MS Center Information and Education
Please find information about our MS Center Education Series and other useful information below. If you are looking for information about our clinic, please visit the MS Center Clinic website.
2020 Group Educational Series
Cognitive Skills Boot Camp (6 weeks)
This class is offered twice per year.
January 8 – February 12, 2020
June 10 – July 15, 2020
Wednesdays, 11 am – 1 pm
In this 6 week class, we will review strategies to help with managing cognitive skills often impacted in MS. Topics include improving attention, managing distractions, planning and organizational strategies, and decision making skills.
MS 101 – Learn more about MS (4 weeks)
This class is offered once per year.
March 4 – March 25, 2020
Wednesdays, 11 am – 1 pm
Would you like to understand more about your MS? Information on common symptoms associated with MS, such as pain, fatigue, mood changes, and sleep difficulties, will be reviewed. We will also discuss nutrition, communicating with health care providers, and ways to increase social support.
NEW!! Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Pain (8 weeks)
This class is offered once per year.
April 8 – May 27, 2020
Wednesdays, 11 am – 1 pm
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for pain is an 8 week program designed to help individuals with pain. Mindfulness skills have been shown to be effective in improving quality of life in those living with chronic pain. The class consists of both educational discussions and meditation training; meditations are also practiced between sessions.
Take Charge of Your MS (8 weeks)
This class is offered once per year.
Sept 9 – Oct 28, 2020
Wednesdays, 11am – 1 pm
This 8 week class is designed to help anyone living with MS better cope with symptoms and improve quality of life. Topics include goal setting and identifying stressors, problem solving, managing energy, working with negative thoughts, managing emotions, and building resilience. Several relaxation strategies will also be introduced.
Stress Management for the Holidays (3 weeks)
This class is offered once per year.
Nov 18 – Dec 2, 2020
Wednesdays, 11 am – 1 pm
Just in time for the holiday season! Join us for a 3 week class to review stress management techniques and relaxation strategies. We will discuss identifying your stressors, working with thoughts, and finding ways to decompress and create moments of calm as you navigate this busy time of year.
Dates are subject to change.
All class sessions are held in the UW Medicine MS Center Conference Room,
McMurray Building, Northwest Hospital Campus.
Classes are open to all individuals living with MS, regardless of where they
receive MS care.
Sessions are billed to your insurance as group health and behavior interventions (billing codes 96164/96165) through UW Medicine. Please contact the MS Clinic if you have questions about your insurance coverage.
For more information and to register, please call (206) 598-3344.
Monthly Educational Series / Webinar for people with MS
3rd Wednesday of every month
6:00pm – 7:15pm
Join us in person at the UW MS Center (located on the NWH Campus) or from the comfort of your own home!
You can email us at MSevents@uw.edu to request to be added to our mailing list to get monthly reminders for the program and specifics of that month’s topic
Wed 2/19/2020
Getting up on the right side of the bed: Strategies for optimizing sleep in MS
Gloria Hou, MD, physiatrist, UW MS Center
Wed 3/18/2020
Managing your Energy Budget: Strategies for Living with MS Fatigue Tracy Herring, PhD, Psychologist/Senior fellow, UW Rehabilitation Medicine
Wed 4/15/2020
Which MS drug is the best one for me?
Neda Zarghami, MD, neurologist/MS Fellow, UW MS Center
Wed 5/20/2020
Prognosis of MS – What we already know and what current research might tell us about how to predict your future and how you can use this information to improve your health
Michael Persenaire, MD, Neurologist, UW MS Center
Wed 6/17/2020
Improve Your Thinking: Tips to Maximize Attention & Memory
Rachel Palm, Speech-Language Pathologist, UW Northwest Campus Rehab
Wed 7/15/2020
Complementary, integrative and nutritional approaches to manage your MS
Michelle Leary-Chang, ND. Vida Integrated Health & Marco Vespignani, ND, Seattle Integrative Medicine
Wed 8/19/2020
MS 101: Basic overview of MS
Meghan Romba, MD, Neurologist, UW MS Center
Wed 9/16/2020
Employment & MS: A patient’s guide to employment and disability when living with MS
Joe Stuckey, MS, CRC, Rehabilitation Counselor, UW MS Center
Wed 10/21/2020
MS and Pregnancy – Info to help you when planning to expand your family
Gloria von Geldern, MD, neurologist, UW MS Center
Wed 11/18/2020
Living with uncertainty: Thriving in the face of an unpredictable disease
Kevin Alschuler, PhD, psychologist, UW MS Center
Join us per Zoom videoconference by one of the following:
A. Download at http://zoom.us/ (computer)
B. Get app “Zoom cloud meeting” (phone or tablet)
C. Call in: 669-900-6833. Meeting ID: 140869654
Link to Zoom Meeting: https://uw-phi.zoom.us/j/140869654
Things to keep in mind:
* Your privacy is important for us! This is a HIPAA compliant version of Zoom
* Be aware though that unless you are disabling your camera, others will see you!
* You can disable your camera when logging in (check box) or throughout the session (video logo on/off)
* Through certain portions of session you can ask questions or give comments; when your camera is activated others can see you. So, put the camera at eye level and remember to look at the camera when talking
* For best experience, set your location in a quiet place devoid of distractions or interruptions from others
* If able, use headphones or a headset to prevent audio feedback.
* Optimally, mute your microphone when not speaking.
MS Workbook
The MS Workbook is a comprehensive guide to help you manage fatigue and weakness, cope with pain, get the most out of your health care system, combat anxiety and depression, optimize your activity level, create a career and financial plan, maintain intimacy with your partner, and gain support from family, friends, and your community. It is available as a FREE resource online at:
http://msrrtc.washington.edu/info/msworkbook
You can be a participant in UW Medicine's Multiple Sclerosis research if wanted!
Did you know that UW researchers, including many of your providers, have been among the nation’s leaders in MS research for over 40 years?
The MS Center has a very active research program covering a wide variety of topics, ranging from learning about quality of life, symptoms, and experiences; to developing and testing approaches (medical and nonpharmacologic) for improving symptom management and patient well-being; to participating in large pharmaceutical trials.
We are currently recruiting for participants on the following topics:
– New diagnosis
– Exercise
– Cognition
– Fatigue
– Pain
– Falls
– Aging with physical disabilities
– Medication/drug trials
If you are interested in any of these topics, please ask to speak to a member of our research team today or call the clinic at 206-598-3344 to speak to the research staff by phone!
