A University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) startup is scaling one of the most promising research-supported treatments for Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) nationwide through telehealth.
Since its launch in 2024, ReACT FND Health has been rapidly expanding access to specialized FND care, reaching patients across dozens of states and extending training efforts internationally.
In its first year of operation, ReACT FND Health treated 155 patients through more than 900 treatment sessions utilizing Retraining and Control Therapy® (ReACT). Those patients hail from 30 states and one foreign country, and more than 40 patients have already graduated from treatment.
FND affects brain-body communication and causes involuntary neurological symptoms such as functional seizures, movement difficulties, and speech problems. The disorder is often misunderstood and can lead to years of disability and repeated emergency care before patients find effective treatment.
“Through ReACT, patients learn concrete, skill-based strategies to prevent symptoms from occurring or stop them once they begin,” said Aaron Fobian, Ph.D., creator of ReACT and founder of ReACT FND Health. “This approach helps patients regain a sense of control over their bodies, resulting in meaningful reductions in the frequency and severity of symptoms.”
Growing Patient Reach Through Telehealth
Aaron Fobian, Ph.D. (far left), poses with the six Icelandic psychologists recently certified in ReACT.
ReACT FND Health provides direct-to-patient telehealth treatment, allowing individuals to receive specialized, evidence-based FND care regardless of location. The startup currently offers services in all states that participate in PSYPACT, an interstate compact that enables licensed psychologists to practice telepsychology across more than 40 U.S. states and territories.
In addition, ReACT FND Health recently launched telehealth treatment services in New York and California, two large non-PSYPACT states where access to research-supported FND care has been limited.
Advancing Treatment Tools
In 2025, ReACT FND Health expanded its ReACT Precision Treatment Tool® with the launch of a new patient portal. In addition to assisting psychologists in tailoring ReACT to each patient’s symptoms, the platform allows patients to securely access training materials, practice exercises between sessions, and track progress over time. This makes between-session practice easier and helps patients develop skills more quickly.
“The patient portal helps promote the generalization of treatment gains into everyday life,” Fobian said.
International Expansion
Demand for ReACT training continues to increase, with more than 500 providers across 17 countries currently on the training waitlist. In April 2025, ReACT FND Health conducted its first international training in Iceland, certifying six psychologists within the Icelandic healthcare system to provide ReACT.
“For Iceland’s centralized healthcare system, the training helped lay the groundwork for national-scale implementation of research-supported FND treatment,” Fobian said. “We plan to continue expanding ReACT training opportunities both domestically and internationally in 2026 and beyond.”
Evidence of Impact
In a randomized controlled trial, ReACT significantly improved pediatric FND symptoms compared with supportive therapy. In a separate published clinical study, ReACT demonstrated an over 85 percent reduction in symptom frequency, along with significant decreases in functional disability and symptom severity. Follow-up studies further suggest durable treatment effects, with more than half of patients remaining functional seizure-free one year after completing the ReACT program.
In addition, 94.1 percent of patients return to school before completing treatment, and 97 percent of parents and clinicians reported clinically significant improvement.
Looking Ahead
Fobian said the next steps for ReACT research include deepening understanding of how and why the treatment works, expanding studies to broader populations, including adults, and generating the economic and implementation data needed for sustainable scale.
“An additional forthcoming line of research will examine how ReACT training and implementation impact downstream healthcare utilization and overall system costs,” Fobian said. “This research is an important opportunity to demonstrate ReACT’s value not only for patients and families, but also for the sustainability of the healthcare system.”
For more information, visit https://reactfnd.health.
-- Feb. 5, 2026