I am a qualified teacher of the Alexander Technique registered and fully insured with STAT and the CNHC. I completed my three-year training course at both the Brighton Alexander Technique College and with CCARE, Centre for Constructive Awareness and Related Education in Totnes , graduating from there in 2017.
Prior to training as an Alexander Technique teacher I worked in the NHS for 35 years as a nurse and health visitor. I trained in Leeds graduating with BSc Hons Nursing /RGN and BSc Hons Specialist Community Public Health Nursing /RHV.
I have experience of working with people in all stages of life and with a wide range of health conditions. I have always been interested in health promotion and health education. I apply the skills I have learned through studying the Alexander Technique to my daily life and leisure activities; singing and playing musical instruments, cycling, hill walking and playing tennis are all much more fun when applying the Alexander Technique skills in activity.
As a teacher, it is a privilege to be able to work closely with people to promote their health and wellbeing. I can help you discover hidden tension habits that interfere with our natural movement patterns and might be causing you to suffer chronic back or neck pain, posture problems, or recurrent sports injuries. These problems can limit our daily lives and cause us to feel stressed .We might have to take time off work or even give up our favourite hobbies because of pain and injury. Learning the Alexander technique can help restore your natural movement patterns and bring freedom and ease into activities.
MY EXPERTISE and SPECIALIST TRAINING
Anyone can learn the Technique; older adults can benefit from finding increased confidence, reduce pain, and improve balance, coordination and mobility or children, teenagers and young adults can learn to approach education with less pressure and enjoy playing sports or musical instruments with less risk of injury
I enjoy working with anyone who wishes to discover the benefits of learning the Alexander Technique. I have experience working with solo singers and instrumentalists as well as choirs to help them improve performance and quality of sound.
I continue to enjoy regular professional development courses and have trained with The Developing Self to teach the AT in primary and secondary schools. I have completed some training with The Poise Project so I can bring the benefits of learning Alexander Technique to people living with Parkinson’s.
In 2024 I took a ten week course with Alexander Technique Science to deepen my understanding of how learning the AT can help people manage pain more effectively.
I have extensive experience working with people living with hypermobility syndrome where it can help with improving postural tone, coordination and reducing pain.
MY JOURNEY
As a young nurse I struggled with sciatica and chronic back pain caused by the heavy lifting work in the NHS. Later in life I developed a painful stiff shoulder, neck and hand that was stopping me being able to work. This was Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
I discovered the Alexander Technique when searching for help with RSI. I was curious to find out more and started a course of 10 lessons . I quickly discovered that the pain and RSI I was suffering was linked to my unhelpful habits of muscular tension. My first Alexander lesson was a lightbulb moment ! My tension habits were no longer under the radar. I learned how often I was clenching my teeth and jaw every time I moved to sit down or stand up. This discovery was just the beginning of my journey to freeing myself from pain and injury.
My recovery through the re-education of my movement patterns and postural habits was underway. The painful RSI improved very quickly and I could move more easily. I started to breathe more freely, I noticed I was laughing more, I had a new experience of freedom within my mind and body. I felt happier, calmer and my confidence increased especially when in stressful situations. I found the experience of learning this skill was bringing me many unexpected benefits.
I found it so fascinating that I decided to leave my full-time NHS work and train to teach the Alexander Technique so that I could share the benefits with as many people as possible to help them get more out of everyday life, be happier, healthier, manage pain more effectively and experience life with less tension.
The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique was founded in the UK in 1958. As a member of STAT, I must adhere to the Society’s published Code of Professional Conduct , hold professional indemnity insurance and full DBS check.
