Teaching the Alexander
Technique
"Balance for life"
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A fast growing profession
The Alexander Technique is based on re-educating the mind and body to
use the appropriate amount of directed muscular effort in all movements.
It’s very easy to go about your day in blissful ignorance of the
effort you are making simply to breathe. It is so much a part of you
it seems normal and you can’t feel it. An Alexander teacher's hands
are highly skilled and work directly on your body to give you a different
experience of your balance and co-ordination. It's experiential learning
that no amount of words will make clear-you really have to experience
it for yourself!
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Who comes for lessons?
We teach many different kinds of people. Our lessons are one-to-one and last
about 40 mins. In a typical practice a teacher might give lessons to someone
with chronic back pain, a teenage girl with scoliosis, an elderly man with
osteoporosis, an opera singer wanting to improve posture and breathing, an
asthmatic seeking improvement in breathing, a violinist wanting to play with
more freedom, a public speaker suffering from ‘performance anxiety';
an actor running into voice difficulties, a young man with flat feet from
bad postural habits, or someone seeking an increase in well being.
Alexander teachers work from their own home, or as part of a Holistic therapy
practice, they work in Drama and Singing schools and in stress management.
Some teachers work with performance and sport, horse riding or pregnant women.
Teachers are mostly self-employed and build their own practice. There are
teachers all over the world so opportunities exist for those who are prepared
to travel and establish themselves in new locations.
Back pain study
A £1m four-year research study funded by the medical research council
and the NHS is just coming to an end. Results will be published at the conclusion.
Training
Training is a three year commitment. Schools are small (10-20 students at
a time) training is practically based and many people train for the enormous
personal benefit they receive. Courses are monitored by The Society of Teachers
of the Alexander Technique (STAT).
The Alexander Technique College (ATC) in Brighton is accredited by the Open
College Network (OCN) and graduates receive certification from OCN as well
as STAT. This accreditation is currently only available at ATC.
Contacts
The Alexander Technique College (Brighton)
www.alexander-technique-college.com
01273 562595
The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT)
www.stat.org.uk
For further information please see:
Alexander Technique
Teacher on the Careers Gateway
Article written by Carolyn Nicholls, Head Trainer at the Alexander
Technique College. Images of 'Teaching the Alexander Technique' are copyright
Alexander Technique College and are reproduced with permission.
