are donated to Epilepsy Alliance America, a foundation that awards scholarships to adults diagnosed with PNES to help with the costs of their studies. In 2023, together with her Dr. Julia Doss, she co-authored “The Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizure Pocketbook.”
Dr. Myers is a certified prolonged exposure therapist and clinical supervisor and has pioneered the modification and use of this treatment modality for patients diagnosed with PTSD and PNES. She is also certified in integrative hypnosis.
Other interesting facts about her is that she is fluent in English and Spanish, and her other main research interest is in multicultural topics including treatment of bilingual and bicultural (or monocultural Hispanic) patients and the study of neuropsychological measures for Spanish-speaking patients evaluated in the US.
