The eighth article in the series brings Akiko Trush's deeper insight into how emotions affect perception and motor skills in focal dystonia. He explains that the body reacts not only to physical stimuli, but also to the emotional environment. It shows that healing is not only about movement, but also about the way the brain perceives the world, the audience and itself.

Emotions change the body

Akiko Trush describes the moment she realized that while playing the same concert program, her body reacted differently each time - sometimes calmly, sometimes tensely. The audience, the hall and the instrument were the same, but her perception changed according to her mood and inner state. This made her understand that movement is not isolated from emotions - it is part of them. Every tone, every movement of the hand is connected with what a person feels at that moment.

How the brain connects emotion and movement

Focal dystonia is not only a problem of the muscles, but also of the way the brain interprets the world. When the body experiences fear, tension or pressure to perform, the brain activates defense mode. What should have been a gentle movement suddenly becomes a fight or flight response. Therefore, dystonia often worsens in the presence of an audience or when recording a video - the body feels threatened, even though the mind knows that there is no danger.

Same situation, different brain

Akiko describes learning to observe how her perceptions change. As she played with a sense of joy and curiosity, the hand moved smoothly. As she played with the fear of making a mistake, tension emerged. The brain not only stores the movement, but also the emotional context in which the movement took place. Every situation is therefore "written down" with the feelings that accompanied it. Healing means not only to restore the movement, but also to change its emotional record.

Exercise: changing the internal environment

Akiko recommends a simple exercise she calls "changing the internal environment":

1. Choose a simple movement - like slowly pressing a key or pinching your fingers together.
2. Perform it with a feeling of tension or apprehension and observe what happens - how the body, breath, hands react.
3. Then take a breath, relax your shoulders and perform the same movement with a sense of calmness, as if you were just trying to touch.
4. Compare the difference. Through this conscious contrast, the brain recognizes that the same movement can have different emotional qualities.

This exercise teaches the brain that the body can respond to the same situation with calmness - even if the stress reflex was triggered before.

Audience perception

Akiko says that the audience is often seen as a source of pressure, but in reality it is just a mirror of our inner world. If one perceives oneself through criticism or fear, the audience becomes a threat. But if they approach playing with openness and curiosity, the same situation turns into a space of sharing. Recovery from focal dystonia therefore also includes the restoration of the relationship with the audience - not only movement, but also the perception of what it means to "be seen".

How emotions change motor skills

Research and Akiko's experience confirm that the emotional state directly affects fine motor skills. Fear activates the deep muscles of tension and prevents free movement, while a sense of security turns on the coordination centers. Therefore, during training, Akiko does not evaluate the correctness of movement, but the quality of perception. The goal is to achieve a movement that feels natural - not "perfect".

How to put calmness into practice

• Start with small movements - less is more.
• Before each exercise, ask yourself: "How do I feel right now?"
• If you feel tension, don't push any further - instead notice where the tension appears and how it disappears when you breathe in.
• Gradually transfer this approach to everyday activities – when writing, speaking, walking.

Emotions are not the enemy

Akiko reminds us that emotions are not an obstacle to healing, but the key to it. Every sensation is a signal from the body - information about what it needs. When we learn to perceive emotions without fear, the brain stops reacting defensively and the body returns to natural movement. The same audience can thus evoke a completely different experience - it depends on what inner world we bring to it.

Key insights

• Emotions directly affect the movement and perception of the body.
• The audience is not the problem, the problem is the way we look at ourselves.
• A change in emotional attitude also changes the bodily reaction.
• Without calmness and trust, natural movement cannot arise.

Notes

Akiko's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@themindfulpianist8606
Article co-created by Chat GPT based on a transcript of Akiko Trush's eighth video on focal dystonia.