The Alexander Technique has been well established in Totnes for decades - it has even boasted various teacher-training colleges including one at Dartington Hall which I visited in 1993.

Now, as a teacher myself, I've returned to this area to offer lessons in my childhood mecca - that little town that sparkles with such unparalleled diversity!

With over 30 years experience, I bring to Totnes my own interpretation of the Alexander Technique for All :)

Pictured above: Me and a view of Totnes

Teaching from home I have the luxury of space, comfort and an uplifting view of the marvellous garden. There is parking; there is tranquility and there is a dog and a cat - lovely!

The Alexander Technique in Totnes for Musicians

For well over a century the Alexander Technique has been used by all kinds of musicians, including:
Dame Julie Andrews, Sir Paul McCartney, Sting, Madonna, Yehudi Menuhin and James Galway

I used to teach music scholars at various independent schools and have encountered many different instrumentalists with an assortment of postural challenges. I found the technique very beneficial myself in training and performing as a singer.

'Forty years ago, after one of my concerts, Adrian Boult told me that if I continued to conduct like that I'd become a cripple, and that I must take lessons in the Alexander Technique. Today I am still having lessons - as with music, there is no end to the learning process. It affects not only the use of the body, but also one's views of oneself and one's behavior. For the aches and ills that come with the years, the Technique can work miracles..'

Sir Colin Davis,
Managing Director, Royal Academy of Music

All kinds of athletes have used lessons in the Alexander Technique to improve their stamina, their speed, their game or their aim. Improvements are not guaranteed of course but if someone is tense and habitually using their muscles in an inefficient manner, that will affect them in action.

Learning to optimise your underlying use will remove barriers to success!

Golfers can decrease their handicap, climbers can improve their grade and athletes in can feel more energised and comfortable in general. I've enjoyed applying the technique to various athletic pursuits myself, including swimming and jive dancing.

The Alexander Technique in Totnes for Athletes

Sebastian Coe, Olympic gold medalist

'I can definitely say without hesitation that I wouldn't have had the rowing success that I have had the luxury of experiencing in my short time on the water, without finding the AT and the great teachers that I have had the privilege to work with.' Valerie Thompson, Williams Rowing Masters gold medallist

I've worked with a huge array of musculoskeletal problems - from migraines to RSI; from shoulder pain to foot pain. AT teachers are not usually medically trained and as such I will refer my pupils to a doctor or an osteopath if necessary; however, if a person has unidentified muscular tension in a problem area, it’s well worth working to eliminate that tension for it may be causing or contributing to the problem itself, as is often the case.

People claim that Alexander Technique lessons cure certain conditions, and evidence to support this has come from a number of clinical trials, such as the following two:

The Alexander Technique has been proven to cure lower back pain -

Click here for details and also neck pain - Click here for details

'We already notice, with growing amazement, very striking improvements in such diverse things as high blood pressure, breathing, depth of sleep, overall cheerfulness and mental alertness, resilience against outside pressures, and in such a refined skill as playing a musical instrument.' Nikolaas Tinbergen (1907-1988), Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine 1974 (from his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, half of which was devoted to talking about the AT and changes that he and his family experienced from lessons)

For each phase of becoming a parent lessons in the AT can be useful: the weight and pressure of pregnancy, the challenges of childbirth and all the lifting that comes later.

I have experience of working with pregnant mothers, and mothers and fathers of young children, and also the personal experience of being a mother.

For more information, I can recommend this book.

The demands of studying and sitting exams can leave students feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. Add to that, perhaps, the demands of socialising and the pressures of trying to support themselves financially and the stress levels are potentially high.

Alexander Technique lessons can genuinely increase energy levels and support almost any pursuit.

I've taught many, many students and I used the technique when I was a student myself at Exeter University - and even earlier, as a schoolgirl!

Totnes Alexander Technique for Actors

Most top colleges for the performing arts have Alexander Technique on the curriculum, including RADA, Juilliard School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

And many, many of the world's leading film stars have had AT lessons...

Over the years I've had experience teaching lots of actors.

I recall attending a workshop once where an actor with AT training demonstrated the difference between projecting his voice as Richard III with and without free muscles - the difference was clear. Also, it was pointed out that in spite of playing an emotionally and physically twisted character night after night, the actor was able to portray this without causing harm to himself.

"[The Alexander Technique] is a way to transform stress to joy. It's my way of keeping on track with work and truth and the world I’m in which is working with people and creating. It’s for anyone who wants to be in contact with their own body and the way we tense ourselves and relax ourselves. It’s another way of moving." Juliette Binoche, Actor

'Good acting is revealing yourself, not covering yourself up. If your body is free, your mind is free. [The Alexander Technique allows] you to feel what it's like to stay open physically, and also stay fully involved in whatever you're supposed to be doing.' Annette Bening, Actor

Totnes Alexander Technique for Horse Riders

Riding horses goes hand-in-hand with the Alexander Technique and can be of enormous benefit to both the horse and the rider. Riders generally relate to lessons very easily, as both disciplines require a similar understanding of muscular efficiency.

I have a saddle stand which is a brilliant - it's not only useful for riders but also for anybody learning about supporting their weight through the seat, with the legs hanging freely.

I've a lot of experience of teaching riders and ride myself, at beginner level.

For an introduction to riding with the Alexander Technique I recommend this book.

Totnes Alexander Technique for Businesses

Often companies lose a great deal of time and money due to employees suffering from musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions can range from simple fatigue and discomfort right through to back pain and RSI. Many world-leading businesses use the Alexander Technique for their employees.

Lessons can improve work-related performance or help reduce absenteeism, while talks and workshops can provide opportunities for team-building, health and safety requirements or straightforward entertainment.

I've worked at various business premises over the years and currently give one-to-one lessons at Packexe in Exeter.

For a list of companies who have employed the services of an Alexander Technique teacher, please go here.

I used to work in the music departments of Sherborne School and Sherborne School for Girls. In addition to teaching the music scholars, I helped young people with their exam nerves, self-esteem, body image, deportment and general well-being. I worked with a variety of medical problems, including scoliosis, slipped disk, sports injuries and dyspraxia.

I'm DBS checked and parents/guardians are welcome to accompany their children - we have comfortable chairs, wifi and even a cuppa!

In Summary

I give introductory talks on the Alexander Technique in Totnes. I’ve also put a fair amount of information on my website. For a complete introductory guide I can recommend this book by one of my own teachers, Carolyn Nicholls.

As you can see, I have a vast amount of experience teaching the Alexander Technique. I find it fascinating and challenging, as each individual is unique: when I meet a new client, to begin with I’m confronted with the basic human musculoskeletal system and a common pattern of misuse but the process of understanding the person and unravelling the problems is different every time.

My work is really uplifting :)