From Patient to Practitioner: Healing Functional Neurological Disorder Through EMDR

As an EMDR therapist, I regularly work with clients who experience symptoms that are complex, distressing, and often misunderstood. One of the most challenging presentations I treat is Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), particularly non-epileptic attacks. What makes this work especially meaningful for me is that I’ve lived it myself.

Several years ago, I began experiencing non-epileptic seizures following a head injury. The episodes were sudden and frightening—completely outside my control. Like many people with FND, I underwent numerous investigations: MRI scans, EEGs, consultations with neurologists. Nothing abnormal was found. The structure and function of my brain were deemed intact, and yet the symptoms persisted. Eventually, I received a diagnosis of FND.

FND can be deeply debilitating. The body misfires in very real ways, even though conventional tests often show no clear cause. In my case, the seizures were both life-altering and confusing. Despite my training as a therapist, I found myself overwhelmed by my own nervous system.

I decided to explore EMDR therapy, not just as a practitioner—but as a client. Working with a skilled EMDR therapist, I began to uncover what lay beneath the surface of the episodes. The head injury had acted as a trigger, unlocking unprocessed trauma that had remained hidden in my nervous system. EMDR gave me a structured, safe way to access and reprocess those earlier life experiences.

The process wasn’t linear or easy. At times, EMDR brought up memories and emotions I hadn’t consciously connected to my symptoms—moments of fear, helplessness, and disconnection from much earlier in life. But as those experiences were reprocessed, something began to shift. The seizures reduced in frequency and intensity, and eventually stopped altogether. My nervous system began to settle.

Now, when I work with clients experiencing FND—especially those with non-epileptic attacks—I bring not just clinical understanding, but personal insight. I know what it’s like to live in the confusion of a diagnosis that doesn’t always come with clear answers. I know the frustration of symptoms that feel out of your control. And I also know the hope and transformation that EMDR can offer.

FND is complex. It sits at the intersection of mind, body, and experience. But it is treatable. And with the right therapeutic relationship, the right tools, and a willingness to explore the layers of the self, recovery is possible.

My own journey through EMDR has shaped me both as a person and as a therapist. It has deepened my empathy and sharpened my clinical focus. Most importantly, it has given me the confidence to say to those I work with: healing is not only possible—it’s within reach.