Therapy (ISTDP)

What Is Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)?

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) affects how the brain sends and receives signals to the body. Symptoms are real, blocked emotions can have negative effects on every system in the body including:

• the gastrointestinal tract
• the cardiovascular system
• the respiratory system
• the immune system
• the muscular system
• the skin

In FND, brain scans and tests may appear normal, but the nervous system is not functioning as it should. Current research shows that FND is often linked to how the brain processes stress, emotions, and bodily sensations, particularly when the nervous system has become stuck in protective patterns.

How Emotions Can Affect Physical Symptoms

Many people unconsciously learn to avoid certain emotions following trauma or repeated life experiences. While this can be protective in the short term, long-term emotional avoidance can place strain on the nervous system.

Physical symptoms such as pain, IBS, or neurological symptoms. Perhaps weakness in muscle groups, or vocal chords, and tremors are a physical symptom that can result from excess bodily tension (bodily anxiety). Even blurred vision and concentration difficulties can be a symptom. Current health conditions may worsen, patients may feel increased anxiety, and may have difficulties in their relationships, or with emotional connection.

These symptoms are not imagined, they reflect how the brain and body have adapted to ongoing emotional stress.

How ISTDP Is Different

Many therapies help people cope with symptoms. ISTDP takes this to a different level. Rather than working only at the surface, ISTDP focuses on:

• Physical anxiety responses in the body
• Unconscious emotional avoidance
• Patterns that keep the nervous system stuck in threat

By helping people safely experience and process emotions, ISTDP supports the brain and nervous system to rewire into more adaptive, flexible functioning. This depth of work can lead to lasting improvements, not just short-term symptom relief.

Specialist Expertise for Complex Cases

At Recognition Health, we focus on complex and difficult-to-treat presentations, including Functional Neurological Disorder and other mind–body conditions.

Our ISTDP therapists have advanced training and are mentored by world-leading authorities in ISTDP. This specialist expertise allows us to offer a deeper, more focused therapeutic intervention than is commonly available.

This approach is designed to improve and resolve maladaptive emotional processing, supporting meaningful change at the level of the brain and nervous system.