Alexander Technique
North London
Learn good posture, long term back care, feel good in mind and body
Tanya Shoop MSTAT
Alexander Technique Teacher
For whatever reason you find yourself visiting here, welcome. Maybe you aren't happy with your posture. Perhaps you have some physical pain, tension or discomfort. You may feel stressed or unconfident which could be related to your posture and/or physical discomfort. You may have shallow breathing or find yourself unable to speak confidently or clearly. Or you could be getting older and think it will always be like this but have a small chink of hope.
However you are feeling, it is my role to listen to you and understand where you are coming from and to work with you to find ways to feel better in your mind and body. To help you understand how you do what you do and then to discover how to do it better.
I have been studying the Alexander Technique for over 30 years and have been a practitioner for over 20 years. I've seen the difference in myself and in my clients. There are a lot of misconceptions about posture, most of which end up being very uncomfortable. I will show you how to look after yourself for the long term. How to relax - a real skill. How to pause. How to be gentle, efficient and strong. The one-to-one Alexander Technique work is hands on and is gentle but powerful. I explain everything and build up your new skills each time we meet. I also offer different group classes - one for walking skills and one for relaxation.
Please have a look around my site. I offer a free 15 minute online consultation for you to find out more about whether the Alexander Technique could help you and if I will be a good fit for you. I have midweek availability in person and am based in North London near Bounds Green tube station on the Picadilly line.
Benefits of the Alexander Technique:
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improve poor posture
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back, neck and shoulder pain
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breathe more freely and deeply
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feel more confident
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sleep more comfortably
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relieve stress and anxiety
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use your voice in a more embodied way
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walk better and learning to exercise safely
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manage hypermobility
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age well - with balance and strength
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set up your workspace ergonomically - especially when working from home
Working with you
Using the Alexander Technique, we can work together to teach your body to stop its immediate and instinctive reactions. Instead, we can learn to send the body messages for it to energise in a different way.
When I’m working with someone in person, I use a gentle guiding touch to guide your body, helping you to release tension or to move differently.
Everyone’s lifestyle and behaviours are unique. I take the time to really listen to you, to understand how you live and to observe your physical movements so that I can work out what might be causing your aches and pains.
Then, with sometimes the subtlest of shifts, we can work together to help you listen to your body and consciously change the way you sit, move and carry things, whatever it might be, to release the tension in your body.
What my clients say
"Tanya is brilliant. She is very good at diagnosing, assessing and finding out what is out of balance. Her hands-on rebalancing is absolutely the best thing about the consultation.
Her practical advice on how to change my walking has had a direct positive impact on my knee pain."
Anne
"I have had severe shoulder, neck and jaw discomfort for 30 years – I have tried many physiotherapists, cranial therapists, NHS consultants and other local therapists over the years and no one has even touched the surface of the problem, whereas Tanya in 6 weeks has transformed my condition.
Tanya combines both deep compassion for her patients with a truly remarkable understanding of Alexander technique and body mechanics. After 30 years of discomfort I am greatly improved and can see the possibility of being pain free, I would strongly recommend her to anyone."
Thomas
"Wherever I have lived, I have always found the Alexander Technique to be the most effective way to deal with back pain and this was initially why I went to Tanya.
Her lessons were the best I have ever had, she really sorted out my back...and I can credit her lessons for getting me back on my feet then. She is a very kind and non-judgemental person, and she works gently, a real plus."
Linda
