The Alexander Technique - learn to live with freedom and poise
Do you suffer from aches, pain and discomfort and feel this might be due to poor posture or something you do such as a sport, hobby, occupation or stressful situation?
Our lives are often very busy and stressful with many demands on our time, thinking space and body. As we set about trying to meet these demands we can generate excessive tension in our body which then interferes with our natural ease of movement. At first this tension may go unnoticed or feel like a normal consequence of living, however over time tension can become more engrained in our body and lead to habitual patterns of posture and movement that can cause pain and decrease our sense of vitality.
The Alexander Technique is a practical method that will help you to identify and prevent these harmful postural and movement habits that can cause or aggravate the discomfort you feel.
One to one Alexander Technique lessons provide lifelong skills for self care that can lead to a wide variety of benefits: less muscular and joint pain, better co-ordination and balance, reduced stress related symptoms such as headaches, improved posture and poise, greater confidence, a calm and alert mind, and enhanced performance in creative arts and sport.
“Through gentle coaching, with humour, patience and amazing intuition Julia took me through a re-learning process. I gradually became aware of tensions and body holding habits that I had adopted over a lifetime. I rarely have the headaches and stiff necks that I used to, and I find I am more comfortable and at home in my body." Marion, gardener.
I teach individual lessons in Chesham – close to Berkhamsted, Amersham, Tring, Chorleywood and Rickmansworth.
See the About AT page for more information.
Focusing - listening to your inner wisdom
In our busy, largely mind-orientated culture, it can be all too easy to lose the connection to our inner, body-sense of ourselves and experiences. We may also have grown up in an environment that hasn’t always welcomed all the aspects of our developing selves; or had life experiences that are complex and overwhelming.
We can’t usually control what happens to us but we can explore how we 'store' our experiences and how we choose to ‘meet’ them inside of us – do we push away or bury things that feel too much, or react outwardly when strong emotions arise; we may develop a persistent inner-critic, or find it difficult to make decisions and move forward in our lives.
Focusing is the skill of deeply listening to the whole felt-sense of our lived experience, and so coming back into relationship with more aspects of ourselves; it is a gentle, non-invasive and natural skill that we can learn and use as a resource for problem solving, personal growth, and discovering what feels alive and possible in us.
“Focusing is a gentle approach to self discovery. One of the things I most enjoyed was the time taken to settle, to take time to become present in my immediate and wider surroundings. Julia has a warm, open and encouraging manner, which immediately put me at my ease and helped me feel confident. Her explanations were simple and straightforward, so that I could relax throughout, and felt supported and not judged. We had some laughs along the way, too! I greatly value the Focusing process, as one which allows me to acknowledge my own experience, whatever it is, without interference or interpretation. Thanks so much!” CG
See the Focusing page for more information.