What does Dr. Farias' Neuroplastic Training consist of?

This neuroplastic movement therapy for Dystonia focused on the parts of the body that have incorrect or undesirable movement, but also on the individual’s holistic movement patterns. The movements are examined to identify the dysfunction that is present at the individual’s brain so that those patterns can be reprogrammed to enable desired movement.

To do this, Neuroplastic Movement Therapy uses a combination of techniques including incremental task conditioning to allow the old patterns to adapt to the new patterns. Strength training and repetitive task performance may also be used to enable the body to effectively teach the brain the desired movement patterns.

Movement Therapy for Dystonia is not painful and actually can be very enjoyable. Some patients use music, dance or other forms of stimulating techniques to ‘relax’ the brain into a state of pleasurable re-learning and neuroplasticity. Some individuals see immediate improvements while others may take weeks, even months before some or all movement is corrected.

Each patient and situation will be different and the therapies used with be unique to the patient’s own condition, preference and lifestyle.

Since 1996, Dr. Farias has been working on providing effective alternative and complementary care for patients affected by dystonia by pioneering new theories on neuroplasticity induced by movement therapy. His treatments leverage the connections between emotions and movement with special attention to the role that rhythm and timing play in coordination.

He considers dystonia to be a temporary lack or loss of accuracy and precision in brain activity. For this reason Dr. Farias’ neuroplastic Movement Therapy aims to retune the brain and restore proper function of cognitive processes, perception and motor functions.

fMRI images have shown that brain activity changes in response to training with Dr.Farias' method, as you can see in fMRIs

 

PRE-RETRAINING IMAGE

 AFTER RETRAINING IMAGE

 

Are Dr. Farias' method and the protocols included in the online training program considered a medical treatment?

No. Dr. Farias' method, exercises, music, choreographies, and relaxation protocols are not considered a medical treatment. However, neurologists and physical therapists worldwide recommend patients follow our protocols as a complement to their current medical treatment. The dystonia recovery online program can be used as a natural alternative or complementary therapy for clients seeking noninvasive ways of reducing their dystonic symptoms or improving their quality of life.

Why should I try Dr. Farias' method before trying other more aggressive therapeutic approaches?
Neuroplastic training is natural and, most importantly, successful. 

Dr. Farias’ method has made unprecedented complete recuperations possible as well as major improvements in patients affected by musicians dystonia, athletes dystonia, embouchure dystonia, writers' cramp, blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, abdominal dystonia, laryngeal dystonia, oromandibular dystonia, blepharospasm, facial dystonia, and leg-ankle dystonia.

Joaquin Farias has been a pioneer in dystonia natural rehabilitation based on reeducation and has created this form of neuroplastic training.

Since 1996 Dr. Farias has helped more than 3000 people to improve and recover from different dystonias. This experience allows him to help you more efficiently, getting the best results in the shortest amount of time.

How many patients have joined Dr. Farias' dystonia recovery program online platform, since the program started January 2019?

We are happy to report that the program has been a total success and 7766 patients have followed the program online since January 2019 (information updated September 2023). In 2023 our online community is made up of people from more than 70 different countries (ages ranging from 15 to 90 years old).

If someone is diagnosed with cervical dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, laterocollis, retrocollis, or anterocollis what program would be the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for all forms of Cervical dystonia. You can find the exercises for this condition in the Neck Dystonia exercises class.

If someone is diagnosed with hand dystonia, writer's cramp, or a musician's hand dystonia what program would be the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Fingers-Hand-Arm-Shoulder dystonia. You can find the exercises for this condition in the Hand Dystonia exercise class. No matter if your diagnosis is task-specific hand dystonia, Focal hand dystonia, Writer's cramp , secondary hand dystonia, or reverse writers' cramp dystonia the exercises on the program applies to you. Hand dystonia has many different diagnostic keywords but the core of the recovery process is exactly the same. Musicians' affected by hand dystonia or task-specific focal dystonia will find the exercise program very helpful. In the case of musicians, due to how specific playing different instruments is, the general exercises provided on the platform will need to be complemented by a group seminar to analyze how the perform the task or play and implement ways to exercise on the tool-instrument and re-educate inefficient movements produced by dystonia. At this point, the platform contains also the full protocol of exercises for guitar players, Clarinet and Saxophone players, and violin players affected by dystonia. We aim to include the exercises in all instruments gradually in the future. This program is not designed for tremors or essential tremors but can in some cases reduce its symptoms. Not all forms of tremors are reactive to exercise, some need to be treated with medication please consult your doctor.

If someone is diagnosed with golfers' yips what program would be the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Golfer's Yips. You can find the exercises for this condition in the Hand dystonia and the Golfers' Yips class.

If someone is diagnosed with leg dystonia, ankle dystonia, toe dystonia, or runners' dystonia, what program would be the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Toes-Ankle-Knee-Hip dystonia. You can find the exercises for this condition in the Leg Dystonia exercise class.

If someone is diagnosed with generalized dystonia, what program would be the best to follow?

The Dystonia Recovery Program includes access to all of its dystonia courses under one subscription. This will be useful for patients diagnosed with generalized dystonia.

If someone is diagnosed with blepharospasm, what program is the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Blepharospasm. You can find the exercises for this condition in the eyelid and eye exercise classes.

If someone is diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, what program is the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Spasmodic Dysphonia. You can find the exercises for this condition in the Voice exercise class.

If someone is diagnosed oromandibular dystonia or facial dystonia (Meige), what program is the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Oromandibular dystonia and Facial dystonia (Meige). You can find the exercises for these conditions in the Oromandibular and Facial exercises class.

Most patients affected by Oromandibular dystonia or Meige Syndrome have a cervical component, on the other hand, most patients affected by Cervical dystonia have an oromandibular component or facial spams.

In Dr. Farias' understanding, these conditions are connected. That is why he recommends patients affected by Oromandibular dystonia and Facial dystonia (Meige) to follow the dystonia program, the specific exercises for Oromandibular and Facial dystonia should be combined with cervical exercises, you have to recover the mobility in your entire spine and diaphragm first and then you have more possibilities to work successfully on your dystonia. In a nutshell, all Oromandibular and Facial dystonia patients should do neck exercises and all cervical dystonia patients should do oromandibular and facial exercises to optimize their training.

If someone is diagnosed a truncal dystonia, what program is the best to follow?

The Dystonia program includes the protocol for Cervical dystonia. The cervical dystonia includes exercises to gently mobilize the entire spine. If the truncal dystonia is severe you may need to do the exercises lying down, or make some adaptations. With the help of a physical therapist, most of the exercises can be adapted to truncal dystonia.

If I am affected by parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, cerebral palsy, stroke, or any other condition not on the list of programs on this page, which program should I follow?

Please note that this platform has been created to help patients affected by primary dystonia such as Cervical Dystonia, Leg Dystonia, Hand Dystonia/Writer’s Cramp, Blepharospasm, Oromandibular Dystonia, and Spasmodic Dysphonia to improve their quality of life through exercise, proper nutrition, and meditation. If you are affected by Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Essential Tremor, or any other condition, you are welcome to join and explore whether any of the classes offered can help you; but please be aware that your symptoms and condition are out of the scope of research that supports the interventions and knowledge shared on this platform. Please also be aware that we can only provide moderation and responses for questions related to primary dystonia.

This platform was created for the use of people with primary dystonia. We advise you to consult with your doctor before beginning this program and encourage you to continue to work with your physician while on the program.

Can this program help those who have had DBS for their dystonia?

Yes, This platform contains the general program, that is applicable to primary and secondary dystonia. Depending on the kind of secondary dystonia, accommodations may be required for some exercises. People who have had DBS, may have some restrictions performing specific movements, please consult your physician prior to start any new training routine.

Is Dr. Farias' dystonia online recovery program only available in English?

Yes, at this point all the courses and classes on the online platform are only available in English.

Which subscriptions are available at this point?

There is only one subscription that covers a wide range of conditions: the Dystonia subscription. It currently includes Cervical Dystonia, Hand dystonia, Leg dystonia, Blepharospasm, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Oromandibular Dystonia, Facial Dystonia, Musicians' Focal Dystonia (Guitar, Violin, Clarinet, Saxophone), and Golfers' Yips.

How do subscriptions work?

You pay $35 USD per month. Or if you make one yearly payment you get a 10% discount at $378 USD per year.

Payment Method: During the registration process, you will have been asked to provide billing information, including your credit card number and billing address. All amounts with respect to your subscription referenced in this Critical Information Summary will be charged to the credit card provided, in U.S. Dollars.

Dystonia Program Monthly: If you have subscribed to the monthly option, your package will automatically renew and you will be charged automatically every month unless you cancel prior to your renewal date.

Dystonia Program 12 Months: If you have subscribed to the 12-month option, your package will automatically renew for another 12 months and you will be charged automatically every 12 months unless you cancel prior to your renewal date.

Which kind of payments do you accept for the subscription?

You can pay through credit card, Visa Mastercard, AMEX. Payments are done through an independent company called Stripe. We do not have access to or store any of your credit card information.

Is this app compatible with my device?

This app is fully compatible with Desktop, ios, and Android. You can have access to the app through your mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

How can I sign up?

The process is very simple, Please click on Online training App, then click on “Sign up/login” then, Click on " log in with email". Enter your email address and a password, fill in your payment details, and start playing the videos!.


Where can I receive direct training from Dr. Farias?
You can sign up for our online training program here

You can attend an Online seminar by videoconference, please click here for more information.

Intensive group seminars have been held in Toronto (Canada) all year round. Throughout the year, special seminars have been also organized in Tokyo, London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Oporto, Utrecht, San Sebastian, Taipei, Barcelona, Rome, and Milan.

For updated information please Follow us on Facebook

You can sign up for our online training program here

What is the difference between the training with the App and the in-person training at group workshops or online seminars?

The online training with the App and the in-person group workshop/or online seminars are two different learning experiences. The content taught in the two formats is different and both are important and can help you enormously in your recovery process.

The in-person group workshops are a way to tailor your training, as you work directly with Dr. Farias on improving your dystonia. The online seminar provides the same experience as the in-person workshops without the need to travel to Canada. During the in-person group workshops or the online seminars, Dr. Farias designs the best specific exercises for you to follow, taking into consideration how affected you are, the kind of dystonia you are dealing with, your age, physicality, etc. The in-person training is intense (12 hours of training over 3 or 4 days), and may not be the best option for people who are ill or exhausted, have learning disabilities, have mobility issues or cannot travel to attend the venue. The Online seminars offer the same benefits as the In-person training providing the option to be helped to people who cannot travel due to professional, financial, or health reasons.

The online training platform it is a web app that contains all the general exercises, the nutrition program for dystonia, the dance program for dystonia, the meditation and relaxation tools, etc. The online training is a collaborative education and training project, where experts worldwide work to provide the best care possible for patients affected by dystonia.

The online platform provides access to a big community of patients who are following Dr. Farias' training, allowing you to interact and learn from people who are more advanced in the recovery journey.

With the online training platform you can learn and train at your own pace and follow long term training routines, while being kept up to date about new exercises and tools that Dr. Farias and his team of collaborators develop.

The online platform is ideal for former clients who attended the in-person or the online seminar training with Dr. Farias to maintain contact, motivate themselves to continue exercising, and learn many new variations of the core training protocols taught at the workshops.

Ideally, people would attend one in-person training or an online seminar and then follow the training online. However, it is also possible to start online, get familiar with the concepts and exercises and then attend the in-person or online seminar training to optimize your training routines.

For people who cannot travel to attend the in-person training, the online training makes it possible for them to be in contact with Dr. Farias' work. They can start using this wonderful body of knowledge and exercises to improve their quality of life and recover from the dystonias that affect them. The online program has been designed to be complete in itself, and for a percentage of patients it maybe sufficient. Results may depend on how well you are able to train alone, how affected you are, how easy it is for your nervous system to adapt and rewire and your social support network. This in combination with multiple other factors, can determine the results that you can achieve.

What does the group training consist of?
The group seminar is a 3-day course where the instructor guides you and reveals clues to unlock movements, relaxing tensions layer by layer that will induce a plastic change in your brain.

In your sessions with Dr. Farias, you will come to understand what is happening to you and how to make improvements from the first movement of training by applying simple movements and coordination exercises.  

The key in dystonia rehabilitation is planning. Dr. Farias will tailor your training to your specific needs, focusing on what you need to work on. 

You can find all the information about the Online seminars here.


What do people have to say about the training?
"I feel more connected to my body". Michael B.

"I feel more in control over my performance". Claude F.

"It is like awaking from a nightmare". Eva M.

"I feel like my psychological tension has been reduced dramatically"

"I improved much more than I expected in such a short period of time". Akiko W.

more testimonials ►


How much time do I need to recover using this approach

You can find the complete statistics for the clients who have completed the training in Dr.Farias' new book, Limitless. How your movements can change your brain and Intertwined. How to induce neuroplasticity, which is available at Books

Dr. Farias has three books about dystonia: Limitless. How your movements can heal your brain, Rebellion of the body and Intertwined. How to induce neuroplasticity, which one should I read first?
We recommend that you first read Limitless. How your movements can heal your brain that explains Dr. Farias theory on dystonia. Reading Intertwined, how to induce neuroplasticity,  you can gain knowledge about what neuroplasticity is, how it works, and what the strategies and tools are to promote rehabilitation using Dr. Farias' method. Rebellion of the body is a compilation of analogies that helped clients to understand concepts during rehabilitation. It also includes the crucial guidelines to be followed during self training.

These books are important depending on where you are in the proccess of understanding and overcoming F.D.

Rebellion of the body was written for your right brain, and is intended to produce insight and enlightenment through nurturing imagination and intuition. 

Limitless and Intertwined were written for your left brain, and it explain how the process of rehabilitation works using case studies, scientific information, fMRIs and statistics.