The cost of Alexander Technique isn’t only what you pay for lessons. But thinking of your situation in the round can help to understand the true cost of staying as you are.
If you’re thinking of learning Alexander Technique for back pain, posture or stress you probably want to know a few things first.
You can read other posts on what to look for in an Alexander teacher and how many lessons you’ll need. But what about the cost?
Direct costs
Teachers vary in what they charge and how long each session is. Travel costs and time may be a factor depending on where you live.
Some health insurance policies may cover the cost though possibly only for teachers who, like me, are on the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) Register.
Online and group classes can be an option and may be cheaper. However the experience will be different from working in person one-to-one with a teacher.
But you also need to look at the broader picture - not just the direct costs.
What do you spend at the moment?
I spent money for years on treatments and products and therapies to deal with my back and neck pain. They worked – up to a point.
But they didn’t address my underlying problem – so I needed more whenever my pain came back.
Through Alexander Technique I have a greater understanding of how my body works.
Now I can prevent myself going wrong so I don’t have to pay out all the time to fix a problem.
I’m more able to stop it happening in the first place.
How much are you spending now to deal with your problem?
How well is that working for you?
What are you not able to do?
Persistent pain or ongoing stress of any kind is exhausting. It can stop you from working, going on holiday or taking an active part in your family or social life.
How many days in the year are you out of action or unable to do what you want?
What’s the cost to you of being ill, exhausted, stressed out or in pain?
You may not be able to put a figure on this, but it’s part of the mix.
What about family, friends and colleagues?
If you’re unwell or can’t function then family and friends suffer too. They have to tiptoe round you or deal with your unpredictable flare-ups.
Other people in your life may be very understanding but personal and work relationships can still suffer. They too are affected by whatever you’re going through.
What price are family, friends and colleagues paying?
What’s it worth to them if you have less pain, less stress, more mobility?
What happens if you do nothing?
Many people I see have been dealing with their problem for months or years.
They’ve tried other interventions or therapies but not found anything to help with the underlying systemic issues.
What starts out as something minor can become much more difficult to deal with over time.
It can take longer to unravel the tangled strands of what’s gone wrong.
We recover from short-term stress, injury or pain relatively easily, especially when we’re younger.
But if we allow problems to persist and don’t address them, we end up unable to live the life we want .
What does it cost for you to keep going from crisis to crisis?
What’s it worth to learn how to prevent yourself going wrong?
There are no hard and fast answers here - and in the end it’s your decision what you do.
A series of Alexander Technique lessons may seem expensive at first glance.
But once you think of your situation in the round then you will understand the true cost of staying as you are.
To help you decide if you’d like to work with me I offer a FREE 30-minute Zoom consultation. You can talk me through your postural or other issues and we can discuss how I can help. There’s no obligation to continue after the consultation.
Book a 30-minute Zoom consultation