Often I will work with somebody in Alexander Technique and they will be incredibly tensed up. They are armored. They are protected by their tension but also imprisoned by it.
Even though I have no formal training in psychology, I wonder about the story behind the tension. Why did it develop? What is it shielding? What would happen if it were to go away?
As people let go of their armoring of unnecessary tension through Alexander Technique lessons, they are often flooded by feelings. Many of these are negative feelings such as loss, shame, or fear.
If I start asking a student about these primal matters, things can get intense. I’m not a therapist. I can only gently inquire if the student wants to share the back story behind the tension. Sometimes the response will come in a flood.
As an Alexander teacher, I can only create a safe supportive environment for the student to feel free to let go of holding patterns that have helped them deal with past trauma but are now stopping them from freedom.
