“You translate everything, whether physical or mental or spiritual, into muscular tension.”  – F.M. Alexander

What is the Alexander Technique?

The Alexander Technique is a process of mental and physical re-education. With the help of a certified teacher, students become aware of unnecessary and unconscious habitual tension patterns in their bodies in everyday life. Sitting, standing, walking, driving, cooking, computer work and sports activities are just a few examples of where habit patterns can get in the way of moving in a mechanically advantageous way.  Back and joint pain, headaches, anxiety, frustration and fear can be results of these patterns. Relearning how to think and move using the Alexander Technique can help relieve some of these problems.

Performers can benefit from the technique as well since it helps with performance anxiety and audition nerves. Actors find that their voices become freer and projection and articulation become effortless.  Creating characters physically also becomes easier and broadens choices since the Alexander Technique teaches you to move the way your body is skeletally and muscularly designed.

People with back pain find the technique helpful in managing their pain even when other alternative modalities have failed. Repetitive strain injury, carpal tunnel, healing from surgery and sports injuries have all been helped using the Alexander Technique.

The Alexander Technique is also different in that it empowers the student to make changes on their own. The teacher is there as a guide to facilitate a change in thinking and movement but the student can begin to change the way they approach everyday activities by employing the principles of  the Technique that they will learn in their sessions.