Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
PSYCHOGENIC NON-EPILEPTIC SEIZURES THERAPY
Have you been experiencing seizure-like episodes that doctors have explained are not caused by epilepsy? Do you feel confused, overwhelmed, or even dismissed because your symptoms are real, but your medical testing does not show epileptic seizure activity? Are you afraid of when the next episode may happen, or do you find yourself avoiding work, driving, social situations, or daily responsibilities because your body feels unpredictable?
Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures, often called PNES, can feel frightening, exhausting, and deeply misunderstood. PNES episodes may look and feel like epileptic seizures, but they are not caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Instead, PNES is often connected to how the brain, body, nervous system, stress responses, and emotional overwhelm interact.
At Brave Spaces Counseling, PNES therapy is designed to help you understand what is happening in your nervous system, reduce fear around episodes, identify patterns and triggers, and begin building tools that support safety, regulation, and healing.
What Are Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures?
Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures are real seizure-like episodes that can affect movement, awareness, responsiveness, breathing, speech, memory, and emotional regulation. Although PNES is not epilepsy, the episodes are not imagined, intentional, or “fake.” They are involuntary responses that can occur when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed.
Many adults with PNES have already gone through medical testing, emergency room visits, neurological evaluations, or EEG monitoring before receiving a diagnosis. For some, the diagnosis brings relief. For others, it creates new questions:
“Why is this happening if it is not epilepsy?”
“Does this mean it is all in my head?”
“Can therapy really help?”
“What do I do when my body feels out of control?”
The answer begins with understanding that PNES symptoms are real and valid. Therapy can help you make sense of the connection between your brain, body, stress, trauma history, and nervous system responses.
IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME?
No. PNES does not mean you are broken, weak, dramatic, or making symptoms happen.
PNES often develops when the nervous system has learned to respond to stress, trauma, conflict, fear, exhaustion, or emotional overwhelm in ways that bypass conscious control. Your body may be trying to protect you, even though the response itself feels disruptive, frightening, or confusing.
You may notice PNES symptoms more often during or after periods of:
chronic stress
trauma reminders
emotional overwhelm
conflict or relationship stress
exhaustion or poor sleep
grief or major life transitions
feeling trapped, unsafe, unheard, or unsupported
intense anxiety or panic
dissociation or feeling disconnected from your body
PNES can also occur when you do not feel emotionally upset in the moment. Sometimes the nervous system responds after stress has built up over time.
Common Signs of PNES:
PNES can look different from person to person. Some people experience dramatic seizure-like episodes, while others have more subtle changes in awareness, movement, or responsiveness.
You may experience:
seizure-like episodes not caused by epilepsy
shaking, trembling, jerking, or body movements
collapse, faint-like episodes, or loss of control
changes in awareness or responsiveness
difficulty speaking during or after an episode
memory gaps or confusion
emotional shutdown or dissociation
fatigue or soreness after episodes
episodes that worsen during stress or overwhelm
fear of having symptoms in public
avoidance of activities because symptoms feel unpredictable
shame, embarrassment, or fear that others will not understand
These symptoms can interfere with work, relationships, independence, spiritual life, and your sense of safety in your own body. You deserve care that takes your symptoms seriously and helps you understand what your nervous system is trying to communicate.
How Anxiety May Show Up With PNES
Anxiety is common for people living with PNES—not because PNES is “just anxiety,” but because unpredictable body symptoms can make the nervous system feel unsafe.
Anxiety may show up as:
fear of having another episode
constantly scanning your body for warning signs
panic before, during, or after symptoms
avoiding stores, church, work, driving, or social settings
racing thoughts about what others may think
trouble sleeping because you are worried about symptoms
chest tightness, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or shortness of breath
feeling tense, restless, or on edge
fear that something medically dangerous is happening
In PNES therapy, we work on helping you understand these anxiety patterns, reduce fear around symptoms, and build regulation skills that help your body feel safer over time.
How Depression May Show Up With PNES
Depression can develop when PNES begins to limit your life, independence, identity, and confidence. You may feel discouraged after repeated medical appointments, misunderstood by loved ones, or frustrated that your body no longer feels reliable.
Depression may show up as:
sadness, hopelessness, or emotional exhaustion
loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
feeling disconnected from your purpose
shame or self-blame about symptoms
withdrawing from family, friends, work, or church
low motivation or difficulty completing daily tasks
changes in sleep or appetite
feeling like your life has become smaller
thoughts such as “I will never get better” or “No one understands”
Therapy can help you process the emotional toll of PNES, rebuild confidence, reconnect with your values, and create a realistic path toward healing.
Take the First Step Toward Healing Today
If you are living with PNES, know that you do not have to navigate this journey alone. At Brave Spaces Counseling, I provide compassionate, neuroscience-informed care for adults experiencing Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), nervous system dysregulation, trauma-related symptoms, and functional neurological challenges. Together, we work to better understand your symptoms, reduce fear and overwhelm, strengthen nervous system regulation, and help you reconnect with a greater sense of safety, stability, and hope. Healing is possible, and support is available. Take the next step by reaching out today to schedule a consultation.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
At Brave Spaces Counseling, I believe therapy can be a powerful part of the healing journey for individuals living with Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (PNES), functional neurological symptoms, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation. Through compassionate, neuroscience-informed care, you can begin to better understand your symptoms, recognize patterns and triggers, reduce fear around episodes, and develop practical tools to support nervous system regulation and emotional healing.
PNES can impact nearly every area of life, including work, relationships, confidence, independence, and emotional well-being. Many individuals also struggle with anxiety, depression, dissociation, shame, hypervigilance, or feeling disconnected from their body after repeated episodes or years of feeling misunderstood. Therapy provides a supportive space to process these experiences while helping you build grounding skills, strengthen emotional regulation, and reconnect with a greater sense of safety and stability.
You do not have to continue living in constant fear of the next episode, overwhelmed by uncertainty, or feeling alone in your experience. At Brave Spaces, I am here to help you better understand the connection between the brain, body, trauma, stress, and nervous system responses while supporting you in developing healthier coping strategies and rebuilding trust in yourself and your body.
Take the next step toward healing by reaching out today. You can send an email or schedule a consultation to learn more about online PNES therapy and neuroscience-informed support through Brave Spaces Online Therapy. Your healing journey can begin with one brave step.
Additional Resources for PNES & Nervous System Healing
It is okay to seek support when your mind, body, and nervous system feel overwhelmed. Trauma, stress, functional neurological symptoms, anxiety, depression, dissociation, and somatic symptoms can deeply affect how you feel in your body, how you see yourself, and how you move through daily life. At Brave Spaces Online Therapy, I provide specialized, trauma-informed and neuroscience-informed care for adults who are ready to understand what is happening beneath the surface and begin healing with compassion, clarity, and support. You do not have to navigate this alone. Healing is possible, and your next brave step can begin here.