Mireille Heald

I'm Mireille, and I run Back to Active, teaching the Alexander Technique. This is a gentle, detailed approach to improve how you move and react.

Many of us hold excessive muscular tension, due to stress, pain, or just habits in our ways of moving, or sitting or standing.  Often, we don't even notice how tense we are because it has crept up on us over years. This tension can exacerbate pain and anxiety and impairs our balance and coordination.

I can help you undo this unnecessary tension. You won't have to have special equipment or do exercises, you just put more thought into what you do, so that you optimise how you use your body and react better to stress.

Alexander Technique has been shown to be effective in reducing pain and increasing function in lower back pain in a large scale NHS- funded randomised controlled trial. Many treatments help pain temporarily, but Alexander Technique is different. It has been proven to help long term, and because it is something you learn rather than is done to you, it puts you in control of your long term well-being. 

Many people start learning Alexander Technique because of pain or mobility issues, then realise how much it can improve many aspects of their lives: they feel calmer, they improve in sports or activities they enjoy or they notice they are walking taller and have more confidence.

I teach in a practical way, with lots of support for you use Alexander Technique in your everyday life. My previous career as a vet gives me a unique take on the Technique. I have a questioning scientific mind, so I'm always educating myself on pain science and postural and movement studies, so that what I do aligns with up to date science. 

Evening and weekend lessons available.