Are you tired of living with chronic back pain? Do you find yourself constantly searching for solutions that provide lasting relief? If so, you’re not alone. Back pain affects millions of people worldwide, impacting their daily lives and overall well-being. Fortunately, there’s a technique that may offer you the relief you’ve been seeking: the Alexander Technique.
Backed by research published in the British Medical Journal in 2007, the Alexander Technique has gained recognition for its effectiveness in alleviating back pain and improving overall posture and movement patterns. This groundbreaking study demonstrated that individuals who received Alexander Technique lessons experienced significant reductions in back pain compared to those who received standard care alone.
But what exactly is the Alexander Technique? Developed by F. Matthias Alexander in the late 19th century, this method focuses on retraining habitual movement patterns to improve posture, reduce tension, and enhance overall coordination. By becoming more aware of how we move and hold ourselves, practitioners of the Alexander Technique learn to release unnecessary tension and move with greater ease and efficiency.
Doctors and surgeons have also recognized the benefits of the Alexander Technique for managing back pain. Dr. Jack Stern, a spine surgeon and author of “Ending Back Pain,” advocates for its integration into treatment plans, stating, “The Alexander Technique is about learning how to move with greater ease, coordination, and freedom… It teaches us to be aware of and change longstanding habits that cause unnecessary tension in everything we do.” Similarly, Dr. Paul Little, a general practitioner and researcher, acknowledges the technique’s effectiveness, remarking, “The Alexander Technique can help people stand, sit, and move more comfortably… It teaches them to be more mindful of their movements and reduce strain on their bodies.”
So, what can you expect from Alexander Technique lessons? Here are some of the benefits you may experience:
1. Reduced back pain and tension
2. Improved posture and alignment
3. Increased body awareness and mindfulness
4. Enhanced coordination and movement efficiency
5. Greater ease and freedom in daily activities
If you’re ready to experience the transformative effects of the Alexander Technique and say goodbye to chronic back pain, consider reaching out to one of our certified teachers today. Whether you’re a longtime sufferer or simply looking to improve your overall well-being, the Alexander Technique offers a holistic approach to pain relief and movement re-education. Don’t wait any longer to take the first step towards a pain-free life. Contact us today and schedule your first lesson. Your body will thank you for it.
Christopher has been studying the Alexander Technique since 2005 after walking into a tango class and meeting Marjean McKenna. For the next 15 years, he studied and danced with Marjean and helped produce and illustrate her book, Your Natural Up. The book describes the evolutionary and developmental underpinnings of the Alexander Technique.
Julia Caulder is an AmSAT certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, and a professional performer. She has been practicing professionally for over nineteen years and has studied the technique for over thirty. Currently, she is on the faculty of the Alexander Training Institute of Los Angeles, The Alexander Technique Workshops International, and teaches privately in Park City, Utah.
Cathy teaches individuals and groups in Utah and throughout the Intermountain West. She uses creativity and intuition to help her students learn to refine their body awareness and movement strategies. Cathy’s love of music, yoga, outdoor sports and martial arts create a teaching atmosphere that is both fun, and practical. Cathy is devoted to empowering her students towards self-care. Cathy Pollock received her certification by the American Society for the Alexander Technique from the Pacific Institute for the Alexander Technique in Chico, California in 1994. Cathy is an RYT-200 Certified Yoga Teacher and holds a black belt in Aikido.
First and foremost, I like to move!
Beginning with ballet and other dance forms at a young age, to yoga, Pilates, running, rock-climbing and aerial arts most recently, I love exploring what the body is capable of. Over the years, I’ve accumulated literally thousands of hours of training in different modalities, both as a student and teacher trainee. I feel fueled and fulfilled by the joy and adrenaline of finding and understanding connections across disciplines.
My first Alexander Technique lesson, in 2010 with Diann Sichel, was instantly captivating. Somehow, this practice of slowing down and non-doing taught me more about myself and movement in a single lesson than all my training to date.
Time and again, I am amazed by the universal applications of Alexander Technique principles – whether I am contemplating picking up a cup of coffee or a conversation I’ve been meaning to have.
The practice of giving ourselves space to understand our reactions, identifying and clarifying what will and will not help achieve a desired response and approaching ourselves truthfully with those observations are fundamental to living a life of ‘Embodied Patience.’
Jacque Lynn Bell is a dancer, choreographer, and an AmSAT certified instructor of the Alexander Technique. She began teaching the Alexander Technique after graduation from New York City’s American Center for the Alexander Technique in 1993. Ms. Bell has taught at the SoHo Center for the Alexander Technique in New York City where she lived, choreographed, and performed from 1982-1998 intermittently. She has developed the Alexander Technique program, based on the Julliard model, for the Actor Training Program in the Department of Theatre at the University of Utah, where she also teaches Movement for Actors.
Jenna came to the Alexander Technique in 2014 as additional help in recovering from nerve surgeries in her neck and arm that were hampering her return to playing the violin and teaching her high school string orchestras; she hasn’t looked back! Her primary focus is the performance health and prevention of injury in young musicians, applying the technique in her classroom. The Alexander Technique has applications in all aspects of life, and she loves seeing students make those connections and feel better in how they move, perform, and in their everyday lives. Jenna has her BMus from Utah State University, MMEd from the University of Utah, and is a member of the Performing Arts Medical Association..
Barbara’s interest in the Alexander Technique was motivated by a series of serious recurring injuries including herniated disks in her back and neck and a debilitating wrist tendinitis that interfered with her work and her life. She tried many therapies including visits to a wrist surgeon and a hand specialist that encouraged her to change her career.
Barbara received her certification to teach upon completion of a 3
year intensive training program in Kinesiology and Mindful Movement at
the ALEXANDER EDUCATIONAL CENTER.
She brings to her current practice a background in Anatomy,
Physiology & 27 years of experience in a variety of bodywork
techniques including orthopedic massage (working with joint pain and
soft tissue injuries).
Jean Applonie has been a choral music conductor, teacher, singer and accompanist for 35+ years. She began exploring Alexander Technique in 2015 and just two years later decided to train as a teacher. She completed her AmSAT (American Society for the Alexander Technique) certification at the SLCityAT (Salt Lake City Alexander Technique) Teacher Training school in 2020, studying with Cathy Pollock, Luc Vanier, Jacque Bell, and Elizabeth Johnson.
Alexander Technique is a life-changing practice. Discover your physical and mental interferences. Then see what you and your life can be without them.
Luc Vanier (MFA, MAMSAT) is the Director of the School of Dance at the University of Utah. He was a Principal Dancer and company choreographer with Ohio Ballet. Vanier has lectured and presented his research extensively nationally and internationally and his co-authored book “Dance and the Alexander Technique” was published by University of Illinois Press. He founded the Integral Movement Lab where he co-created Framework for Integration, a movement analysis system that helps direct all movers to make new, healthier movement decisions and encourages a more coordinated and integrated bodily use. He trained (and certified) as an Alexander Technique Teacher with Joan and Alex Murray and later became a training course Director.