Maria McGivern, The Mindful Body - Alexander technique for the whole person

02/07/2025

In this video, a neurologist talks about how the Alexander technique can benefit patients in terms of helping with movement. 😊

Dr. David Griesemer taped this video as part of a presentation at the 4th Annual Carolinas Integrative Health Summit, October 4, 2017, given by Monika Gross,...

20/12/2024

I'm just wishing everyone a happy Christmas and a lovely New Year break. Here's hoping for a happy, prosperous year in 2025!
Note: I'm not taking Alexander technique clients over the next couple of weeks, but will be available again from the week of the 6th of January. I'll look forward to being in touch with you then. 😊

09/12/2024

The Alexander technique can physically move you out of your story of 'who you are' and repeating negative life scenarios by changing how you habitually react to life, allowing you more freedom, and placing you on a new more positive track. 😊 Learn more:

Learn about the Alexander technique and what happens in an Alexander lesson here. Find out what the Alexander technique is and how it can help you overcome pain and stress, and help you change harmful habits and posture, improve your responses to stress, and be more mindful in daily life.

10/11/2024

So I've just finished a pain management course recently and have been looking at all the new science around pain as part of that. (I'll admit that I am still going through all the reading and assimilating everything I've learnt. 😏) I'll be writing a pain management page for my website over the next few months. 😊 In the meantime, there's been a new scientific paper published looking at the mechanisms by which the Alexander technique helps reduce pain. The abstract and paper are available from the journal: https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/krj/13/4/article-p548.xml. (The paper can also be freely accessed through ResearchGate at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384745432_Modern_Pain_Science_and_Alexander_Technique_How_Might_Alexander_Technique_Reduce_Pain).

This article brings together research from the fields of pain science and Alexander Technique (AT) to investigate the mechanisms by which AT helps reduce pain. AT is a cognitive embodiment practice and a method for intentionally altering habitual postural behavior. Studies show that AT helps with va...

01/09/2024

For one reason or another, a lot of us didn't have the best childhoods growing up. The Alexander technique can be helpful for those of us who have been through traumatic experiences/have post-traumatic stress where our nervous systems are freaking out and for those of us who have difficult family backgrounds.

When we come from difficult family backgrounds with unreliable parents, it can negatively affect our sense of self and we often don't feel safe or like we can fully rely on others at a deep level and this can negatively affect our relationships with other people. (We can end up with what they call 'insecure attachment' styles.) Because the Alexander technique mirrors early developmental processes (eg, it uses touch and helps the way someone moves as a parent would help a small child), if you get enough consistent boundaried Alexander touch, it can help 're-parent' you in a way. (It did this for me personally.)

Over time, the touch can help you feel cared for and safe at quite a deep level and can change any insecure attachment to more secure attachment, and this helps how we can feel about ourselves and our relationships with others. It can 'undo' a lot of our crappy childhoods, basically. I have a page on trauma and the body that talks about some of this stuff. I'll link to it in the comments.

Theo von and trauma expert have a discussion about early childhood traumas. from This PAst Weekend #495

01/08/2024

I'm going to be volunteering at the People's Health Alliance East Auckland Community Hub on Saturday. If you are in the area, come and see us. 😊 (Suggested koha: c$20 per treatment session.) The East Auckland PHA's page can be followed here: https://www.facebook.com/EastAucklandPHA

08/06/2024

I'm going to be doing some volunteer work here a couple of times a month on a Saturday. At this stage, my likely first day will be Saturday 22 June. Come along if you are in the area.

07/06/2024

I wrote this a few years ago, but it's still relevant. If you are in Auckland and are interested in working with me, please do reach out. 😊

Interested in mindfulness & personal growth? Learn how Alexander technique works as embodied mindfulness & how it works with flow, its similarities to meditation, martial arts, wu wei, & Zen, Buddhist & Taoist thought & spiritual practices. It may also be of interest to spiritual

28/04/2024

Learn how Alexander technique can help with hypermobility-related problems, including hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) and the Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS). If you would like to work with me, please do reach out. 😊

23/03/2024

There have recently been changes in the scientific understanding of pain and its mechanisms. While we know that the Alexander technique can reduce pain, this article looks at HOW it is likely to help relieve pain in the light of these new developments.

By Mari Hodges and Tim Cacciatore Studies show that the Alexander Technique (AT) helps with various kinds of pain,1-5 and many people come to the AT to resolve a pain condition. Two major clinical trials have shown reductions in long term back and neck pain after a course of lessons, and one smaller...

03/02/2024

Interested in finding out about the benefits of the Alexander technique and who it can help?

Benefits of Alexander technique include better posture, breathing & vocal technique; improved mobility, balance & performance; reduced back, neck, hip, knee & shoulder pain; improved sensory processing; lower anxiety, stress & muscular tension & increased mindfulness. Find out mo