Harmony Natural Health

Alexander Technique is a system that can help us become aware of unhelpful postural and behavioural habits that can have a detrimental effect on our well being and our ability to perform at our best.

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The Alexander Technique can help:

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• Back, neck and joint pain

• Tension and stiffness

• Breathing and vocal problems

• Anxiety and stress-related conditions

• Poor posture

 

The Alexander Technique can also help us:

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• Improve balance, stability, co-ordination and ease of movement

• Improve performance in activities such as music, drama and sport

• Make working at a computer more comfortable

• Enhance business and presentation skills

• Support pregnancy and childbirth

 

What happens in a lesson?

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• The teacher will often ask your reasons for wishing to learn the Technique and explain how the Technique can help you. They will outline some of the principles of the Technique and will describe what happens in a lesson.

• The teacher will then guide you in some simple activities such as standing, sitting, walking and bending. The teacher will use their hands in combination with verbal directions to guide your activity to bring increased awareness of how you can perform the activity with greater ease and less stress on the body.

• Part of the lesson may involve the teacher working with you lying on a on a therapy table with your head supported and knees raised. This process allows the teacher to gently guide the release of tension and realignment / reintegration of head, neck and back in a comfortable position that allows optimal support.

 

What should I wear for an Alexander Technique lesson?

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• Comfortable clothing that allows easy movement – trousers or leggings are fine.

• The teacher may ask you to remove your shoes

 

How many lessons do I need?

 

• There is not a standard answer, rather like learning a language or to play a musical instrument, it depends on a number of factors such as how proficient you want to be. What do you want achieve from the technique? e.g. it may take 10 lessons or so to learn the basics to prevent pain while working at the computer but quite a few more to be able to apply the technique to more challenging situations such as playing a musical instrument before a large audience or some other intricate skill.

• How much awareness and practice you are willing to bring to the process will also impact upon how many lessons you may need.

• As a rough guide most people require 10 – 12 lessons to have a reasonable idea of the basics of Alexander Technique.

 

Jim Currie has been teaching the Technique for 18 years and is a professional member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (MSTAT)

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