What is Functional Neurological Disorder?

Functional Neurological Disorder, or FND, is a condition involving real neurological symptoms that are related to how the nervous system is functioning rather than structural damage or disease. Symptoms may include weakness, tremors, seizure-like episodes, movement changes, speech changes, numbness, dizziness, dissociation, or sensory symptoms.

Yes. FND symptoms are real, involuntary, and can significantly affect daily life. FND is not “fake,” imagined, or attention-seeking. A neuroscience-informed approach helps clients understand the brain-body connection and reduce shame around symptoms.

Therapy can be helpful for many adults with FND by supporting nervous system regulation, reducing fear around symptoms, identifying triggers and patterns, improving emotional regulation, and helping the brain and body learn new responses over time. Therapy works best when coordinated with appropriate medical care when needed.

FND can be complex and may involve multiple factors, including nervous system dysregulation, stress, trauma, emotional overwhelm, illness, injury, or learned brain-body response patterns. Not every person with FND has the same history, which is why individualized care is important.

Trauma can affect how the nervous system detects safety, threat, sensation, and control. For some individuals, trauma or chronic stress may contribute to functional neurological symptoms or make symptoms worse. Trauma-informed FND therapy focuses on safety, stabilization, regulation, and understanding the connection between the brain, body, and nervous system.

Nervous system dysregulation means the body has difficulty shifting flexibly between stress, safety, activation, and rest. A dysregulated nervous system may feel anxious, shut down, overwhelmed, disconnected, or physically symptomatic. This concept is important in understanding FND, PNES, trauma, dissociation, somatic symptoms, anxiety, and depression.

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures, or PNES, are real seizure-like episodes that are not caused by epileptic electrical activity in the brain. PNES is often understood through the lens of nervous system dysregulation, stress, trauma, dissociation, and functional neurological symptoms.

Yes. PNES episodes are real, involuntary, and can be frightening and disruptive. They are not fake or intentional. Therapy can help individuals understand what may be contributing to episodes and develop tools to support regulation and stability.

PNES can be associated with trauma, chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, dissociation, or nervous system dysregulation, but every person’s story is different. Some individuals with PNES identify trauma as a major factor, while others may not. Treatment should be individualized and non-shaming.

Yes. Anxiety can increase nervous system activation and fear around symptoms, which may contribute to PNES episodes or make them feel more unpredictable. Therapy can help reduce the fear-symptom cycle and build practical grounding and regulation strategies.

Therapy for PNES may include psychoeducation, nervous system regulation, trauma-informed care, trigger identification, symptom tracking, emotional processing, grounding skills, and support for reducing avoidance. The goal is to help clients better understand symptoms, reduce fear, and build greater stability in daily life.

Trauma-related dissociation is a nervous system survival response that may involve feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, memories, or surroundings. It can happen when stress, fear, trauma, or emotional overwhelm feels too much for the nervous system to process.

Depersonalization is a form of dissociation where a person feels disconnected from themselves, their body, emotions, or sense of identity. Some people describe it as feeling like they are watching themselves from the outside or moving through life on autopilot.

Derealization is a form of dissociation where the world around you feels unreal, distant, foggy, dreamlike, or unfamiliar. It can be frightening, but it is often connected to nervous system overwhelm and trauma-related stress responses.

Trauma can make the nervous system more sensitive to threat and less able to return to a regulated state. This may show up as hypervigilance, anxiety, shutdown, dissociation, emotional numbness, irritability, panic, sleep problems, physical tension, or somatic symptoms.

Trauma and chronic stress can contribute to physical symptoms through nervous system dysregulation. Some individuals experience tension, fatigue, pain, digestive issues, dizziness, headaches, sensory symptoms, or functional neurological symptoms. New or unexplained physical symptoms should always be medically evaluated when appropriate.

No. You do not have to be Christian to receive therapy. Christian counseling is available for clients who desire faith integration, but care is always respectful, collaborative, and based on each client’s values, goals, and comfort level.

Yes. Faith integration is optional and client-led. Some clients want prayer, scripture reflection, or spiritual processing included in therapy. Others prefer therapy without explicit faith integration. Your preferences will be respected.

Yes. Many clients want therapy that honors both their clinical needs and their faith. Trauma-informed Christian counseling can include nervous system regulation, emotional processing, coping skills, boundary work, grief support, and spiritual reflection when desired.

Christian counseling may support adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, stress, nervous system dysregulation, FND, PNES, dissociation, and somatic symptoms. The focus is on integrating compassionate, evidence-informed care with faith-sensitive support when requested.

No. Therapy should not use faith to increase shame, fear, or pressure. At Brave Spaces Online Therapy, Christian counseling is grounded in compassion, emotional safety, clinical care, and respect for your lived experience.

We accept:

• major credit cards

• HSA/FSA cards

• private pay

• select insurance plans

Payment is processed securely through the client portal.

Yes. Insurance participation may vary depending on the provider and clinician.

Insurance coverage may include:

• Alliant

• Anthem/BCBS

• Ambetter

• Cigna

• CareSource

• Humana

• Kaiser

• Lyra

• Peach State

• VA Community Care

Coverage can vary by clinician, state, and plan. Verification is recommended prior to beginning services.

Yes. Private pay options are available for individuals seeking therapy without using insurance benefits.

Limited reduced-rate options may be available based on financial need and clinician availability.

Appointments canceled without appropriate notice may be subject to a cancellation fee. Additional details are reviewed during intake and informed consent.