CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a mental health provider and want CE credits for listening this episode, go to: Multiple Sclerosis: How is it Treated?

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

PODCAST SUMMARY

Adherence to disease modifying treatments (DMT), as well as health promoting behaviors, can have a major impact on prognosis and clinical outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, some studies demonstrate poor adherence, especially for injectable DMTs (only 41-88%). It is important for the psychologist treating an individual with multiple sclerosis to understand the different types of DMTs (e.g., injectable vs. oral vs. infusions). They should also understand barriers that may impact uptake or adherence, such as needle phobia, or worry about severe side effects such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) infection. Helping patients understand "shared decision making" in regard to medication, could lead to increased adherence due to increased sense of agency with the chosen medication. This course will teach psychologists and mental health providers about the different types of DMTs used by individuals with MS, common barriers to adherence, and the concept of patient-provider shared decision making.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between the different types of MS disease modifying medications.
2. Be able to describe to your patients the difference between disease modifying medications and symptom management in multiple sclerosis.
3. Identify at least two common treatment barriers and strategies for helping your patients overcome them.

You will hear from three experts:

• Bron Webster - Founder of Multiple Success, Lives with MS
• Ben Thrower, MD - Medical Director of the Andrew C. Carlos MS Institute at the Shepherd Center
• Aviva Gaskill, PhD - Clinical Psychologist

RESOURCES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

• Podcast: the MS Show
• Multiple Sclerosis Center: Providence Holy Family Hospital
• National MS Society: Partners in MS Care
• Multiple Sclerosis Society of America
• Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
• Can Do MS
• Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute at Shepherd Center

COST

Listening, reading, or watching the course content is free.

Pay only if you need the continuing education credits. This course costs $20 and provides 1 CE credit.

CE APPROVALS

You will hear from three experts:

• Tyler Campbell, President of Tyler Campbell Enterprises, LLC.
• Jagriti 'Jackie' Bhattarai, PhD, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins
• Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, Founder & CEO of the Joi Life Wellness Group Multiple Sclerosis Center

To find more of our courses, subscribe to this podcast or visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

Resources Discussed in this Episode:

• Psychology Today Therapist Finder
• Pro Player Foundation
• iConquerMS
• Johns Hopkins Community Advisory Board
• Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities
• Joi Life Wellness Group
• Book: MS Made Simple: The Essential Guide to Understanding your MS Diagnosis by Mitzi Williams
• National African American MS Registry

CE Approvals

If you are a mental health provider and want CE credits for listening to this episode, go to: Multiple Sclerosis: Support Partners

In this course, we hear from three experts that will talk about multiple sclerosis (MS) family, friends, and support partners:

• Warren Taninbaum, a husband supporting his wife who is living with MS,
• Dr. Abbey Hughes, a psychologist and researcher at Johns Hopkins, and
• Dr. Rosalind Kalb a clinician, educator, and author who has dedicated the majority of her career to supporting the families of individuals living with multiple sclerosis.

We focus on topics such as how family roles shift over time, grief, loss, and healthy communication.

To find more of our courses, subscribe to this podcast or visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

Resources

• National MS Society: MS Family Caregiver Support Group Finder
• Multiple Sclerosis Foundation: Support Groups Finder
• Can Do MS Program Information and Sign Up
• Can Do MS Webinars
• eSupportHealth Virtual Support Group
• National MS Society Education Brochures
• MS Association of America Relationships Blog
• Speak to a Nation MS Society Navigator: 1-800-344-4867
• Book: Multiple Sclerosis: A Guide for Families, Third Edition By Rosalind Kalb

CE Approvals

CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a mental health provider and want CE credits for listening this episode, go to: Multiple Sclerosis: Mood, Neuropsychiatry, & Suicide Prevention

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

PODCAST SUMMARY

What are the symptoms of mood disorders and how do they interact with MS? We'll explore that in this course. We'll hear from a neuropsychiatrist who specializes in MS. He discusses the frequency of mood symptoms, interaction between mental health and multiple sclerosis, as well as when to consider referring someone for medication management. This course also helps you learn how best protect patients who may be at risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors. We will cover assessment strategies, as well as prevention techniques that work specifically for people living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Our experts include:

• Bron Webster - Founder of Multiple Success, Lives with MS
• Adam Kaplin, MD, PhD - Chief Scientific Officer of MyMD, MS Neuropsychiatrist
• Aviva Gaskill, PhD - Clinical Psychologist

COST

Listening, reading, or watching the course content is free.

Pay only if you need the continuing education credits. This course costs $30 and provides 1.5 CE credits.

CE APPROVALS

CE Approvals

CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a mental health provider and want CE credits for listening this episode, go to Multiple Sclerosis: Exercise.

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

PODCAST SUMMARY

Not long ago, people with MS were told to go home, rest, and not overexerted themselves. Through the work of both patient advocates and exercise researchers. We now know this advice to go home and rest is not only wrong, but potentially harmful. Current data demonstrates that exercise and movement in people with Ms is associated with improved cognition, mood, fatigue, and improved progression outcomes.

In many sessions, I've found myself sitting with people, living with MS, who wanted to get back to exercise, but had fears or worries about how to get back into it or were having a lot of struggles with motivation.

In this episode course, you learn about the importance of exercise, help your patients learn to exercise safely, when to refer to professionals, to help patients manage and reduce fears around topics like fatigue or heat sensitivity, and to help your clients problem solve through the challenges of staying active with multiple sclerosis.

Our experts include:

• Daryl Kucera - Founder and Director of MS Forward, lives with MS
• Peiting Lien, PT, DPT - Board Certified Neurologic Physical Therapist at Johns Hopkins
• Kathy M. Zackowski, PhD, OTR - Associate Vice President for Research at the National MS Society

COST

Listening, reading, or watching the course content is free.

Pay only if you need the continuing education credits. This course costs $25 and provides 1.25 CE credits.

CE APPROVALS

CE Approvals

CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a psychologist and want 1 CE credit for listening this episode, click on this link: https://learn.findempathy.com/courses/diet.

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

PODCAST SUMMARY

If you work with people that have multiple sclerosis, at some point, you're going to hear about diet. And this is for good reason. As highlighted by the National MS Society, a number of diet-related factors are linked to worse MS outcomes. For example, in some recent research, lower Vitamin D and adolescent obesity were associated with increased risk for developing MS. In a mouse model of MS it was found that salt was linked with more rapid development of disease. And there are numerous studies looking at gut bacteria in people with MS. Finally, some recent research has also examined "MS diets."

Some individuals swear by stricter diets and they lived by strict dietary rules. On the other end of the spectrum, many individuals with MS struggle to eat healthy whole foods and may rely largely on pre-packaged or easy to make foods.

In this course, you're going to hear details about dietary research, more on the "MS Diets," recommendations for healthy eating, as well as emotional factors or MS symptoms that may be playing a role on those two ends of the spectrum.

As a note, diet can be a controversial topic in the MS world. With strong opinions on many sides. If this is a topic that is of interest, I would encourage you to continue seeking out additional resources and research to draw your own conclusions. Some of these resources are located in our resource page associated with this podcast course.

Our experts include:

• Emily Reilly, Healthcare Provider Engagement Manager for the NMSS & Certified Personal Trainer (adaptive fitness trainer)
• Mona Bostick RDN, CSO, LDN, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Owner of MS Bites
• Ellen Mowry, Director, Multiple Sclerosis Experimental Therapeutics Program and Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins

COST

Listening, reading, or watching the course content is free.

Pay only if you need the continuing education credits. This course costs $20 and provides 1 CE credits.

CE APPROVALS

CE Approvals

CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a psychologist and want CE credits for listening this episode, click on this link: https://learn.findempathy.com/courses/MS-Fatigue

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify at least three contributors to multiple sclerosis fatigue.
2. Name two strategies for helping your patients manage or cope with MS-related fatigue.
3. Identify two ways that CBT for Insomnia can be adapted for people living with multiple sclerosis, especially those with mobility challenges or increased disability.

PODCAST SUMMARY

Fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms of multiple sclerosis and occurs in approximately 80% of people with this condition. In an article that was published in the Journal of Neurological Sciences in 2021, it was found that fatigue was the number one factor influencing self-reported ability to work.

In this 2021 study, fatigue was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of missing work, low work productivity, and decreasing ability to work. When fatigue was combined with depression, there was a higher likelihood of people reducing their work hours or not working at all. And when fatigue and anxiety were present, fatigue was associated with many more work-related challenges.

While fatigue can develop directly from multiple sclerosis. It can also be caused by or exacerbated by many other factors, including things like vitamin deficiencies, depression, and physical exertion.

Another huge contributor to MS-related fatigue is poor sleep.

Although fatigue and sleep can exacerbate one another. They can also be independent of one another. Sleep disorders are extremely common in people with multiple sclerosis. They can be caused by MS symptoms like bladder urgency at night, restless legs, chronic pain, or temperature dysregulation. But other conditions like sleep apnea are also more common and contribute to daytime sleepiness.

In this podcast course, you will learn from two psychologists. The first is Dr. Anna Kratz. She's a research psychologist at the University of Michigan. She discusses new ways to assess fatigue, as well as ways to treat or mitigate its effects.

Dr. Abbey Hughes from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine discusses different types of sleep disorders seen in individuals with multiple sclerosis, as well as a current study she's conducting to assist patients to improve their sleep. She offers advice for mental health professionals on how to work with their clients on sleep-related issues.

Our patient voice and advocate is Kathy Chester. She's the host of the Move it or Lose it Podcast. And she's also the owner of Disrupt Fitness Gym. Kathy has lived with both multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis for over 20 years. She shares about living with both of those conditions, as well as some helpful tips for managing fatigue, especially for those who want to keep active and exercise regularly.

Our Experts:

• Kathy Chester - MS Warrior, Certified MS Fitness Trainer and Certified Personal, Host of the Move It of Lose It Podcast
• Anna Kratz, PhD - Clinical Psychologists and Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan
• Abbey Hughes, PhD - Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

CONTINUING EDUCATION

If you are a psychologist and want CE credits for listening this episode, click on this link: https://learn.findempathy.com/courses/MS-therapy

To find out more about our courses visit: FindEmpathy.com/learn.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the difference between the “normal” frustrations of living with a challenging condition like MS and a mental health diagnosis.
2. Identify at least two psychotherapeutic strategies (e.g., CBT, ACT, DBT, etc.) that work well for people living with MS.
3. Identify at least three everyday skills that a person living with MS can use to challenge unhelpful thoughts, calm strong emotions, or provide self-comfort and empathy when grieving.

PODCAST SUMMARY

Up to half of individuals living with MS will experience symptoms of depression, in episode 5 we discussed medical approaches to mood, and looking out for serious symptoms like suicidal thoughts. However, not every bad mood is depression. In this episode we will learn the difference between a diagnosable mental health condition and normal fluctuations in mood. We will also discuss how grief shows up for people living with MS, and how that differs from depression. We will also focus attention on topics such as resilience, healthy coping, and psychotherapeutic or behavioral strategies for managing uncomfortable emotions.

Our Experts:

• Jennifer Powell - Director of Community Engagement for BioNews, Columnist with Multiple Sclerosis News Today - Silver Linings, Host of The Multiple Sclerosis Podcast
• Amy Sullivan, PsyD, ABPP - Director of Behavioral Medicine at the Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research at the Cleveland Clinic
• Victoria M. Leavitt, PhD, FAAN - Researcher and Clinician at Columbia University. She's also the founder of eSupport Health.

COST

• Listening, reading, or watching the course content is free.
• Pay only if you need the continuing education credits.
• This course costs $25 and provides 1.25 CE credits

CE APPROVALS