I was very hesitant to see a therapist as, for me, I was brought up as thinking seeking this type of help is a sign of weakness.  As well, will all I had read regarding PNES, I had begun to think I was the cause of my seizures and if I caused them, maybe I could just fix things myself.  I realized this was bigger than anything I had taken on before and I needed help.  My first visit, I was very uncomfortable but Dr. Moenter learned where my comfort level was and found ways to earn my trust.  In my first month, I learned how to be comfortable within myself and realize it was possible not to blame myself for the situation I was in.  One of the key techniques I learned is how to feel when a seizure is coming and how to counter the feeling with relaxation.  This has helped with seizures that occur when I am awake and also ones that occur when sleeping.

Today, although I cannot say I am seizure free, I used to average 30 – 40 seizures a month, I now have 3 or 4 seizures in 6 months.  It is such a welcome improvement and I am very grateful.  I have started a new job and have not been on driving restrictions for at least 6 months.  Although I still have the worry of when a seizure may occur, it is not with the same frequency that I feared before and that has helped me live a much more productive life.

Dr. Moenter is a very caring and compassionate individual.  She took time to understand my needs and gently pushed/guided me along paths I needed to travel to gain a deeper knowledge of my new life.  Dr. Moenter has a keen intuition into a person’s inner being, able to key in on the slightest physical changes as we talk to note when something is happening within me.  I have appreciated experiencing a personal aspect to our relationship while understanding there is a professional standard that must be maintained.  This has helped to build my trust along the way which is difficult for me based on my background.