Healing Through the Body: An Alexander Approach to Trauma
Trauma’s Mark on the Body
Trauma is more than a memory—it lives in the body, shaping how we move, feel, and respond. For those dealing with PTSD, hypervigilance, or an overactive nervous system, trauma manifests as tension, discomfort, and a lingering sense of being “on alert.” Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk emphasizes that trauma imprints itself into our very tissues, holding stress in ways that disrupt our coordination and ease.
Stuck in heightened arousal and tension, people who have experienced trauma often feel caught in a cycle of overwhelming sensations and memories. The impact is preverbal, felt deep within the body. Trauma may leave us feeling out of place in our own skin, disconnected from sensations and from life itself.
The Alexander Technique: Restoring Balance and Ease
Unlike talking therapies, the Alexander Technique offers a unique pathway to healing by working directly with the body. It gently addresses the autonomic nervous system, helping to soften fight, flight, and freeze responses that trauma can set on repeat. This approach acknowledges the need for sensitivity and gradual support, helping individuals reconnect with a state of natural balance.
Through guided touch, presence, and breath, the Technique supports people in finding their way back to a state of ease. By unraveling habitual reactions and dissolving layers of held tension, the Technique invites a return to equilibrium. It allows us to experience a grounded connection with our bodies, restoring a sense of safety, resilience, and calm. This process isn’t about revisiting the past; it’s about learning to respond to the present.
Relearning Ease Through Conscious Inhibition
At the heart of Alexander’s work lies the principle of inhibition—the conscious act of pausing before reacting. Unlike Freud’s idea of inhibition as unconscious repression, Alexander’s concept is about conscious choice. Trauma often locks us into automatic, reactive patterns, but the Alexander Technique provides a way to break free from these cycles.
By learning to pause and give space for new choices, we can shift from reactivity to intentional responses, recovering a sense of agency in the present moment. This gentle yet transformative approach opens a doorway to greater freedom and ease.
Finding Safety Through Co-Regulation
In Alexander lessons, we re-establish a felt sense of physical safety. Gentle, supportive touch fosters a nurturing connection between teacher and pupil, creating a co-regulatory experience that soothes and supports the nervous system. Through this contact, the teacher’s calm presence helps balance the pupil’s more activated state, reflecting early experiences of feeling held, safe, and seen. Gradually, this relationship fosters autonomy, helping us to reconnect with our capacity to self-regulate.
Aligning with Polyvagal Theory: Navigating the Nervous System
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, provides insight into how our nervous system shifts between states of safety, alertness, and even shutdown in response to perceived threats. The Alexander Technique aligns with this understanding, helping individuals move from heightened “fight or flight” responses or “freeze” states back toward a place of ease and social connection.
By promoting a calm, grounded state, the Technique guides individuals from survival mode back toward balance. This alignment with Polyvagal Theory offers valuable support for those healing from trauma, providing a pathway to shift gradually from chronic stress to a sense of safety and resilience.
Embracing the Present Moment
The Alexander Technique guides us back to the present, offering tools to reshape habitual reactions and reclaim a sense of agency. Over time, this deeper connection to our sensations and responses supports our ability to face each moment as it truly is, free from the shadows of the past. By letting go of ingrained responses and cultivating a sense of openness, we unlock new possibilities—a life lived with greater presence, grace, and freedom.
Interested in Exploring the Alexander Technique?
If you’re managing post-traumatic stress, heightened stress levels, or feel that your nervous system is frequently on high alert, the Technique offers a gentle, supportive path to rediscovering ease. I invite you to reach out to explore how this work may assist you on your journey. The Technique is also adaptable for those with sensory processing differences and unique ways of experiencing the world.
Please Note:
For individuals currently in crisis due to a specific life situation or recent event, it’s often beneficial to first consult mental health services, a counselor, or a psychotherapist. This can provide perspective and a solid plan for navigating the immediate challenges. Alexander Technique lessons can then serve as a valuable next step, supporting the journey toward resilience and balance.