Personal Experiences of Learning the Alexander Technique
PAAT teachers have been helping people to apply the Alexander Technique to their lives for more than 40 years.
Our pupils have come from all walks of life and for as many reasons as there are people.
Individuals say they have benefited from the Technique in many and varied ways: from help with postural or movement difficulties, solutions to so-called “stress”, and with meditation, performance, skill acquisition/maintenance, and enhancement of general wellbeing.
TESTIMONIALS
Here are some of the generous things our pupils and students have said about the Alexander Technique and their PAAT teachers:
“The course opened my eyes to the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique. I was always surprised how relaxed and alert I felt just after the sessions every week!”
“I have so enjoyed the all little revelations as we’ve gone through the weeks. I would definitely like to continue with the Alexander Technique. I think it will be particularly valuable to people like me.”
“Through this introductory course, I have found Alexander Technique to be among the most successful strategies I’ve tried for managing neck and shoulder pain from deskwork. This course is a brilliant introduction to AT, and is adapted very successfully to an online setting — I highly recommend.”
“Alexander Technique made me think about how I misused my body without even realising I was doing it! Through Alexander Technique my posture has improved and my singing voice has grown stronger, simply by holding myself correctly.”
“Even though it is more than 20 years since I attended Alexander classes and lessons, I still think about it on most days. The Technique has helped me in my everyday life as well as dealing with significant life events such as walking again after major surgery, playing tributes at my parents’ funerals .”
“Awareness and correct use of the body and voice are vital to acting, and the Alexander Technique course helped me to achieve both. I am much more confident in my acting because I know how to use the whole of myself to give the best performance. The practical nature of the course meant that we were not simply told how to posture our bodies, but taught how to judge our own posture and actions, and therefore how to keep ourselves free and energised.”
“Learning the Alexander Technique with PAAT really enriched my conservatoire experience, and the Alexander Technique has been helpful to me since, both in helping me to improve my performance, and in my everyday life”
“The Alexander Technique course was my favourite module during my final year at university and probably the one with the most long-term benefits. It is very encouraging to see each new ‘technique’ or exercise which we learned each week begin to have a positive effect on my everyday life. The small size of the class was perfect and allowed me to fully understand and appreciate the concepts explained and demonstrated, as well as feel sufficiently comfortable to remove inhibitions and ask questions. I feel that I am more relaxed and can commit to physical and mental tasks in everyday life, as well as performance, now that I have studied the Alexander Technique – it is something I will always go back to. I used it during the summer in my first paid performance in a professional theatre. It has most notably given me better control of my hands and legs, which used to stiffen unnecessarily, causing undue stress. I can also approach tasks which I would usually be mentally anxious about with greater ease and confidence now.”
“I first came to Alexander Classes out of curiosity rather than for a specific problem. However, it soon became clear that it would enhance my vocal technique through increased awareness of how I used my body. The class format was great as you could see your own behaviours in other people and how they could be improved. My teachers PAAT made the classes very informative and welcoming, and I am sure I will make use of things I learned in their classes throughout my career.”
“I found it astonishing how many benefits there were to learning the Alexander Technique: from being aware of your body to learning good posture to a general sense of well being. The technique has been invaluable in my day to day life, especially as a relaxation and anti-stress technique and because of this I have recommended it to many of my friends and family.”
“You can tell your current students that I often tell my own students and colleagues that the best thing I did at music college all those years ago, was go to Alexander lessons every week. I haven’t been for an Alexander lesson since but I often do the lying down”
“I find Alexander Technique extremely helpful and useful for my work too; thank you!”
“One of the things I learned in the Alexander Technique was how not to react in a knee-jerk manner, to difficult situations. Also, my photography often requires keeping a clear mind and staying in control whilst everything is kicking off in front of me, usually when I’m in some awkwardly uncomfortable position on the floor. Thinking clearly in those circumstances isn’t something I would have been able to do without your classes and lessons which I still value greatly as a real life-changing experience. Thanks!”
“Alexander Technique was part of my training as a stage manager at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. It has been helpful to me in my career in terms of use of voice and professional presentation generally.”