F.M. Alexander was an actor suffering from a voice problem. Medical remedies did not help, so he thought it must be something he was doing to himself.

He discovered he was creating tension in his neck and chest as he breathed in. This was having a disastrous effect on his larynx. When Alexander tried to change his habits, he discovered he could not really separate his muscle movements from his thinking and attitude of mind.

Alexander later found that nearly everyone uses excessive tension in ordinary everyday activity. His discovery that "use affects function" has been substantiated in research published by the British Medical Journal, August 2008 - Alexander lessons give long-term benefit to chronic low back pain sufferers.

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The Alexander Technique encourages self-awareness and less effortful thinking and movement. The use of the teacher's hands to gently release nervous tension is an important element.

Fuller information about the Alexander Technique can be found by visiting the web site of our professional organisation, STAT, at www.stat.org.uk.