Alexander Technique in Southampton
As a PSYCHO-PHYSICAL MENTOR & EDUCATOR I work with the principles of the Alexander Technique to guide people to a better ‘use’ of themselves through movement.
Use your body more efficiently
Gain more control over your condition and manage pain
Reconnect with your body
Learn how to respond to stress and challenges
What is the Alexander Technique?
With a holistic basis, the Alexander Technique teaches the skilful “use of the self”: how we inhabit and care for our embodies selves; how we move, how we breathe, how we learn, how we organise our awareness and focus of attention and, above all, how we choose our reactions in increasingly demanding situations. It is a practical technique that involves you becoming more aware of your posture, movement and thinking in order to overcome unhelpful habits. This is applied to all your activities – from sitting at a desk, walking and bending to pick something up; to playing the violin, running a marathon or performing on stage.
The Technique teaches us how to ‘use’ ourselves to best advantage in all our daily activity. So often we build up unnecessary habits of muscular and mental tension over the years. We are usually unaware of these until they cause us pain and discomfort, but every day they are stopping us moving in an effortless and dynamic way and fulfilling our true potential. The Alexander Technique helps us recognise and prevent these unnecessary tensions.
By learning to stop interfering with our natural functioning, the Alexander Technique can help everyone to live a more balanced and fulfilling life. It is a highly practical method for self-improvement and self-help. Anyone can benefit and the Technique has been learned and used by people from all walks of life.
F M Alexander
1869-1955
The Technique was developed over 100 years ago by by an Australian actor, Frederick Matthias Alexander, who suffered from persistent voice and breathing problems on stage, as well as general ill health. Obtaining very little help from conventional medicine, an absolute determination to find the real root of his problems led him to discover certain fundamental truths about human activity, co-ordination and movement.
This approach has been influencing Humanistic Psychology until the present day, such as in working with trauma.
From years of observation and work on himself and others, Alexander evolved a process of re-education and a contact-based teaching method that encourages all the body’s processes to work more efficiently. His work has spread all over the world, and further evolved, refined and understood since. It is widely recognised and evidenced.
LEARN MORE – Alexander Angles – an article I wrote about Alexander and his work>>
How Can it Help?
As our ‘use’ improves, it follows then that the Alexander Technique can have a positive effect on a wide range of ailments, injuries and stresses, as well as improving performance and wellbeing more generally.
People therefore come to it for a wide variety of reasons, including:
- Back, neck, shoulder and other muscular skeletal problems
- Headaches and migraine
- General ‘wear and tear’
- RSI
- Breathing difficulties
- Neurological conditions (MS, Spina Bifida, Parkinson’s, Dystonia etc)
- Sports and performance strain
- Recovery from illness or injury
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Co-ordination and movement
- Confidence and public speaking
- Enhancing performance, particularly actors, dancers, musicians
- Improving vitality
- Managing the demands of Pregnancy
- General wellbeing
How do you learn?
Alexander Technique Lessons in Southampton
You learn the Alexander Technique through one-to-one lessons with me at my clinics in Southampton and Eling/South Totton.
Learning the Technique involves changing long-standing habits of movement, and relies on your active participation. It involves no specific exercises, requires no special equipment, and can be practised wherever you are. It is suitable for people of all ages and levels of physical mobility.
The Technique is taught by gentle, non-intrusive hands-on guidance and verbal instructions to help you find ease and balance within yourself, whilst performing simple movements and everyday activities such as sitting, standing, walking or bending. Part of the lesson may also include you lying down in the classic Alexander Technique semi-supine position, which allows maximum support and relief for the back.
Through experience and observation you gain increased awareness, enabling you to change long-standing habits and to function more efficiently. In time you will be able to use your new understanding and skill in more complex and demanding activities; you can bring the awareness and poise of the Technique to anything you do.
The number of lessons you take will depend on your particular needs and goals. Regular lessons, at least at the beginning, are important.
Appointments & Fees
The only way to really understand the Technique is to experience it for yourself.
Lessons are usually 50 minutes and cost £55
Concessions are available for those on low income, teenagers and students and your social and financial situation will play a role in the fee that we agree to enable you to engage with the treatment.