A-Z of Health: Alexander Technique

March 2, 2016 by Lisa

Our therapy of the week was discovered over 120 years ago in Australia by aspiring actor, F M Alexander.

After suffering with voice problems that were affecting his career and receiving no help from doctors, Alexander chose to treat this as a learning opportunity and stumbled on some truths that he later realised were helpful to others. He discovered that if we stop, reflect, notice and look at ourselves open-mindedly we may see that we are consciously or unconsciously doing things which contribute to our own problems. In his case, he discovered that in everything he did, be it speaking, moving or thinking he was unnecessarily exaggerating the tension in his body. Once he had worked this out, he began to find new ways to speak and move with greater ease.

Everyday things like rushing to work in the morning, tensing when the phone rings or worrying about work deadlines can lead to mental and physical strain. Over the years, this can accumulate and cause common aches and pains that may seem to come from nowhere. The Alexander Technique will help you become more aware of your bodies reactions to certain situations and teach you how to use your muscles and joints effectively, in turn improving your posture and helping you move more efficiently. It can also enhance rehabilitation after surgery, provide support during pregnancy and childbirth, and be a useful tool in coping with chronic medical conditions.

Fun Fact: Our Alexander Technique teacher, Pauline Wetherell, was privileged to train with Walter Carrington, one of the first generation teachers trained by F. M. Alexander himself!

We are offering free Alexander Technique taster sessions at our Open Day on Saturday, 18th March and the lovely Pauline will be available to chat throughout the day if you want to find out more or have any questions about Alexander Technique.