This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Massage Therapists and Rolfers Taking Care of Themselves, is published in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical. It will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the massage therapy or Rolfing technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
As an Alexander Technique teacher, I do not have to be expert in the activity the client brings to me, that is getting him or her in physical trouble. What do I mean?
As an Alexander Technique teacher, a client may come to me in physical pain from playing a musical instrument, or from doing a sport like running or weightlifting or golf.
I don’t have to participate in any of these activities to help the client. In fact it may be to my advantage to not do any of these activities. I simply use my Alexander training to show the client how to do what they do without harming themselves.
I’m able bring fresh eyes and ease to the activity, without having to overcome being taught how to do something with inaccurate and poor technique.
WHAT IS INACCURATE AND POOR TECHNIQUE?
It is a way of doing something, from playing a guitar to singing to running, that initially helps the person master the activity, but over time causes physical damage.
Having said what I just said, there has to be a STARTING POINT with the client in an Alexander Technique session.
I ASK THE CLIENT TO SHOW ME WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY DO IT, FROM PLAYING A VIOLIN, TO SINGING, TO SWINGING A GOLF CLUB.
I ask the client to tell me what rules they are following to get to get the activity done. In other words, I ask the client to tell me what they learned are the rules of good technique and good posture.
And of course I ask the the client to tell me where it hurts.
All the while I’m observing the client from the moment they walk into the room. I observe his or her posture, how they sit, the tension in the body as they express themselves.
When the client shows me the activity, I observe their posture, the tension in the body, and how their body does the activity.
Let me mention here if the activity is running, we may go outside, and I watch them run. I’m always improvising, so I can see what they REALLY do doing the activity.
Returning to the STARTING POINT, I am told by the client the rules he or she follows to do the activity. I have the basics explained to me – how they play the violin or swing the golf club. After gathering all of the information on the client’s good or bad posture and technique, visually and descriptively, I begin to Alexanderize what they do.
What does this mean?
THIS MEANS I SHOW THE CLIENT HOW TO REFINE THEIR POSTURE AND TECHNIQUE, SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY DO EXTRAORDINARILY WELL AND WITHOUT INJURY.
I also ask the client at this point, if they think they’re doing what they’ve been taught.
Invariably when a client comes to me in pain, they usually believe they’re not doing what they were taught is good technique, and THAT is why they’re hurting.
But is this true?
Usually not. Most instructors of musical instruments or sports teach a mixture of good rules and poor rules But they usually think they’re teaching only what works. This usually is not true.
It is my job as an Alexander Technique teacher to help the client keep the technique rules that work, let go of the rules that cause injury, and develop a personal technique that allows the client to excel without injury.
As I help the client discover what works and hasn’t been working, I’m teaching the client to do for themselves what I’m doing for him or her. I teach the client to become his or her own Alexander Technique teacher over time.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I’M TEACHING THE CLIENT TO MOVE BEYOND THE LIMITATIONS OF THEIR INSTRUCTORS.
Ultimately, the Alexander Technique teacher wants the client to be able to refine his or her technique and posture from the inside out continuously, and to do what they do without injury, and to do what they do extraordinarily well.
