My Story
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From Cognitive Scientist to Alexander Technique Teacher in Manchester
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How Alexander Technique improved my life
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And how it can improve yours too!
I was at the peak of my corporate career, but faced a life-changing decision. I could continue with a big, fat regular salary and a career in IT. Or I could take the plunge and train to be an Alexander Technique teacher…
Originally a Harley Street Doctor suggested I try the Alexander Technique (thank-you Dr Pearson, I’m very grateful that you did).
Alexander Technique was right at the bottom of a list of therapies that Dr Pearson had provided. Probably because it isn’t a therapy – it’s a self-help technique. I wish it had been at the top.
I’d tried acupuncture, physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, massage and just plain old time-off-work. And none of them were helping me.
The process is subtle, but the results are amazing – The Daily Express
The problem? Pain.
I desperately wanted to relieve my repetitive strain injury, which I’d ended up with as a result of my determined hard work (just… got… to… finish… this… last… bit… of… work… arg… slump). Because I’d worked over a laptop for ten hours a day – for five years – everything hurt. Back pain, RSI’s and postural pain aren’t generally visible to other people, so very often you’ll be suffering with the pain but getting very little sympathy.
Alexander’s work is of first class importance and investigation by the medical profession is imperative – The British Medical Journal
Nowadays it’s almost normal for people to work through pain, which is one reason why I have so many clients! I’m convinced the increase in the use of computers, laptops and mobile phones will only mean more work for me as the years progress.
It’s hard to watch kids and adults slouching and slumping around without feeling sorry for them. Let me assure you, I know what it’s like to have had chronic pain for years! But now I’m free from all that. The secret? I learned how to practise the Alexander Technique. And the pain has stayed away. Yay!
Here a local Stockport paper runs an article on my clinic in Heaton Moor. The response was massive and I soon had to shift to teaching Alexander Technique full time in clinics in Stockport and Wilmslow.
The Solution: Alexander Technique.
I started to learn about the Alexander Technique with a Doctor in Leicester called Dr. Miriam Wohl. Over a period of weeks she taught me how to apply the Alexander Technique.
It took me a while to learn, but soon I was feeling much less pain, and a lot less stressed. The pain that had followed me for years began to drift away, until, at last, I was pain-free. I became so passionate about how effective the Alexander Technique had been, how helpful and life-enhancing, that I decided to train to be an Alexander Technique Teacher.
It was a full-time training for three years, in Kendal in the beautiful Lake District, and over time I learned to teach this fabulous method to others. People like you. It’s amazing how you can apply the technique to so many things, from working with a computer to being a top golfer. It’s all about working and playing with less tension and more self-awareness, so you get fantastic, light easy-feeling movement, which means you’re left with stacks more energy at the end of the day. Think of it as mindful movement rather than autopilot drudgery.
I find the Alexander Technique very helpful in my work. Things happen without you trying. They get to be light and relaxed. You must get an Alexander teacher to show it to you – John Cleese, comedian and actor
So now I enjoy training people of all ages and all kinds of backgrounds, both privately and in groups. As I mentioned, it never ceases to amaze me how widely applicable the technique is to so many activities and ways of life. Now I work with golfers, teachers, company directors. musicians, people wanting to age well, kids with bad posture, you name it!
I might look serious here, but most of the time my group classes and one-to-one lessons are fun, honest!
Many people come to me to reduce back and neck pain. Teachers with training like mine (MSTAT) are able to show you how to reduce days with low back pain by up to 86%. This was confirmed by a study funded by the NHS. Others come to me to improve posture and look better.
I'm approved to work with children and vulnerable adults under the government's CRB check scheme, and enjoy working with everyone from kids to pensioners.
I'm a Member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique
- Only Alexander Technique Teachers like me who have had three years full-time training, and are fully insured and registered with the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, are approved to teach Alexander Technique by the Government’s Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.
And it’s not just pain and posture that I can help you with. More and more people are taking an interest in mindfulness and consciousness – which are massively enhanced by learning Alexander Technique, which means less anxiety and stress.
How it Works:
It works by increasing your self-awareness, so you know how you’re sitting, or walking, playing golf around Cheshire, or simply using a computer at work. Being self-aware like this feels really good, and it stops you mindlessly slumping in front of the computer or tv – so you’re sat well, poised, pain-free and ready for action. My clients talk of feeling ‘poised, light and graceful’ which is the opposite of ‘tired, slumped and in pain’ anyway you look at it! You learn to put much less effort into everyday tasks, rather than stomping around like a bull in a china shop (with a bad back, and bad posture, and stressed – a bad combination!).
Learning to move freely, poised and in balance takes no physical effort at all. It’s all in the thinking. And because thinking takes no effort, you’ll soon be moving smoothly and working to relieve your pain and anxiety.
What to Do:
Booking a session is the only way to really find out for yourself just how much you can gain from learning this skill for life.
My clients quickly have less pain from bad posture, and generally notice an increase in confidence, and the relief of a pain-free good night’s sleep. If you’d like to join them, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge.
