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Testimonies and Reviews
Paul with long term back issues
I’m Paul, in my 50s from Kendal. I approached Alison after finding her website because I would occasionally get such an intense pain in my lower back, from a decade-old injury, that it left me unable to walk.
I wanted to avoid the intervention of an operation so close to my spinal cord that had been freely offered by the NHS surgeon, something Alison seemed confident would be unnecessary. The sessions allowed me to notice how tense I was holding my body, unconsciously protecting it following at least three injuries over my lifetime, the first of which occurred in childhood.
Alison encouraged me to let go so my body could find its natural balance. Not only have I had no back pain since, I stand straighter and taller than ever before. The before and after photos Alison shared with me were shocking, thankfully in a good way.
Before is on the left hand column and on the right is 6 months later. Paul naturally sits without back support and his crease in his neck has gone. We achieved this together not by manipulation or exercises but with a mind body process that he can apply himself in his daily life.
Helen aged 60. Occupational therapist/ carer
I initially went to see Alison as I had generalised joint pain. My left knee was particularly painful and my neck very stiff. Manual handling tasks at work were becoming more difficult as my flexibility was limited.
Alison patiently worked with me to improve my posture and showed me useful techniques to use at work. We also worked through some relaxation exercises and dietary changes.
The pain and swelling in all my joints has greatly reduced, I feel much less tense and my sleep has improved. I am amazed at how much better (and younger) I feel. I am incredibly grateful to Alison and would highly recommend her.
See before and after pictures below.
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Before - with hips pushing forward and upper spine leaning backwards.
After - with pelvis balanced underneath her centre of gravity - taking the pressure off her knees.
Charloette Davies SEO Consultant
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I met Alison at a networking event and had been suffering from frequent headaches and neck and shoulder pain due to working on a laptop. I had tried different setups but nothing seemed to make a difference. Alison worked with me to review and change the setup, my seat positioning and gave me some exercises to relieve any tension. There was a small cost involved in purchasing the right equipment aids but since I implemented the new regime I am headache-free which is priceless!
Tim with long term unresolved neck and shoulder pain.
On and off, I’ve had lower back pain, neck pain and tensed shoulders for many years, which never seemed to ease, even after sessions of physio and bouts of gym activity. Not getting any younger, and recently diagnosed with some upper digestive issues, I decided that I needed to discover something different that I could use on a daily basis, without necessitating massive bursts of energetic activity, so I could keep motivated into the future.
I’d heard about the Alexander Technique from family and I began wondering if this was what I had been looking for. After seeing Alison at a local health and wellbeing event, I signed up for a course.
Alison provided a simple and clear explanation of the Alexander Technique and the benefits it would bring. The way she described our inner landscape, our breathing and how to recognise and let go of the tension, for me in my neck and shoulders, was a joy. Freedom of movement (and stillness) and how my body and mind can work in harmony is something I can continue to develop and use throughout life’s journey.
Alison is a knowledgeable, proficient, and enjoyable teacher of the Alexander Technique and I would recommend her, and the Alexander Technique, to anyone who wants to lead a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. It has certainly helped me. It’s fun and creates a great self-awareness of mind and body and something I wish I had discovered much earlier.
Helen an accountant with a long term injury
When I first met Alison at a health and well-being event, I was immediately captivated by the potential of the Alexander Technique. It was something I had considered learning many years ago, and I had even signed up for a 12-week course. Unfortunately, the course was cancelled due to lack of interest, leaving me without the opportunity to explore it further. Little did I know that meeting Alison would be a turning point.
Right from the start, Alison's warm and friendly approach put me at ease. We began discussing ways to help my husband, who had been struggling with chronic back pain for years. However, as our conversations progressed, I started to reflect on my own bodily discomforts as well.
Alison's guidance has been truly invaluable. She has played a pivotal role in alleviating the persistent pain in my hips, lower back, and neck, and I am incredibly grateful for her expertise. Through her teachings, I have become more aware of the rigidity with which I hold my body, even when I mistakenly believe I am relaxed.
The lessons I have learned from Alison have been transformative. She has educated me on how to move my body naturally and in a way that truly benefits me, rather than adhering to false beliefs about how it should be. As a result, I have experienced a noticeable improvement in my overall well-being.
I cannot express enough gratitude to Alison for her unwavering support and profound insights. Thanks to her, sleeping and relaxing have become more effortless and natural for me.
Alison's passion for the Alexander Technique is contagious, and her genuine care for her clients is evident in every interaction. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking relief from physical discomfort and a deeper understanding of their own body. She is a true gem in her field, and I am forever thankful for the positive impact she has had on my well-being.
Vanessa, retired Nurse:
"Prior to working with Alison I suffered a fair amount of pain in my hips and knees causing insomnia and low moods, which the physiotherapy exercises I had been given only exacerbated.
Gradually, working with the Alexander Technique, Alison helped me realise how the way I walked, sat, stood, in fact mobilised in general was not the natural movement my body was designed for. Progressively we have been working together using breathing and specific patterns of movement to encourage a re-programming of my brain.
Through practice of these exercises the way I stand up, bend down, walk etc., they are becoming my ‘natural’ movements, ones my body was designed for. I’ve begun to understand the mechanics of the skeleton, the connectivity of the muscles and ligaments and I now feel I ‘fit’ correctly on my skeleton ( strange image, I know!) and I walk lighter and taller. It’s all together a better feeling.
I’m a more contented person now enjoying walking again and sleeping well. My journey with Alison has been an enriching, enlightening and empowering one, for which I’m very grateful."
David retired chef:
"I have spent all of my working life in the food industry, hotels then speciality retail food and latterly restaurant. Now retired but active with gardening and DIY.
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My problem was really highlighted when I saw the photographs of my daughters wedding - I couldn’t at first understand who the bent over old man walking her down the aisle was! I was introduced to Alison through a friend and, committed to positive action agreed to work with her.
I have to confess that having no previous experience of yoga or other body exercises I found the first couple of sessions daunting and was quite unsure just what was being achieved. Session three and it all started to make sense, this positive feeling continued and grew over the rest of the sessions.
I am now balanced, walking upright, head correctly positioned using my eyes to ensure my footing rather than walking head permanently down. What a difference!"
Alan working still at 69:
"My name is Alan I'm 69 and live in Kendal. I have worked physically most of my life and have thought of my self as being active and fit.
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I have suffered from lower back pain on and off throughout my life until fairly recently. The problem became constant and with greater severity some 18 months ago. I have sought the help of many alternative health practitioners over the years, with no long term solutions.
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I sought Alison's help 5 month ago. Although the problem remains, I am learning techniques to help me with a long term strategy for my spinal health.
I am now able see positive results in returning to a normal lifestyle.
My mental health has also improved with the belief that I am gaining the necessary tools to look after myself.
I highly recommend Alison."
Yvonne a retired 70 year old with knee and back pain:
"Before I started the course I was full of fear for the future, because I could hardly walk. I was also depressed and felt old and rather sad. I couldn't enjoy my walks with my dog. I worried about my sons seeing me like this.
Now I feel more confident about dealing with pain myself and I have much less pain. I feel confident about doing things with my friends and family and I can reduce my anxiety through using the stillness technique."
Lewis the gardener who had a diagnosed prolapsed disc, after 10 lessons on video link:
I have found learning the Alexander technique, so far, a really worthwhile experience clearly and concisely taught by Alison.
It’s not a technique that requires the usual cracking of joints I have experienced previously, it is a gradual learning process that is now becoming the norm. It is also a full body process which takes some getting used to and learning on Zoom has not been an issue.
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I use the techniques everyday to make my home and working life so much easier and sustainable. As an ageing gardener I am more aware of my body and the need to do things in a way that will prolong my career, it is a new tool in my van!!
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The biggest thing for me that I think has really had an affect is the ability to stretch when I feel my back aching. To think that a few months ago I was lying on my back unable to move in the hall having called an ambulance and now as I progress through my Alexander journey I feel I won’t be going back there.
Gil - therapist who attended a three week course:
​Alison has really helped me to be aware of where the tension in my body stems from and how best to avoid it from building up. We have looked at various postures such as sitting, standing, driving and lying down. As a massage therapist, I found Alison's practical advice to be most useful. We practiced the best posture for being at the massage table; where to position the hips, knees, shoulders, head and arms so as to avoid tension, whilst allowing flowing movements. This was more in depth than the training received at college.
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She has also given me easy tips on how to gently relax certain muscles which I am already passing on to my own clients. Incorporating the Alexander Technique into a complementary therapist's every day work would, I am sure, extend the working life of a therapist as well as making it a more comfortable one. I would really recommend that therapists receive some training in the Alexander Technique, to help them reduce tension whilst working, to aid relaxation of muscles at the end of each day and prevent musculoskeletal disorders.
Fiona from Ingleton after six lessons:
Alison's one-to-one lessons are helping me regain balance and coordination following spinal surgery. The tailored sessions drew my attention to habits that were affecting posture and movement. Alison has enabled me to experience fluidity of movement again.
Harry a school teacher after the second lesson:
My body felt light as a feather when I left – so much tension had drained from it. Thank you.
Karen, IT support after several years of lessons:
I've had lessons with Alison for some years now, not because I'm a slow learner, but because there's always something new to explore together. I would have said I had no particular problems when I started, other than an awareness that spending five long days a week at a keyboard, reacting and responding to problems in computer systems, isn't the healthiest of jobs. But I soon discovered I'd plenty of classic Alexander habits! In observing and changing those
I've found encouragement to observe and change habits in other areas of life too.
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Alison is always intuitively responsive to my need in each lesson. Sometimes it's just to unwind, lying down the entire time; sometimes to move around the room; sometimes to stretch, gently or strongly, combining yoga with the Technique in a very satisfying way.
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We focus too on particular areas, perhaps breathing or how to apply the Technique to particular activities such as fell walking or working at a computer, in one lesson or building over several. There's never anything to get wrong, just exploration and what if suggestions. The results can be surprising, even astonishing, though it's impossible to describe how something in the body can suddenly change and feel as it should be. The more you remember what this feels like, the easier it is to sustain or regain in everyday life.
I'm so grateful to Alison for guiding me on this journey.
Jenny from Settle, therapist:
Another great AT session. I am feeling the unlocking and the weight moving through the muscles very obviously. I think I have a lot of tension to release!
Laura a therapist after several lessons:
​The exercises that you have given me on the pelvic floor have definitely improved my back and my digestion. At night I sleep better, my back pain, which was keeping me awake at night before, has now gone.