Exploring The Alexander Technique
A New Alexander Technique Course for 2026
“Presence without Effort: A practical technique for letting go of reactivity and finding ease and focus in each moment.”
Applications are now open for an opportunity to learn within a group setting beginning in February 2026. The course will be taught online, with a chance to work in person as well.
Our course is an invitation both to those who are new to AT and those who are looking to deepen their experience and practice.
What This Course is About …
What do we mean by Presence? It’s not uncommon for people, perhaps increasingly, to have the experience of being pulled in many directions at once: Newsfeeds, social media, seemingly instant demand being made upon us, concerns about what’s going on in the world, expectations that we should be ‘on call’ to respond to the demands of job, family, friends, 24-7. How on earth do we keep ourselves together, keep our feet on the ground in this whirlwind? How do we stay steady and keep our balance – physically, mentally, emotionally -so that we can actually do some good in the world, look after friends and family, while protecting and enhancing our own wellbeing.
You may have found that the more you try, the harder it gets. FM Alexander discovered for himself a way into the problem over 100 years ago, when he realised that through the action of his own muscles he pulled his own physical framework out of shape as a whole in response to the demand for vocal performance (his profession at the time). And in fact, as he later found out, he did this to some degree in response to each and every demand of life. He found that there was a universal pattern to this pulling out of shape.
This distortion of our framework has consequences for us, the experience of stress and strain, difficulty thinking clearly, general unease or anxiety and because of the effect on our joints, a limitation in skilful movement. Particularly because we generally don’t know this is going on, it can be a source of further anxiety – why can’t I perform as I should be able to? Why can’t I focus properly? Why am I feeling like this?
It seems we learn early on to respond to life’s demands in this over-effortful way and it comes to feel so familiar we are not aware we are doing it. But since it is learned there is the wonderful possibility that if we can begin to attend to and discover our own habits of what we call ‘use’ of ourselves, we can let go. Now comes the really good news: in letting go of these patterns of use we find that we are letting go of the whole habit of reactivity – not only the muscle contraction but the thoughts, attitudes, anxiety, cloudiness of mind that go with them.
In this course we have the chance to work very gently together as we bring our most kind, compassionate, non-judgemental attention to our own habits of use – in those ‘basic’ activities such as standing, sitting and walking and many more. In this we are learning that we all have an inherent ability to pause, and that when we do, we can bring about real change: what FM called “a revolution in thought and action”.
More Details and How to Join
This course will run in two parts – each with 6 online sessions. We will also offer an in person / online workshop following each part of the course, where we have the chance to bring focus to particular themes arising from the course. The course is suitable for beginners in the Alexander Technique and those with more experience. Part 2 of the course will aim to build upon and deepen the experience gained in part 1, and will also support those interested in joining the IATT Teacher Training course.
For information and to book a place, please contact Adam Rolleston (adamrolleston@gmail.com)
Each part of the course, including the workshop, is offered on a sliding scale basis with a suggested rate for each part of £70 for those in full time employment and £35 for students, and will take place on Tuesdays 18:00 – 19:30 GMT (or BST) on the following dates:
Part 1 – February 17th & 24th, March 3rd,10th,17th & 24th
Part 2 – May 5th,12th,19th & 26th, June 2nd & 9th
We will hold the follow up workshops in a central location of the UK and also in Vancouver, Canada, following each part of the course. The dates and timings will be arranged to support each group. Whether joining online or in person you will be warmly welcomed and supported in making the most of these sessions.
You can download these details here.
About The Teachers
Hello, I am Adam Rolleston. I am very much looking forward to teaching this course, assisted by other teaching members of PAAT.
I currently live in Warwick, UK with my wife and 18 year old son (and two cats). I qualified as an Alexander Teacher with PAAT in 2010 and since then have been teaching group courses and individual lessons. Initially the teaching was in person, but more recently, together with my colleagues, I have enjoyed teaching online courses and lessons, as well as hybrid workshops and residencies and the Teacher Training course. When not teaching I work as an Energy Analyst and I also enjoy singing in choirs, and playing tennis with my son – exploring how I can apply AT in these settings.