Yes. The Focal Dystonia Method and Free to Perform Certification — created by Ruth Chiles — is the only professional training of its kind: an 18-month certification for therapists and coaches wanting to work with focal dystonia and performance blocks at the level of the nervous system.
If you have arrived at this page because you are a therapist or coach curious about specialising in this area, here is what you need to know.
What is focal dystonia, and why do therapists need specialised training?
Focal dystonia is a neurological condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions interfering with specific, highly practised movements. It is task-specific — meaning it tends to appear only in the context of a particular skill — and it affects musicians, athletes, surgeons, and people from all walks of life. It is not rare: population studies place primary focal dystonia at roughly 30 cases per 100,000, with markedly higher rates among professional musicians (Nutt et al., 1988).
Its forms include embouchure dystonia in wind and brass players, musician’s hand dystonia (sometimes called musician’s cramp), writer’s cramp, the yips in athletes, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, spasmodic dysphonia, and many others. In all of these, the nervous system is at the centre of both the presentation and the path to recovery.
For therapists, focal dystonia presents a particular challenge. It is not a purely psychological condition, and it should not be treated as one. But the psychological dimension — the anxiety, perfectionism, shame, grief, and the relational and identity consequences of losing a core skill — is profound and well documented (Ioannou & Altenmüller, 2014). And the path to recovery requires working with the nervous system in a way that most training programmes simply do not cover.
Many experienced therapists find that when they begin working with performers or athletes with focal dystonia, they encounter the limits of their existing training quite quickly. The approaches that work well for most clinical presentations — cognitive work, insight-based therapy, anxiety management — can offer some support but rarely touch the level at which the condition is actually organised. This is the gap the certification is designed to fill.
What does the Focal Dystonia Method and Free to Perform Certification involve?
The certification is an 18-month personal and clinical journey, structured in two levels.
Level 1 — The Focal Dystonia Method — provides the foundation: a deep understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms behind focal dystonia, the somatic approach to working with it, and the practical tools to support clients with all forms of the condition. Participants work through the Focal Dystonia Method Online Programme — the same 52-module programme available to clients — from the inside, as a personal process rather than a clinical study. This is a deliberate design choice: you cannot effectively guide someone through a process you have not experienced yourself.
Level 2 — Clinical Application — extends this profound inner knowledge to how to work with your clients with focal dystonia and with the broad spectrum of performance blocks: stage fright, the yips, performance anxiety, the full range of conditions that prevent performers and athletes from accessing flow reliably. This level draws on the Free to Perform and Focal Dystonia Method frameworks developed by Ruth Chiles, which integrates neuroscience, somatic practice, attachment theory, interoceptive training, and the specific conditions that make flow possible (Porges, 1995).
Throughout both levels, participants have direct access to Ruth Chiles, group supervision, and an ongoing community of practice with the other certified practitioners.
Who is this certification for?
The certification is open to psychotherapists, counsellors, somatic practitioners, and coaches who are already working (or who want to work) with performers, athletes, and people with focal dystonia. There is no specific prior background in performance psychology required, but applicants should have a solid foundation in therapeutic practice and a genuine curiosity about nervous system-based approaches.
The programme is deliberately small — a maximum of 12 practitioners per year. This is not a commercial constraint. It reflects the nature of the training: personalised, closely supervised, and taken seriously as a developmental process rather than a content delivery exercise.
What do practitioners gain on certification?
On completing the certification, practitioners are listed on Ruth Chiles’ website as certified in the Focal Dystonia Method and the Free to Perform framework and can attend the focal dystonia programme’s monthly live sessions as a recognised certified practitioner.
They are equipped to work confidently with clients who have focal dystonia in any form, with performers and athletes navigating the full spectrum of performance blocks, and with the complex interplay of neurology, trauma, and performance that makes this population so distinctive. They also join an ongoing community of practice — a small, serious group of practitioners working at the same level, with continued access to Ruth for clinical consultation.
When does the next cohort begin, and how much does it cost?
The next cohort begins in January 2027. Places are limited to 12 practitioners.
Level 1: 4,900€ (pay in full) or 390€ per month (plus 1000€ deposit to secure your place).
Level 2: 2,450€ (pay in full) or 390€ per month (plus 1000€ deposit to secure your place).
Full details, including the application process, are at ruthslchiles.com/certification.
The Focal Dystonia Method and Free to Perform Certification is the only professional training of its kind for therapists wanting to work at this level. Next cohort January 2027. Find full details at ruthslchiles.com/certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a certification in focal dystonia therapy?
Yes. The Focal Dystonia Method and Free to Perform Certification, created by Ruth Chiles, is the only professional training programme specifically designed for therapists and coaches wanting to work with focal dystonia and performance blocks using a somatic, nervous system-based approach.
How long does the focal dystonia therapy certification take?
The certification takes 18 months and is structured in two levels: Level 1 covers the Focal Dystonia Method as a personal process, and Level 2 covers clinical application of both the Focal Dystonia Method and the Free to Perform framework for the broader spectrum of performance blocks. Through both levels, participants experience personal process, clinical preparation, live group sessions, and supervision.
How much does the focal dystonia therapy certification cost?
Level 1 is 4,900€ pay in full or 390€ per month (plus 1000€ deposit to secure your place). Level 2 is 2,450€ pay in full or 390€ per month (plus 1000€ deposit to secure your place). Full details are available at ruthslchiles.com/certification.
Who can apply for the certification?
The certification is open to psychotherapists, counsellors, somatic practitioners, and coaches with a solid foundation in therapeutic practice who want to specialise in working with performers, athletes, and people with focal dystonia. It is not necessary to have a prior background in performance psychology.
How many places are available on the certification?
A maximum of 12 practitioners are accepted per year. The next cohort begins January 2027.
What is the difference between this certification and general somatic therapy training?
It is specifically designed for work with focal dystonia and performance blocks. It goes deeper into the neurobiological mechanisms behind these conditions, and trains practitioners in the specific somatic approach that Ruth Chiles has developed over nearly 30 years of clinical work. No other training programme covers this combination of focal dystonia, performance blocks, and nervous system-based somatic practice.
References
Ioannou, C. I., & Altenmüller, E. (2014). Psychological characteristics in musician’s dystonia: A new diagnostic classification. Neuropsychologia, 61, 80–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.06.010
Nutt, J. G., Muenter, M. D., Aronson, A., Kurland, L. T., & Melton, L. J. (1988). Epidemiology of focal and generalized dystonia in Rochester, Minnesota. Movement Disorders, 3(3), 188–194. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.870030302
Porges, S. W. (1995). Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. A polyvagal theory. Psychophysiology, 32(4), 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.1995.tb01213.x