Testimonials

Helped in my approach to teaching Pilates.

"I am a Pilates teacher so already have good body awareness but I have found this technique has heightened my awareness of some bad habits I was developing in my movement patterns. It has really helped with my own approach to teaching Pilates and Mark has been an excellent teacher and made me discover lots of new things about my body. I would highly recommend Alexander Technique with Mark to help with any back problems."

Emily Wilson ( Dance and Pilates instructor)

I'm now back into exercise and painfree

"Severe backpain stopped me from doing any exercise for nearly a year. Through Alexander Technique I have been able to start up my Pilates lessons again and I can also go on long walks and be painfree"

Julia Schmid

20 years of back pain gone with this life changing therapy.
"Since my adolescence, I have suffered from a degenerative wear and tear arthritic disease in my spine, which has given me constant lower back pain for more than 20 years. Although I had heard of the Alexander Technique, I hadn't taken it seriously and thought of it as just another 'alternative' therapy. However I have now  learnt that this was the therapy I had needed for all those years.

Mark  studied my case to tailor the course to suit my particular needs. We covered a number of different areas of day to day tasks and movements including balance, sitting, standing, crouching, lifting, reaching, walking and breathing. We looked at posture when working at a computer and as I have an allotment, we even looked at how to improve my digging! Apart from the physical, an important part of the Alexander Technique is being in a relaxed mental state and daily relaxation exercises were given to me to practice during my spare time.

The transformation from having constant lower back pain to being almost free from this burden was remarkable in just a short space of time. It is quite incredible how moving in my old habitual way I feel pain and now moving in an Alexander Technique way I do not. I hope to continue learning more about this life changing therapy and would strongly recommend anyone who is experiencing similar back pain to mine to book a course of lessons with Mark. " 
Hassan Khabbazeh

No more joint pain

"My reasons for contacting Mark were many and varied. I had started to developed stiffness and sore joints and had a feeling of almost constant tension. I was getting pain in my back and neck which nothing seemed to alleviate.

After a career in IT spent grappling with computers, as well as a life as a busy musician I was looking forward to early retirement and a lot more music and less stress. Mark's guidance and therapies have helped a lot, I feel a lot looser, I can walk for 10 miles without joint pain, I can play music without tenseness, I can even swim more effectively. Most of all I enjoy life a lot more, I'm more confident and feel much healthier.

Mark is a careful and understanding teacher, who understands my needs, and gets results. I would recommend him without hesitation."
Mike Fitzsimons

No more back pain and less migraines

"Over two years ago I went to Mark Claireaux to learn the Alexander Technique because I had considerable lower back pain and also suffered from disabling migraines. Both these conditions have not just been alleviated- they have been almost entirely removed by my adopting the Alexander Technique through Mark's tuition: I no longer take pain killers for either one of these problems. I have recently had a debilitating post-viral illness with, among other symptoms, muscular pains in my limbs: again I found that the basic Alexander exercises have been immensely helpful for my well being. I am profoundly grateful for his directions and help."
Dr David Mellor

Beneficial

"I found Mark's lessons both mentally and physically beneficial. They were absolutely worth the money. I recommend Mark whole heartedly, he is very patient, and gives an entirely clear guide to the Alexander Technique."
Dr Sophie Harrison

Relaxed and more confident

"When I first came to Mark Claireaux for lessons in the Alexander Technique I was suffering debilitating back pain, which was hampering my career as a musician and causing great distress psychologically. The lessons, though very subtle and gentle, have created powerful and permanent changes in my posture, movement and consequently, my whole life! The most visible results were in my shoulders as they gradually unclenched and dropped markedly away from my ears. To my amazement and delight, this had the effect of freeing my movement at the piano, imbuing my playing with a hitherto unknown ease and fluidity AND making me feel more relaxed and confident. As I was guided further in the release of habitually held tension, the chronic pain diminished dramatically and I learned to sit effortlessly, without having to hold myself upright on the piano stool. This improved my playing still further and made many other activities, such as sitting painlessly in meditation postures, possible. I continue to use the Alexander Technique everyday and I consider the lessons with Mark to be the best investment in my career and myself that I have ever made."
Taylor Damion

Much less prone to lower back pain

"For me the great thing about Alexander technique is that you benefit even as a beginner and you can practice what you have learnt in everyday situations. Mark is an excellent and very professional teacher and I really feel I am making progress. For example I am much less prone to lower back pain."
Julian Hansen

Less Stressed

"I sought out Alexander lessons because I was at the end of my tether regarding migraines, it did not seem to matter what drugs I took, what exercise or how many alternative medicines I embraced, nothing seemed to help long term. I had read up about the Technique, and realised that it was all about taking control of the tensions, stresses and strains that life can throw at you.

Mark was patient and over a period of about a year, he helped me to learn that I was giving myself problems, not that I was asking for migraines, neck and back problems. More that the way I tensed up, the way I gripped my whole body internally, gave me muscle tone but in all the wrong places, not just my neck and shoulders.

When performing simple tasks such as hoovering, cleaning my teeth, polishing my shoes even watching the television, I was expending way too much effort. I was already tired before I started my working day, a good description “Strung as tight as a bow” comes to mind here. In addition to stressing my body in performing everyday tasks, I was working in a very stress laden environment (financial services industry). Mark helped me to realise that I needed to release tension as it occurred, not allow it to build up to fever pitch i.e. Migraines and to take time constantly throughout my day to check my posture and muscle state.

I highly recommend Mark as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, he makes the lessons fun, interesting, worthwhile and helps you take control of the way you react to stress."
John Stevens

Improved posture & mobility

"Mark is a caring & gentle teacher. I have had an enormous improvement in my posture & mobility since seeing him on a regular basis. I’m standing so much better that friends have even asked if I’ve grown! I can’t recommend him highly enough." Michael Chance (actor/pianist)

Headaches a thing of the past

"I was gettting 3 to 4 headaches a week for the last three years which tended to last all afternoon, I also had neck and shoulder pain most of the time. After just 3 sessions the headaches reduced and after a couple more they have gone. My shoulder and neck pain has also gone and I can stand for much longer without getting tired."
Liz B

"I can't remember the last time I had a headache which is amazing because I've been having them for 15 years or more, also I feel I have so much more energy." Hazel

Confident in Business Presentations

"I was so excited this week everything has clicked into place, I feel more supported and upright and can sit upright with little effort and best of all my coach at work was really impressed.  I really do feel more confident when doing presentations at work."
Joanna

Sciatica relieved

"I suffered from debilitating recurrent sciatica for over two years before a friend recommended I try the Alexander Technique. Over six months of patient tutoring, Mark has shown me many ways to improve my physical and emotional stance, and I look forward to and gain real benefit from each weekly lesson.

My sciatica is largely a thing of the past; it really only returns when I am “too busy” to perform the Alexander semi-supine floor exercise, which proves its efficacy and shows me the path I need to follow. Thank you, Mark"
Val B

"I had been suffering with Piriformis syndrome/ Sciatica for about five years. Having turned to my GP, Acupuncture and chiropractor treatments all without success, I decided to try the Alexander Technique. Mark has been teaching me over the past five months and I am now able to walk and sit again in comfort and to relax. I had forgotten how good that feels!"
Roger McIntosh

After just a few lessons my pain lessened

"I had constant upper back and shoulder pain prior to contacting Mark. I knew the problem was postural - born from sitting at a computer all day - but I didn’t know quite how to alleviate it. I tried the gym, osteopaths and pain killers but nothing provided long term relief. After a few weeks of lessons with Mark my pain lessened immensely and I generally felt freer and less tense. Alexander is a whole mind-body technique and the benefits from it have been immeasurable - way beyond alleviating my back pain! As a teacher, Mark is very knowledgeable and patient and the lessons themselves are informative and relaxing. Well worth the money."
Louisa Cadman