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.
Tag Archives: CT Essential tremor Support Group
Please join us in Cheshire on December 6th!
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:
Your message has been sent
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Schedule December 6th in your calendar!
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!
Learn about the world’s first AI-empowered wearable that helps alleviate ET Tremors!
Saturday, October 4, 2024
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
The Felix™ NeuroAI™ Wristband
presented by Dr. Zhen Zhang,
President or Fasikl Inc.,
along with Movement Disorders Specialist
Dr. Richard B. Dewey, Jr.
You won’t want to miss this meeting! Dr. Zhang is traveling from Minnesota and Dr. Dewey is traveling from Florida to introduce us to Felix™, the world’s first AI therapeutic for essential tremor that has been cleared by the U.S. FDA!
Felix™ modulates the nervous system to help alleviate tremor-related functional limitations in individuals with ET. Worn on the wrist, it connects to the cloud, where Fasikl’s proprietary AI technology continuously adjusts stimulation parameters to deliver personalized, dynamic therapy that calms tremors and restores motor control.
Unlike other treatments, data from the pivotal clinical trial show that Felix™ provides all-day relief for both hands and is effective for patients with mild, moderate, or severe tremors. It can be used independently or alongside medication, offering a flexible and comprehensive solution for tremor management.
Dr. Zhen Zhang is the President of Fasikl Inc., which is focused on creating innovative medical technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to help patients with neurological disorders and pain. Dr. Zhang has 18 years of extensive experience in the medical device industry. Prior to joining Fasikl, Dr. hang spent nearly 15 years at Abbott, overseeing clinical programs for all products in Abbott’s cardiovascular division. His outstanding contributions to clinical and regulatory affairs earned him induction into Abbott’s prestigious Volwiler Society.
Dr. Zhang played a pivotal role in multiple Class II and Class III medical device approvals. Dr. Zhang has broad experience working with the US FDA and other global regulatory agencies. He is well published in scientific journals, including top medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and Circulation. Dr. Zhang holds a doctorate degree in Biostatistics from the University of California, Davis in Davis California, and a bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Richard B. Dewey, Jr., MD recently retired from his position of Professor in the Department of Neurology and Director of the Clinical Center for Movement Disorders at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas where he spent nearly 30 years on the faculty. He is now on staff at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center in Boca Raton, Florida where he sees mainly new patients who are interested in receiving state of the art care for their movement disorder in a setting where they can participate in cutting-edge clinical trials.
Dr. Dewey earned his medical degree with high honors from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas where he was named a President’s Scholar and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society in his junior year. He completed his medical internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, and his neurology residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Dewey then completed a movement disorders fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Dewey is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and an elected Fellow of the American Neurological Association.
He has received several notable honors throughout his medical career, including
America’s Top Physicians, Best Doctors in America, Texas Super Doctors, Guide to
America’s Top Physicians, D Magazine Best Doctors in Dallas, HealthGrades Five-
Star Doctor, and US News and World Report Top Doctors.
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1st!
To register or request information, submit the form below:
Your message has been sent
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Save this date!
You won’t want to miss our next meeting, which is scheduled for 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 4th! We’ll be introducing you to the Felix™ NeuroAI™ Wristband: the world’s first AI-empowered wearable that modulates the nervous system to help alleviate tremor-related functional limitations in individuals with ET.
Stay tuned for more details ..our meeting location will be announced soon!
We’ll Discuss the Prognosis and Progression of ET on August 2nd!
Saturday, August 2, 2025
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
THE PROGNOSIS AND PROGRESSION OF ET
presented by Bernardo Rodrigues, M.D., Ph.D.
— and —
AN INVITATION TO MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION
presented by Sharon Gutterman, Ph.D.
Meeting Location:
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Memorial Conference Room
540 Litchfield Street, Torrington, CT 06790
The Prognosis and Progression of Essential Tremor:
Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues is an Associate Professor of Neurology at UCONN Health and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. He completed his Neurology training at UCONN followed by a Movement Disorders Fellowship at the University of Michigan.
He founded the Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders Center at UCONN Health in 2015, and he is currently the Director of the Parkinson’s disease clinic.
Dr. Rodrigues is the Associate Program Director of the UCONN Health – Hartford Healthcare Movement Disorder Fellowship. He has been involved in the training of future neurologists as a core faculty of the Neurology Residency Program, and of new Movement Disorders specialists through the Fellowship program.
He continues to work with patients living with Essential Tremor from diagnosis to management (non-pharmacologic, medications and surgical options).
Mindfulness:
When life experiences seem to turn our world upside down, there are ways to regain a healthy perspective. Please join us to learn and practice a few of the secret ingredients for cultivating resiliency.
Sharon Gutterman, Ph.D. is an experienced and inspiring guide in ways to live mindfully with less stress and increased well-being. Her integration of life experience and dedication to lifelong learning provide a blend of wisdom, sensitivity, humor, and passion.
Dr. Gutterman’s diverse experiences include consulting and teaching in universities, hospitals, schools, corporations, non-profit agencies, correctional institutions, retreat centers, senior residential communities, Connecticut Police Academy, and on cruise ships. She is a member of the Mission Committee CT-APDA and is a frequent presenter for educational events.
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than
5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30th!
To register or request information, email Helen Moser
or submit the form below:
Your message has been sent
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Schedule August 2nd on your calendar!
Our next regularly scheduled CT Essential Tremor Support Group meeting is set for 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2nd. Details will be announced shortly.
Learn About Steadiwear at our June 7th Meeting!
Saturday, June 7, 2025
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Hartford HealthCare Facility
280 South Main Street
Cheshire, CT 06410
Steadiwear
presented by Emile Maamary
Steadiwear has developed a lightweight, battery-free glove designed to reduce hand tremors and help people regain control of everyday tasks like eating, drinking, and writing. This device offers a simple, noninvasive solution that improves the quality of life and confidence of 84% of people living with essential tremor.
Emile Maamary is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Steadiwear, a company dedicated to restoring independence to those living with Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. Inspired by the struggles of his family members with tremors, Emile made it his mission to create accessible, non-invasive solutions. With over 10 years of experience with Steadiwear, Emile holds an Executive MBA from Cornell nd Queen’s University.
Inquiries are invited!
Registration is required no later than 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 4th!
To register or request information,
email Helen Moser or submit the form below:
Your message has been sent
The CT essential tremor support group is sponsored by
Save the date!
We’re back to our regularly scheduled meetings 1:00-3:00 p.m. the first Saturday of every other month (February, April, June, August, October, and December)! ..so be sure to save June 7th for our next meeting! Details on topics and speakers will follow as soon as they’re confirmed.
We’re back!!
Personal medical issues caused me to cancel both our December 2024 and our February 2025 CT Essential Tremor Support Group meetings ..but I’m delighted to announce that we’ll resume our meetings in April.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To accommodate our members who celebrate Passover and/or Holy Saturday, we’re making this one-time change to our regular schedule and will meet from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th.
(As of June 7th, we’ll return to our standard first Saturday of every other month: February, April, June, August, October, and December.)
Speakers, topics, and location for our April 26th meeting will be announced as soon as they’re confirmed. In the interim, please be sure to save the date on your calendar!
With sincere thanks to everyone who personally reached out to me during this hiatus and the warmest regards,
Helen Moser
CT Essential Tremor Support Group Leader
