Who Uses the Alexander Technique ?

The Alexander Technique is featured in many university theater departments, music schools, athletic programs, Senior Fitness and Wellness Centers.

Coming to quiet in body and mind is helpful for anyone up against changes - from job changes, career changes, retirement, changes in the family, managing an injury or illness, gender transition. In times of stress it is easy to revert to unconscious habits of physical and emotional coping that can block easy movement to what is coming next and even cause further injury.

Older people benefit from improvements in balance, muscle and joint pain and learn an easy way to get up off the floor after a fall. I have drawn on the Alexander Technique principles for many years in my now retired practice of Psychotherapy.

More than improving stature, balance and grace, the Technique teaches students to widen their focus on what is happening. They become practiced at whatever it is they are doing at the same time as they come into control of how they are doing it. The result is often improved flow of performance, ease and relief from anxiety.

Alexander Techniqe continues to be a “go to” for anyone exploring personal growth awareness and enlightenment that was in the air in the 1960’s-70’s.

Actors Juliette Binoche, William Hurt, John Cleese, Kevin Kline, Julian Bream, Paul Newman, Sir Ian McKellan have used Alexander Technique to more fully inhabit their roles. Aldous Huxley, Nicholas Tinbergen, John Dewey as well as many other thinkers, actors directors writers and celebrities have studied the Alexander Technique.

The following study concluded that one to one lessons with a registered teacher have long term benefits for patients with chronic back pain.

Randomized Control Trial of Alexander Technique Lessons, exercise ,massage for chronic recurrent back pain.

BMJ 2008; 337 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a884 (Published 19 August 2008)Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a884