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Full Course Description

Functional Neurologic Disorders in Sport, Ortho and Neuro Across the Lifespan

If you find that you're not encountering patients with functional neurological disorders (FND), it’s because you're not recognizing them.

FND are unfortunately very common yet poorly understood, representing a spectrum of conditions often hidden in plain sight. They manifest as movement disorders, seizures, and cognitive disruptions, but without visible causes or clear diagnostic markers, many patients feel misunderstood by the healthcare system.

This applications-based training equips you to overcome the inherent barriers in recognizing FND, enabling effective management of their diverse and variable manifestations.

Functional Movement Disorders (FMD) * Functional Seizures (non-epileptiform seizures)
Drop Attacks * Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) * Functional Cognitive Disorders
“The Yips” * “The Twisties”

Bridge the gap between complex neurologic symptoms and effective, personalized treatment strategies as you deepen your expertise:

  • Gain an understanding of the underlying mechanisms, how FND develops and the neurological processes involved 
  • Assessment tips to effectively differentiate dystonia and FND 
  • Specific interventions that have proven efficacy in treating symptoms like functional seizures and PPPD 
  • Integrative approaches for all ages and settings 
  • Tools to manage psychological components such as performance anxiety or nervousness, which interfere with the execution of sport skills 
  • Soft skills for handling sensitive patient interactions, fostering trust with patients who feel passed over by the healthcare system

By the end of this course, you'll not only enhance your clinical acumen but also gain strategic approaches to treatment planning and patient communication that respect the complex nature of FND.

Transform your practice and become a leader in managing and understanding Functional Neurological Disorders, ensuring that no patient feels overlooked.

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Differentiate movement errors that are functional in nature from those that are of primary musculoskeletal etiology.  
  2. Identify the forms of Functional Neurologic Disorders.
  3. Choose person-specific plans of care for persons with Functional Gait and Movement Disorders that are idiopathic and involve daily mobility/ADLs. 
  4. Determine person-specific, sport-specific, and condition-specific, plans of care for athletes with an FND.
  5. Develop multidisciplinary resourcefulness toward a comprehensive management of patients that present with an FND.
  6. Identify educational tools and condition-specific management using soft skills for persons with an FND.

Outline

The Umbrella of FNDs: What conditions are included?

  • Functional Movement Disorders (FMD)
  • Functional Seizures (non-epileptiform seizures)
  • Drop Attacks
  • Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
  • Functional Cognitive Disorders
  • “The Yips”
  • “The Twisties”

The Physiology of FNDs: How does an FND start, where does it 'live'?

  • Neural pathways involved in FND
  • Explore brain areas frequently associated with symptom manifestation
  • Do we “blame” the brain or the mind?
  • How is this different from a conversion disorder, psychosomatization

Functional Movement Disorders and Functional Gait Disorders

  • Identification and management of involuntary movements
  • Strategies for improving gait patterns and mobility

Functional Seizures (Non-Epileptiform Seizures or Psychogenic NES)

  • Differentiation from epileptic seizures
  • Effective communication strategies for crisis management

Drop Attacks

  • Recognizing triggers and patterns of sudden syncopal and drop attacks
  • Is exposure therapy an effective intervention?

Functional Cognitive Disorders

  • Understanding cognitive symptoms without neurological damage
  • Tailoring cognitive therapies to individual needs

The Origin and Presentations of FNDs in Performance Athletes

  • Link between high-performance stress and FND symptoms
  • The vicious cycle of an error

Examination and Confirming an FND: This is a rule-in condition

  • Tools and techniques for diagnosing FND
  • Importance of thorough clinical examination

The Soft Skills: Analogies, Autonomy, Education and Awareness

  • Including the patient in the diagnosis and treatment plan
  • The expectations: Progression/course for persons with FND
  • Who is to blame?
  • The need for an answer through imaging

Putting it into Action: Case Studies Across the Lifespan:

  • Case studies:
    • Performance Athletes
    • Post-Surgical
    • Spontaneous
    • Those presenting alongside another condition

Q&A

Target Audience

  • Athletic trainers
  • Chiropractors
  • Exercise Physiologists
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Nurses
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Physician Assistants
  • Physicians
  • Speech-language Pathologists
  • Other Rehabilitation and Healthcare Professionals

Copyright : 02/20/2025

The Psychology of FND (Functional Neurological Disorders): From Belief to Relief

For over 15 years, I have been working with patients who fall under the umbrella of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND)—though we didn’t call them that back then. Patients were labeled with terms like Conversion Disorder, Worried Well, or Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). It was a frustrating time for patients and clinicians alike, as the tools we had were limited, and many existing theories focused on beliefs rather than evidence. At the time, much of the thinking around these conditions was shaped by outdated theories, often implying the symptoms were “all in their head,” which alienated and traumatized patients and made effective treatment a challenge.

The good news is that times have changed. Advances in neuroscience have transformed our understanding of the mind-body connection, and with that progress, we now have better tools and approaches to help patients diagnosed with FND. Don’t get me wrong—it’s still hard work. But what used to feel impossible now feels achievable, and the outcomes we can help patients achieve are deeply rewarding.

In this training, I’ll share practical, evidence-based insights from my years of experience to help you confidently recognize and treat FND in a way that supports your patients and builds trust in their care.

- Sherrie All, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Identify and apply the DSM-V-TR criteria to differentiate Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD, emerging diagnosis not yet in DSM), and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning.
  2. Develop and implement communication strategies that effectively convey an FND diagnosis, emphasizing treatability and using patient-friendly explanations, to enhance trust and patient adherence to care plans.
  3. Analyze and address the role of alexithymia and emotional awareness in FND symptom management, integrating these insights into treatment approaches to support functional recovery and patient outcomes.

Outline

Foundations of Functional Disorders

  • Functional disorders occur across medical disciplines, not just neurology
  • DSM-V-TR criteria and variant presentations
  • Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD)
  • Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES)
  • Epidemiology and characteristics highlight prevalence and patterns

Conceptualizing Functional Disorders: The 3 Ps Framework

  • Predisposing factors: biological, psychological, social
  • Precipitating events: trauma, stress, medical incidents, concussions
  • Perpetuating factors: healthcare interactions, stigma, self-perception

Barriers to Diagnosis and Care

  • Hidden challenges that delay proper FND recognition
  • How healthcare interactions shape patient outcomes
  • Role of stigma and its impact on care
  • Common pitfalls and outdated terminology in modern practice
  • Strategies to avoid unintentional harm in patient care
  • Risks and limitations

Gold Standard Diagnosis (& mis-diagnosis)

  • Accurate classification of FND, FCD, and PNES
  • Seizure misclassification
  • Diagnostic criteria and symptom patterns

Effective Communication with Patients

  • Examples of communication can transform trust and understanding
  • Methods for delivering diagnoses with clarity and care
  • Focus on making treatability a key message
  • How to break down FND with relatable, patient-friendly explanations

Alexithymia in FND

  • Emotional challenges often linked to FND
  • Connection between emotions and symptom severity
  • Discover the role of emotional work in supporting patient recovery

Case Study 1: Functional Motor Disorder in a Collegiate Athlete
Case Study 2: Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms in an Office Worker

Target Audience

  • Psychologists
  • Neuropsychologists
  • Social Workers
  • Mental Health Counselors
  • Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Athletic trainers
  • Chiropractors
  • Exercise Physiologists
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Nurses
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Physician Assistants
  • Physicians
  • Strength and Conditioning Coaches
  • Other Rehabilitation and Fitness Professionals

Copyright : 04/01/2025