Functional with FND

Functional with FND My page is dedicated to supporting and educating people about Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

Keeping some kind of journal — whether it’s a notebook, an app, or quick notes on your phone — is one of the most powerf...
06/09/2026

Keeping some kind of journal — whether it’s a notebook, an app, or quick notes on your phone — is one of the most powerful things someone with FND or PNES can do to understand their own body. It’s not about tracking every little thing; it’s about noticing patterns.

When you write down what happens before, during, and after symptoms, you start to see things you can’t catch in the moment. Over time, those patterns help you understand:

- what tends to trigger your symptoms
- how your body reacts under stress or sensory overload
- what helps you calm your system
- how often symptoms show up and how they change

For me, NeuroLog has been incredibly helpful. It organizes everything for you and even gives you a summary of your most common triggers and patterns. Seeing it laid out like that makes it easier to understand what your nervous system is doing — and it gives you something concrete to talk about with your care team.

Journaling isn’t about perfection. It’s about giving yourself information, clarity, and a little more control in a situation that often feels unpredictable.
I'm using NeuroLog to track my FND symptoms and it's helping so much! Check it out if you're managing neurological symptoms too! https://www.neurolog.app/

Utah FND Meet‑Up! 💬 Connect • Share • SupportLiving with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) can feel isolating — bu...
06/08/2026

Utah FND Meet‑Up! 💬
Connect • Share • Support

Living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) can feel isolating — but you don’t have to walk this path alone. 💛
Join us for a casual lunch and chat where understanding meets friendship.

🗓 June 27, 2026 @ 1 PM
📍 Location details available by email: [email protected]

Come meet others who truly get it — share stories, laugh, learn, and build community together.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been navigating FND for years, you’re welcome here. 🌸

✨ Functional with FND
Where Understanding Meets Strength.

🌱 Functional with FND — Week 5 RecapCoping Strategies Part 2: Deepening Real‑Time SupportThis week we explored how copin...
06/07/2026

🌱 Functional with FND — Week 5 Recap
Coping Strategies Part 2: Deepening Real‑Time Support
This week we explored how coping tools come alive when life feels unpredictable — how we can anchor, tune, light, reset, and connect in real time.

🧘‍♀️ Grounding Together
We began by noticing five things we could see, four we could feel, three we could hear, two we could smell, and one we could taste — reminding ourselves: You’re here. You’re safe. You’re not alone.

⚓ Advanced Mental Coping — The Anchor in the Storm
Naming emotions helps us find the rope that connects us to our anchor.
Simple phrases like “I’m safe right now” or “This moment will pass” steady the mind when waves rise.

🎻 Body‑Based Coping — The Instrument of Safety
Our bodies are instruments, not machines.
Breathwork, warmth, pressure, and gentle movement help retune the strings toward harmony.

🌙 Coping During Symptoms — The Lantern in the Dark
Lowering sensory input and using grounding objects keeps the lantern glowing.
Gentle self‑talk — “My body is reacting, not failing” — becomes the steady flame that guides us through.

⚡ Coping with Overwhelm & Shutdown — The Circuit Breaker
Overwhelm isn’t failure; it’s protection.
Micro‑breaks, cool water, and restart rituals help the system reset safely.

🌉 Coping Through Connection — The Bridge of Safety
Connection doesn’t fix; it holds steady.
Boundaries and gentle words — “You’re not alone” — build trust and make crossing possible.

💛 Closing Reflection
Each time you show up, you strengthen your bridge, your anchor, your lantern, your instrument, your circuit breaker.

You are part of a community. Understanding FND is strength.

🌿 Volunteer Update: Building Community at Ogden Nature CenterFunctional with FND is proud to share a meaningful mileston...
06/06/2026

🌿 Volunteer Update: Building Community at Ogden Nature Center

Functional with FND is proud to share a meaningful milestone from our Executive Director, Ella, who completed her first volunteer shift at the Ogden Nature Center this week.

During a two‑hour service session, Ella walked the trails, greeted guests, and helped maintain the grounds by collecting litter along the pathways. She also enjoyed connecting with visitors — including a cheerful two‑year‑old who eagerly joined in the cleanup efforts. Moments like these highlight the power of community, connection, and shared stewardship.

The trails were filled with blooming milkweed and the white butterflies it attracts, creating a beautiful backdrop for the morning’s work. Despite the heat and early fatigue, Ella paced herself intentionally, took rest breaks as needed, and stayed hydrated with electrolytes. By honoring her body and using symptom‑management strategies, she successfully completed the full two hours with minimal symptoms.

This experience reflects the heart of our mission:empowering individuals with FND to participate in meaningful activities, contribute to their communities, and celebrate every victory — big or small.

We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and grateful for the partnership with Ogden Nature Center as we continue fostering accessible, inclusive opportunities for engagement.

✨️👏If you have a milestone that you would like celebrated please send a email and photo to [email protected] we would love to recognize and celebrate with you.✨

I just reorganized my FND bag. It feel so much better having it grouped with my cards so I can access it better.A little...
06/04/2026

I just reorganized my FND bag.
It feel so much better having it grouped with my cards so I can access it better.

A little organization can make a big difference.
When sensory overwhelm hits, quick access matters — so here’s how to keep your bag ready to help:

- Group by purpose — calming tools (like putty or fidgets) in one pouch, energizing snacks in another.
- Use clear bags — see what’s inside at a glance.
- Label each section — “Calm,” “Focus,” “Refresh,” or whatever feels right for you.
- Keep essentials on top — water, cold pack, and your favorite grounding item.
- Refresh weekly — replace snacks, check batteries, and make sure everything’s clean and ready.

Your sensory bag is your toolkit for self‑care.
A few minutes of organizing today can make tomorrow’s tough moments a little easier. 🌿

This is what helps me. What helps you?

In our Session 2: Understanding PNES🌿 Grounding MomentWe began by helping our bodies arrive — noticing support, breath, ...
06/03/2026

In our Session 2: Understanding PNES
🌿 Grounding MomentWe began by helping our bodies arrive — noticing support, breath, and calm presence.
🪷 Grounding helps the nervous system shift from alert to safety mode, preparing the brain to learn and connect.⚡ PNES ExplainedPNES episodes are real neurological events — not imagined or voluntary.
💡 Like a circuit breaker, the brain “flips the switch” when overloaded to protect itself from further stress.
🧠 This is the brain’s way of keeping the system safe, not a malfunction.🚫 What PNES Is NotPNES is not epilepsy, weakness, or attention‑seeking.
🔥 It’s a functional disruption — the brain’s alarm system reacting to perceived danger even when safe.
💬 Understanding this distinction helps reduce stigma and misdiagnosis.💧 Triggers & PatternsStress builds drop by drop until the cup spills.
🌊 Fatigue, pain, emotional tension, or trauma reminders can accumulate until the brain’s capacity overflows.
🕊️ Recognizing patterns helps you respond with compassion instead of judgment.🌩️ Safety PlanningYou can’t stop the storm, but you can guide through it safely.
☔ Calm voices, reduced sensory input, and gentle grounding help the nervous system recover.
🤝 Supporters can help by staying present and reassuring safety until the episode passes.🌫️ Clearing the FogEducation and compassion lift the mist.
🪞 PNES is a genuine neurological condition. Understanding removes shame; community restores clarity.
💚 Each time you learn something new, the fog clears a little more.

🌿 Session 1 Recap — What Is FND?This week we began a new cycle of Functional with FND, returning to the foundation: unde...
06/03/2026

🌿 Session 1 Recap — What Is FND?This week we began a new cycle of Functional with FND, returning to the foundation: understanding what Functional Neurological Disorder really is and how it affects the brain and body.✨ Welcome & GroundingWe opened by acknowledging that starting again with Week 1 is a chance to rebuild with fresh eyes.
Grounding reminded us that FND isn’t just about symptoms — it’s about how the brain and body communicate.
We practiced gentle grounding techniques like 4‑4‑4 breathing, holding a sensory item, or rolling shoulders to signal safety and calm.🧠 What Is FND?FND is a real, brain‑based condition caused by changes in how brain networks function — not by structural damage.
Think of it like a phone with full bars but a dropped call: the hardware is fine, but the signal is glitchy.
Symptoms are involuntary and valid, not imagined. They arise from disrupted communication between brain systems that control movement, sensation, speech, and awareness.
FND sits at the intersection of neurology and psychiatry — involving both brain networks and emotional regulation systems — but it is not psychological.✈️ How FND Affects the Brain and BodyWe explored the airport metaphor:The control tower represents brain communication. In FND, the tower misfires — sending delayed, mixed, or missing signals.The emergency alarm system (limbic system) becomes overly sensitive, triggering protective responses even when no danger exists.The automatic systems sometimes override voluntary ones, causing symptoms like freezing, tremors, or speech changes.The takeaway: the airport isn’t broken — it’s overwhelmed. Communication can be retrained, and recovery is possible.🏠 Why Symptoms Are Real (Despite Normal Tests)We reframed the frustration of hearing “Your MRI looks normal.”
Normal scans mean no structural damage, not no problem.
FND is a functional disorder, where the “wiring” — not the “walls” — misfires.
Imagine a house with perfect walls but faulty electrical wiring. The structure looks fine, but the lights flicker.
That’s FND: the brain’s structure is intact, but the signals are disrupted.Positive diagnostic signs (like Hoover’s sign or tremor entrainment) confirm FND’s neurological basis — they’re real findings, not guesses.
Normal tests actually mean hope: the brain is healthy enough to relearn safer patterns.💬 Group ReflectionsMembers shared what they wish others understood:Symptoms are real, not imagined.Validation matters.Understanding the “why” helps reduce fear and shame.We closed with gratitude and the reminder that understanding FND is the first step toward empowerment.🌟 Key TakeawayThe brain isn’t broken — it’s miscommunicating. And communication can be retrained.

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