I first came to Alexander Technique in 2005 with recurring backache, feeling out of touch with my body. I had a fascinating but demanding job as a teacher of the deaf along with two little ones of my own; as well as a family house wanting care and attention and a large but needy garden. The gardening was always a welcome therapy, the backache not so. I was aware of poor posture that I seemed unable to change. And I had little understanding how undue stress and tension I held in my body compromised free stature and movement. Both affected my sense of overall wellbeing.
Taking Alexander Technique lessons meant I began on a journey of self-discovery and self-help as I slowly began to understand about my own tension habits and how to attend to my poise. With my new awareness of the practicalities of balance and poise I learned how to effect and maintain lasting changes in myself.
Inspired by my experience of finding greater coordination as well as a way to look after my back, I trained at the renowned Brighton Alexander Technique College.
Having completed my 3-year full-time (1600 hour) training in 2010 I now offer individual lessons in Hove from a dedicated and comfortable room in my house.
I am registered with The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique the internationally recognised UK body which monitors standards of Alexander Technique teaching and training.
I adhere to the Society’s Code of Professional Conduct and am fully insured.
I continue to develop my Alexander Technique skills through CPD and supervision. Most recently I also did some study in Body Psychotherapy/Gestalt (2019) and Somatic Explorations on-line (2020). During the last year I have attended in-person and on-line Meditation retreats with a specific interest in Embodied Mindfulness Meditation and Movement practices.
As well as now teaching at the Brighton Alexander Technique College where I trained, I have been one of the Alexander Technique teachers exploring how the principles of AT can help people relieve and manage on-going back pain. This is under the auspices of on-going research being undertaken at Southampton University.
For me the Alexander Technique is a wonderful ‘mind and body’ learning process. And something that, by continuing to give some thought to it every day, brings huge benefits in many aspects of my life.
Janet Jacobs MSTAT, B.ED (Hons), Post-graduate studies Education, PG Diploma Teacher of the Deaf
Alexander Technique teacher
Whatever your reason for learning Alexander Technique – to regain free mobility and movement, breathe easily and effortlessly, relieve pain or stiffness, manage stress, enhance performance in speaking, singing or playing an instrument, or simply to look and feel better about yourself – the fundamental principles are the same: learning a conscious awareness and direction of the whole self and using the close connections of mind and body to change unregistered tension habits and recover ease in all aspects of your life.
“My technique is based on inhibition, the inhibition of undesirable, unwanted response to stimuli and hence it is primarily a technique for the development of the control of human reaction.”
“My technique is a study of reaction in living.”
FM Alexander