The Alexander Technique (AT) has been taught worldwide for more than a century, but it’s still not well known to the general population. From October 15 to 20, Alexander Technique Week, the AT Association of Westchester and Putnam will introduce the technique to the community through group talks and classes at local libraries and studios.  

Actors, dancers and musicians are often trained in the AT in colleges and conservatories, says Karla Booth Diamond, a certified AT teacher. The method teaches awareness of one’s postural habits and how one responds to stimuli, she says, and it enhances mobility, poise and performance while reducing stress and tension.

“In the ’80s, with the advent of computers, many people began studying the technique to help with repetitive stress and back pain, as it’s helpful for unlearning habitual patterns of tension that interfere with optimal functioning—both conscious and unconscious,” Diamond says. “Rather than working on strengthening a set of muscles or standing in a particular way, the Alexander Technique provides a method where these patterns can be unlearned, enabling the possibility of new choices in not only posture and movement but also reaction to stimulus.” 

Studies published in the British Journal of Medicine concluded that people who added AT to their treatment for back pain experienced increased benefits, she says.

For more info or to learn about local Alexander Technique Week events, visit ATAWestchester.com or AmSATOnline.org.