WHERE
I teach individuals at:
Learning for Living, 2A Cultra Station Road, HOLYWOOD, Co. Down, BT18 0AU.
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday evenings from 18:00.
Call me on my mobile 07092 120693.
HOW
As your teacher I verbally instruct you while simultaneously guiding and indicating what is meant by gentle contact of the hands, to achieve an experience of lighter, better poised movement. The usual format of a lesson is to start with some work with a chair, proceed to working on a table (I use a wider than normal treatment table for convenience), followed by another form of work, which will be more varied in nature. Quite frequently something unusual will present during a lesson and I will help you explore it applying the Alexander Technique.
All activities will be an opportunity for you to practice Conscious Constructive Control* in the form of Inhibition* and Direction* to promote the Primary Control* and achieve an improved Use of the Self*, thus benefiting from improved functioning*.
Lessons normally take between 30 minutes, and self-improvement should be possible after about twenty-five lessons, depending on how set the habit patterns are, and how effectively you work alone in between lessons.
It’s a bit like learning to drive, more lessons earlier on mean fewer lessons in total to achieve the same degree of competence. Ideally I would recommend that pupils start with three lessons a week for the first few weeks, reducing to two and then one, but recognise that availability, cash flow and other commitments may not allow this.
In practice a generally good timetable is: 1 lesson a week for 8 weeks, tapering down by mutual agreement through 1 a fortnight, 1 every 3 weeks, 1 a month, then completely ad-hoc. This prepares the pupil for taking on responsibility for their own development, and avoids the sudden shock of ending.
For lessons, you are advised to wear trousers, slacks or leggings and a top. Tight collars and waistbands are to be avoided.
* The terms marked thus are Alexander jargon, some of which are explained in the description and history pages and the rest best left to the individual’s lesson.