Having spent years raising my family, travelling and living abroad, playing my piano, and working in various jobs including managing the Texas branch of an Australian company with my husband, running our own scrapbooking manufacturing business with one of my daughters, and later creating a boutique sewing supplies shop, I decided to finally address the debilitating RSI that had gotten so bad that I couldn’t play the piano at all.

My rheumatologist offered me a cortizone shot in the wrist, but I wanted to see if there was another, perhaps more natural, approach that might work.

Not knowing really where to start looking, I typed “what to do about pain in the arm when playing the piano” into Google, and one of the first search results was a site about how the Alexander Technique was helping musicians all over the world with RSI, chronic pain, and other related issues.

One of the first things that captured my attention was the notion that I could “learn” what to do, and what not to do, that would make a difference to my struggles with the pain and lack of function in my arm.

I thought I’d give it a go, and booked a lesson with Jenny Thirtle, an Alexander teacher near me. I think from my first lessons, I had a sense that there was something here that went beyond some of the medical solutions I’d tried. After a couple of months of weekly lessons, to my surprise and wonderment, I found that not only could I play again without the pain kicking in, but even my knees had improved so much that I could go up and down stairs again! My sleep also improved, and I generally felt more confident and comfortable in myself. It was wonderful!

I learned that if the pain and discomfort did return, it was a reminder to think about what I was doing, and how I was moving. Right in that moment, I could stop doing what I now knew was my old automatic habit, and think more consciously about how I wanted to move so that the pain wouldn’t show up.

A few months later, I decided to enroll in the Advanced Diploma of Alexander Technique Teaching at the School for F.M. Alexander Studies training school in North Fitzroy with David Moore (Director) and Jenny Thirtle (Assistant Director). After completing the required 1600 course hours over about 3½ years, I graduated and set up practice in my home in Bentleigh East.

Teaching the Alexander Technique and seeing the marvellous results my students are achieving is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life.

If you are in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, and would like to discuss how the Technique could help you with what you’re currently dealing with, feel free to get in touch. If you live further away, I also teach online.