What to Expect in a Lesson?
The most important point to be made about the Alexander technique sessions is that they are lessons. This is not a therapy done to you; it's something you learn to do for yourself.
Each lesson is tailored to you and will be influenced by your needs and wishes. To begin, we discuss your goals for your lessons and any history of injuries. We explore the way you use your body in everyday tasks such as standing, walking, getting up out of a chair, working at a desk and even more subtle movements like eye use, talking and breathing. Through these simple actions we can learn how your habits uniquely interfere with your expansive upright potential.
During lessons our focus is on the activities of your choice, whatever they may be, such as musicianship, running, dancing, typing, writing, golfing, etc. You play an active role in lessons, as we work together to understand your habits and how you respond to the stimuli of life. With time, you find that you become curious and more observant of how you carry out different activities in your life and you learn a method for making the changes you desire.
Part of the lesson also involves lying down in semi-supine on an Alexander table in order to help the back to lengthen and widen. While a seemingly passive activity, you may be surprised to detect chronically held muscles. As you begin to undo these unnecessary muscular constrictions, you find greater ease and wellbeing.
The release of the muscles at the base of the skull are particularly important. When these come into balance, the spine decompresses, redistributing muscle tone in the trunk and alleviating pressure through the major joints. Having the head/spine working in a coordinated way can even affect the functioning of the internal organs, improving digestion, breathing and circulation.
My role is to observe and to use verbal suggestions along with my hands, gently placing them on your body in order to get more refined information about your patterns of moving and breathing. At the same time, my hands also gently convey information to you, encouraging you to release restrictive muscular tension and calm the excitation system. And because we approach the mind-body as an integrated whole, we explore the thinking underlying habits and its role in bringing about change.
In Alexander lessons, you begin to awaken to the language of your body as you become more present with your whole self. To your surprise, you may find that pains mysteriously fall away as you let go of formerly unconscious movement patterns. More difficult to discuss or explain is the transformational impact that the Alexander Technique can have on your life. This needs to be experienced to be appreciated and is why most teachers find it easier to speak in terms of pain relief and use of the body. This profound process helps one to rediscover the innate psycho-physical intelligence that we experienced as children and can find within again.
The first lesson takes about an hour, and subsequent lessons are around fifty minutes. It's highly recommended to take two lessons a week at first. Additional discounts are available for full-time students. Childrens' lessons are thirty minutes long. Group classes can be arranged and greatly reduce the cost. Lessons take place Monday through Saturday.
Students are advised to wear comfortable everyday clothing that allows easy movement.
If you need to cancel an appointment, please give 24 hours notice.
Alexander Technique for Corporations and Businesses
An increasing number of companies are searching for ways to help their staff cope with stress and repetitive tasks that result in back, neck and repetitive stress injury (RSI). Many are expending great amounts of money on ergonomic chairs and work station assessments.
The Alexander Technique offers an alternative to the conundrum of finding the most state of the art furniture by improving the way in which staff manage themselves in the work environment so that they avoid injuries.
Companies such as Google, the BBC, Siemens, Chevron-Texaco, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Centre, Deloittes, ICI and Victorinox are all working with Alexander teachers and are gaining great benefits in terms of staff wellness.
I offer group classes for staff, during which participants learn the basic principles of how to use themselves in their day to day office activities. In follow up one on one sessions, individuals will learn where they are personally compromising the efficient use of their bodies, and how to reduce unnecessary tension so that they can find greater freedom of movement, improved breathing, more energy and efficiency and greater calmness.
The technique is also an invaluable tool to help prepare for important presentations, interviews and talks.
Please get in touch via the Contacts page.
Workshops
I offer introductory talks, workshops and classes for a variety of different groups. Workshops are generally one and a half hours to three hours long. Please get in touch and we can design a workshop to suit your group.