We’ll Separate Fact vs. Fiction at our August Meeting!

Posted on by

Saturday, August 1, 2026
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Separating Signal from Noise:
Evaluating Essential Tremor Claims on Social Media
presented by Dr. Amar Patel

Meeting Location:
Hartford HealthCare Movement Disorders Center
280 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410

Dr. Amar Patel is Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. He is a board-certified Neurologist with subspecialty training in Movement Disorders.

At Yale, Dr. Patel treats patients with a variety of complex movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, tics, myoclonus and chorea. He has a particular interest in the use of deep brain stimulation and botulinum toxin in the treatment of movement disorders.

At this meeting, Dr. Patel will review popular social media posts about ET or regarding ET treatment, outline the claims they make, and review the evidence regarding those claims.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29th!

To register or request information, submit the form below:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Schedule August 1st on Your Calendar!

Posted on by

The next CT Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. We’re delighted to announce that our speaker will be Yale Movement Disorder Neurologist Amar Patel. Additional details will be published as soon as they’re confirmed ..but do save this date on your calendar!

Join us on June 6th for an update from Praxis Precision Medicines!

Posted on by

Saturday, June 6, 2026
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

ESSENTIAL3 PROGRAM TOPLINE RESULTS
presented by
Carol Clark, Head of Marketing and
Monique Giroux, Executive Medical Director
Praxis Precision Medicines

Meeting Location:
 The Hospital of Central Connecticut
100 Grand Street, New Britain, CT 06050

In a December 29, 2025 press release, Praxis Precision Medicines announced the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Ulixacaltamide HCl in Essential Tremor. The Breakthrough Therapy Designation was granted based on the positive topline results from the Essential3 Phase 3 program in essential tremor.

In a press release dated April 14, 2026, Praxis Precision Medicines announced FDA acceptance of the New Drug Application for Ulixacaltamide HCl in Patients with Essential Tremor.

You won’t want to miss our June 6th meeting. This presentation shares topline results from Essential3, an at-home research study!

Dr. Monique L. Giroux is a board-certified neurologist and fellowship-trained movement disorders specialist, clinical researcher with over two decades of experience caring for people living with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and related conditions. She has dedicated her career to improving quality of life through patient-centered, interdisciplinary care, combining clinical expertise with a deep commitment to research, education, empowerment, and community support.

Dr. Giroux currently serves as Executive Director of Clinical Development at Praxis Precision Medicines, where she leads clinical oversight of research programs including the recent phase 3 trials evaluating ulixacaltamide as a treatment for essential tremor and other movement disorders.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3rd!

To register or request information,
submit the form below:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

You won’t want to miss our June meeting!

Posted on by

Be sure to schedule Saturday, June 6th, on your calendar! We’re meeting from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in New Britain ..and we’re excited to announce that staff from Praxis Precision Medicines will be our speakers!

Praxis was granted FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy Designation based on the positive topline results from the Essential3 Phase 3 program in essential tremor in creating the first ET-specific drug and was encouraged to submit an NDA (new drug application) to the FDA!

Details to follow..

Join Us in Bridgeport for our Next Meeting!

Posted on by

Saturday, April 4, 2026
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

St. Vincent’s Medical Center
Hawley 1 Conference Room
(Cancer Center 4th Floor)
2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606

An Update on ET Clinical Trials
presented by
Movement Disorders Specialist Clifton Lewis, DO

Neurologist Clifton Lewis, DO is a Board Certified Neurologist who specializes in Movement Disorders.

After graduating from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Lewis did both his Internship in Internal Medicine and a Residency in Neurology at Maine Medical Center before completing a Fellowship in Movement Disorders at UCONN’s John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, CT.

Currently practicing at Hartford Healthcare’s Chase Family Movement Disorders Center in Vernon, his areas of expertise – in addition to Essential Tremor – include Choreas, Dystonia, Gait Disorders, Huntington Disease, Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, Movement Disorders, Parkinsonisms, Parkinson’s Disease, Restless Leg Syndrome, Tardive Dyskinesias, Tics and Tourette Syndrome.

At this meeting, Dr. Lewis will update us on current clinical trials for essential tremor. He’ll also review some of the medications or devices that may be helpful to people with ET.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1st!

To register or request information, submit the form below:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Save the date!

Posted on by

We’ll be at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, 1:00-3:00 p.m., on Saturday April 4th. Our speaker will be Movement Disorder Neurologist Clifton Lewis, DO. Details will follow very shortly!

Learn how ET Impacts Your Vocal System!

Posted on by

Saturday, February 7, 2026
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

ESSENTIAL TREMOR & YOUR VOCAL SYSTEM
presented by Speech-Language Pathologist Matthew Sweet

Meeting Location:
 The Hospital of Central Connecticut
100 Grand Street, New Britain, CT 06050

This meeting’s presentation and discussion will focus on Essential Vocal Tremor. It will include a review of the vocal system, how ET impacts voice, along with how it is assessed and treated. 

Matthew Sweet is a speech-language pathologist with 10 years of experience working with individuals with neurological conditions to improve their voice, speech, and communication skills. He has worked across the continuum of care including acute rehabilitation, outpatient, and home health.

Matt got his start at the Hospital for Special Care, learning to treat a variety of neurological conditions. He eventually decided to work as a travelling SLP, during which time he provided speech therapy services in underserved areas across the U.S., working in Louisiana, Montana, Wisconsin, California, and Washington.

Currently, Matt is employed with the Hartford Hospital Rehab Network in an outpatient rehab clinic in Cheshire, where he serves a variety of populations including movement disorders as well as individuals recovering from stroke, TBI, and voice disorders. 

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 4th!

To register or request information,
submit the form below:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Schedule February 7th on Your Calendar!

Posted on by

Our next regularly scheduled meeting will be held in New Britain from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2026. We’ll be discussing voice tremor and treatment options ..so be sure to save the date on your calendar! Details will be posted as soon as they’re confirmed.

Please join us in Cheshire on December 6th!

Posted on by

Saturday, December 6, 2025
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Myths and Misconceptions about Essential Tremor
presented by Duarte Machado, MD
Director of Program Excellence and Recognition
Hartford HealthCare’s Chase Family Movement Disorders Center

~ and ~

The Cala kIQ™ System
presented by Matt Pilczak
Territory Manager, Cala Health

Meeting Location:
Hartford HealthCare Movement Disorders Center Conference Room
280 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410

Myths and Misconceptions about Essential Tremor:

At this meeting, Dr. Machado will present a medical journal article authored by Elan Louis, M.D., M.S. (who is considered the world’s leading scholar in essential tremor), followed by a Q&A discussion of the following 6 myths and misconceptions included in Dr. Louis’ article:

  • ET is not associated with a shorter life expectancy
  • The pathophysiology of ET remains unclear
  • There have also been studies that do not show any cerebellar degeneration
  • ET is a postural or a kinetic tremor
  • Action tremor in ET is usually bilateral and symmetric
  • ET “Plus”

Dr. Duarte Machado, whom we’re fortunate to have as volunteer Medical Director for our CT Essential Tremor Support Group, is a Neurologist who specializes in Movement Disorders. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Trinity College, Dr. Machado attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, followed by:

  • Internship: Yale-New Haven Hospital; Internal Medicine
  • Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital; Neurology
  • Fellowship: Yale University School of Medicine; Movement Disorders

He is a member of several Professional Organizations:

  • American Neurological Association
  • American Academy of Neurology
  • International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
  • National Physicians Alliance
  • New Haven County Medical Association

Dr. Machado’s areas of interest include Ataxia, Blepharospasm, Choreas, Cognitive Disorders, Deep Brain Stimulation, Dementia, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, Facial Spasms, Gait Disorders, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, Huntington Disease, Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, Movement Disorders, Myoclonus, Neurosciences, Parkinsonisms, Parkinson’s Disease, Restless Leg Syndrome, Spasmodic Torticollis, Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Stiff Person Syndrome, Tardive Dyskinesia, Tics and Tourette Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, and Tremors.

The Cala kIQ™ System:

Cala kIQ™ is an FDA-cleared, wearable device that delivers effective therapy for action hand tremor in people with essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.

kIQ is pronounced “kick”
It stands for Kinetic [movement] + IQ [smart]

..and the Cala kIQ™ System with TAPS (Transcutaneous Afferent Patterned Stimulation) Therapy is validated by large clinical studies and real world evidence demonstrating clinically meaningful tremor reduction and improvement in activities of daily living.

At this meeting, Matt Pilczak will present the science behind the device, how it’s used, and how to obtain it ..then answer whatever questions you might have about Cala kIQ™ and TAPS.

Matt Pilczak is an experienced healthcare professional with 15+ years expertise in clinical sales, technical training, and leadership roles. He is currently Territory Manager and TAPS Therapy Consultant for Cala Health.

Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3rd!

To register or request information, submit the form below:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by

IETF logo tagline 10162012

Schedule December 6th in your calendar!

Posted on by

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the state-wide Connecticut Essential Tremor Support Group will be held from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 6th, in Cheshire. Topics and speakers will be posted as soon as they’re confirmed ..but, in the interim, be sure to save the date on your calendar!