I am a certfied Alexander Technique teacher with a private practice and I teach the Technique at the University of Arizona's College of Fine Arts.

When I was 12 years old I was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine, and was put in a metal neck-to-hip brace that I wore 23 hours a day for almost 5 years. This brace was intended to prevent further progression of the spinal curvature; in my case, the degree of curvature increased and a spinal fusion was strongly recommended. I was young and frightened and refused the potentially dangerous surgery. For the next 15 years I resorted to medication but continued to have consistent pain that kept me from engaging in life fully. I tried yoga, swimming, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and various other modalities but I continued to experience chronic pain.

At 27 I was frustrated, short tempered, and tired of my increasing fears, so I decided- reluctantly- to have the spinal fusion. As luck would have it, two weeks prior to the scheduled surgery I read an article in my local NYC newspaper written by a certified Alexander Technique (AT) teacher who treated people with scoliosis. After our first session I was convinced that I had finally found a practice that would "teach me" and not temporarily "fix me".

Within  6 months I discontinued medication and began to enjoy activities that had previously been too difficult and painful. I realized that it wasn't what I was doing; the treatments were not ineffective. The culprit was how I was doing what I was doing. I experienced multiple benefits in addition to pain reduction: my mood lifted, my relationships deepened, and my work provided greater satisfaction.

My Alexander Technique lessons were so life altering that I decided to train for certification. At the time, I was a playwright and a theatre Teaching Artist, and I managed to schedule my work so that I could attend the 3 year American Center for the Alexander Technique's (ACAT-NY) teacher training program. I certified in 1997, started a private practice in NYC and Maine, and taught at ACAT, first as a volunteer teacher and then as an associate faculty member. In 1996 I created an exercise program for women based on the principles of the AT and  I taught this class twice weekly until 2006. Most of the participants experienced significant relief, and became more flexible and stronger.