The Alexander Technique is exceptionally effective at reducing pain in general. The British Medical Journal conducted a study comparing massage to the Alexander Technique for relief from back pain. A year after having 12 Alexander lessons participants were largely pain free. Whereas those who had massage only were still in pain.

Pain is usually caused by unconscious habits of tightening, compressing, holding or collapsing the body. An Alexander Teacher can identify these habits and gently improve how a person uses his body in a way that is pleasurable and practical and the results are long lasting.

The following is a short list of issues that bring people to study the Alexander Technique:

• Poor posture
• Repetitive Stress injuries
• Back, shoulder and neck pain
• Painful joints

About six months ago, my back became painfully unreal for me, pain in transitions, so much pain. I examined my actions trying to resettle my body and wasn’t able to find what was causing the hurt. Dr John, my healer friend, just kept adjusting me and then almost immediately the pain was back just as strong. I did healing work to release those feelings and had some success, but still something was wrong in my body. I remember my old pal Deborah who had done something to aid her badly hurt back, which had stopped her dancing career. What did she do? I wanted to ask her and decided to take a session from her. I wasn’t sure what kind of therapy she was doing, but trusting her was enough, and so I went. It turned out to be the ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE.  This session changed my life. Really. Deborah directed me to stand up from a chair and to sit down in a chair. Pretty simple work. I had such huge revelations from her skilled and guiding hands and dear conversations, which are the skills of a good therapist. We did work for an hour, wide awake work, deeply healing work. I’ve done ten sessions so far and look forward to doing more. I see my pain, and where it comes from… now I have the ability to relax in a stationary pose, to relax while climbing stairs to relax in life, to relax. We find our stresses in so many ways, and if we can find them, we can heal them. Let’s carry on with so much more energies in this wild world!!

-Patty Ann F. | Lighting Designer