In support of the mission of FACES to improve the quality of life for those living with epilepsy and seizures, the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center offers a series of free lectures to the public to help educate patients and family members. Lectures are provided by doctors and other professionals affiliated with the CEC. All lectures are free, and anyone is welcome to attend the Peace of Mind lectures. If you wish to attend a lecture, please register online or call the FACES office. Registration for lectures will be available online once details for the lecture have been finalized. Online registration is currently available only for the upcoming lecture.

January 10, 2017 – Sleep and Epilepsy

Dr. Kothare spoke on the bi-directional relationship between sleep and epilepsy, and the timing of seizures in specific types and general epilepsy. He discussed how to diagnose sleep disorders, manage sleep with an epilepsy diagnosis, the value of sleep studies, and a brief overview of SUDEP.

November 9, 2016 - Dietary Therapies for Epilepsy

This lecture explored the different diets available for epilepsy, including the process of initiation and therapy, the similarities and differences between the diets, side effects, how effective they are, and what you can and can’t eat on each diet.

This lecture highlighted how alternative and complementary therapies have been tested and the considerations to think about when using these therapies.

May 31, 2016 Caregiver Navigation and Self-Advocacy Across the Lifespan

This lecture highlighted information, tools and resources to help individuals and families develop and use critical advocacy skills in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

November 30, 2015 Autism and Epilepsy

Epilepsy occurs in 1-2% of the population but affects people with autism at higher rates.  This lecture discusses how epilepsy affects those on the autism spectrum and special considersations in terms of diagnosis, treatment and management.

October 14, 2015 Life Planning for patients and caregivers living with epilepsy

This lecture provides patients and caregivers with information on special needs planning including special needs estate planning, the importance of advance directives (Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Power of Attorneys, HIPAA releases and Dispositions of Remains), how to protect access to government supports through the use of special needs trusts and how to petition for gaurdianship if necessary.  The lecture also assists families in understanding the steps necessary to build a support team to accomplish long term planning.

September 16, 2015 Pills & Your Brain:  How they get there, how they work & how they are cleared

This lecture discusses the way medications are absorbed into the blood, the brain and how they act in the neurons.  Then explans the mechanisms in which medications are inactivated and removed from our bodies.  Medication interactions and how our genes dictate medication processing will also be explained.