23 March 2026

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) creates symptoms like weakness, tremors, blackouts, or trouble walking and speaking. These happen not from brain damage visible on scans, but from a glitch in how the brain and body communicate, a powerful reminder of the deep mind and body connection at work.

Think of it like a software error in a healthy computer: the hardware is fine, but the signals get scrambled - often triggered or worsened by stress, trauma, or emotional strain that our brains process through the nervous system. This overlap with mental health makes FND common in neurology clinics, as disabling as MS or Parkinson’s for many. Yet the condition is often misunderstood.

This leaves patients waiting years for care that validates both their physical struggles and emotional realities.

King’s Health Partners (KHP) is changing this by educating colleagues to bridge that mind and body gap with kindness and skill.

Empowering better care for FND

Taking place on Wednesday 3 June 2026 - KHP’s Functional Neurological Disorders Masterclass will equip professionals with the understanding of how FND links physical symptoms to mental and emotional wiring.

They will learn to explain FND simply - “your brain’s control system is hiccuping, but we can retrain it” - while honouring the mind and body interplay that shapes symptoms like functional tremors or dizziness.

The day starts with talking about FND with patients, navigating its mental health ties without blame, and how to spot it in children where school stress amplifies the mind and body loop. Real case studies will show therapy rebuilding movement through community teams.

We will also share research spotlighting Virtual Reality to rewire brain-body signals and the PsiFUND study testing psilocybin’s potential to reset disrupted neural-emotional networks.

Deeper dives explore interoception - the body’s inner sensing gone awry - alongside gut-brain links, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for dissociation, and dizziness rooted in perceptual glitches. Honest conversations address when progress stalls, urging clinician self-care to sustain compassionate teams that respect FND’s whole-person nature.

A game-changing FND Pathway for south east London

You can also find out how KHP’s new FND Pathway weaves mind and body wisdom into everyday care.

A Rapid Access Clinic delivers neurology-led checks within six weeks, tackling co-morbidities, and psychosocial triggers holistically. Community training builds local skills for ongoing support, while case managers guide complex cases away from A&E overuse, targeting high-service users with tailored interventions that ease body-mind burdens and cut costs.

Data from patient satisfaction, outcomes, and health use will refine this efficient model, proving integrated care works when we honour how body and mind entwine in FND.

FND thrives when dismissed as “all in the head,” but fades with understanding that validates the real mind and body dialogue.

KHP’s efforts mean more of our colleagues will be ready to listen, explain, and heal that connection - instilling hope for patients and families, and professionals spreading the word and leading change.

Sign up for the KHP Neurosciences FND Masterclass.

Authors: Natasha Lockyer, Emily Jay, Mariana Wieske.

Useful sources