I have been seeing Harriet regularly for 6 months and she has helped me enormously. I have discovered the ease of movement and breathing again and how to play the violin with so much less tension, which in turn has enabled playing to become really enjoyable again. I’m very grateful to Harriet for her expertise and skill .
Nicky (professional violinist)
Harriet is a fantastic teacher: gentle, intelligent and very knowledgeable. She creates a safe and creative environment for me to explore my voice and during the sessions I feel very comfortable. My sessions with Harriet have had a very positive effect in my daily life: the way I use my voice, my posture and breathing has improved. I definitely feel more confident and resourceful.
Annalaura (picture researcher)
Harriet’s sessions have awoken not only undiscovered areas of Alexander Technique… additionally the rich and very interesting areas of speech, tone, and sound production. Ever enlivening and illuminating, with a definite practical emphasis.
David Howett BE MSTAT (Alexander Technique teacher/English teacher)
As a teacher I used to think I needed to speak louder so that everyone could hear me. This would often lead to a sore throat. With time and Harriet’s invaluable help I realised that trying hard and pushing my voice were the source of my sore throat. I learned that undoing the layers of tension that I carry around with me in everyday life sets free my natural voice and I can speak or sing with less strain and no sore throat.
In addition, Harriet’s book “The Thinking Teacher’s Body” contains a lot of information and practical tools. I highly recommend it to any teacher or public speaker.
Theodora (teacher)
One night, a happy coincidence led me to Harriet’s website. In the beginning, I “only” wanted to work a little on developing my voice. I soon noticed how the sessions of Alexander Technique with Harriet were doing a lot more. In the last few years there have been many positive changes in my life. I believe this is due to no small degree to our work together. Thank you very much.
Nina Bauer (artist)
Having lessons with Harriet is always inspiring and fun. I feel much clearer about how to use my voice now and I know what to do if it doesn’t work so well.
Marie (musician)
I was introduced to the Alexander Technique at a workshop Harriet ran. I went along looking for advice on posture and was shown a whole way of being! AT is a fascinating mental and physical journey that’s well worth travelling.
Marion E. (book keeper)
The positive benefits of Alexander Technique with Harriet are astounding. It is a long (and probably never ending) journey but learning to work in harmony with my body rather than trying to force it to do my will is leading to a much happier, healthier and less painful life.
Martina (massage therapist)
I always leave Harriet’s lessons with a sense of lightness and freedom.
Trea (student, teacher and writer)
I’ve found my Alexander Technique lessons with Harriet Anderson very helpful for daily living. The lessons have improved my posture, movement and breathing. As a tall person, it’s been great to lose my tendency to slouch. Harriet’s approach is interesting and engaging and I’d recommend her to anyone interested in discovering the benefits of the Alexander Technique.
Liam (lawyer and business consultant)
The sessions with Harriet are both relaxing and inspiring, and are doing me the world of good.
Mike Limer ARCM (retired musician)
With the Alexander Technique I’ve learnt to be more aware of my body and have discovered new and interesting ways of moving. In addition after every AT lesson I always feel very relaxed.
Judith K. (office worker)
The teacher’s voice is certainly one of the most important resources a teacher has and teachers need to be trained how to use it. Harriet Anderson has recognised this need and in her workshops uses the Alexander Technique as her foundation … By providing clear structures and easily understandable explanations Harriet Anderson is able to inspire her workshop participants and give them an invaluable tool – a tool not only for teaching but also for living.
Astrid Wimmer (University of Education Burgenland, Austria)
It is quite wonderful how much Harriet Anderson managed to change in me with very little theoretical input and many practical exercises. After her course I am much more grounded, lighter on my feet, more alert and simply happier. Even my colleagues have noticed.
Christa Schmid (teacher and workshop participant)
I would recommend anyone who loves singing to go to Harriet. I was unable to use my whole voice when I started with her. With a lot of patience she gave me back my love of singing. And I was very surprised to discover how big and strong my voice really is.
Regina Vojta (office worker)
“I began with the Alexander Technique on the one hand because of pain in my back, shoulder, and neck, and on the other to improve my singing; the success on that score is quite audible. The regular and always interesting and fun sessions with Dr Anderson have, however, shown me that the Alexander Technique has a very positive effect on other interests of mine, namely competitive fencing and Telemark skiing. I was surprised that after giving her only a short demonstration of the basic movements of these sports, Dr Anderson was able to analyse them completely correctly and above all to give me valuable tips which have improved how I move! And my aches and pains are also in the past.”
Günter Hayek, lawyer and hobby musician
“Harriet Anderson is a real expert in everything to do with voice skills, from articulation to body posture. She provides highly personalised coaching at a reasonable cost. And last but not least, the lessons with her are fun.”
Birgit Einzenberger, Protection Associate at United Nations High Commission for Refugees
“I went to see Harriet to address problems with RSI that were affecting my right hand and arm. After just a few AT lessons where she took me through some exercises and principles, I found myself thinking quite differently about the way I hold myself, not just at my desk but in lots of other everyday situations. As a result, my RSI has improved greatly and I have learned some techniques to improve my posture and lower my stress levels generally. Highly recommended!”
Jane Aston, researcher, editor, writer
“It is always good to be reminded about the importance of our bodies and the necessity to be aware, stop and think about habits we have. I felt Harriet did a great job introducing the Alexander Technique to our TEA members and was only sad that with the limited time available and number of participants there was not enough time for more individual one-on-one work. The session was a good chance for us teachers to concentrate on our own personal well-being when normally we are all more concerned with our students’ welfare.”
Dr. Candy Fresacher, Chair of Teachers of English in Austria
“Harriet Anderson has a wonderful gift for empathising with the client’s particular needs – her instruction is inspired by deep commitment to the issue at hand.”
Julian Podger, musician
“Harriet’s wonderful voice and her special way of explaining exercises to us inspired me tremendously. I just felt so relaxed three minutes after entering her class. Highly recommended for anybody who feels stressed.”
Isabella Überegger, teacher
“I am very grateful that I chose to learn the Alexander Technique with Dr. Anderson. Working with her enabled me to significantly expand my vocal range and presentation skills which were put to the test shortly after our last lesson together.
I credit her with the dramatic improvement in my public speaking performance which was apparent to my colleagues but, more importantly, to myself. That she managed to combine these key development areas with an interesting and fun approach made the improvement and learning process easy and enjoyable.”Michael Payne, researcher for the United Nations
One day when I was at home suffering from flu and bad back pain I just happened to pick up a book about the Alexander Technique. I devoured it – I had never before heard of this therapy – and was thrilled and amazed. Could it be true? That just by thinking I could be free of back pain?
In the preceding years I had had frequent intermittent back pain. Sometimes bad, sometimes not so bad, and somehow I had almost just got used to it. Inspired by my reading and after an Internet search I found Harriet Anderson to teach me the Alexander Technique and have struck lucky.
The sessions with Harriet and the Alexander Technique are a great enrichment. After each session I feel as if I’ve grown taller, tensions disappear and pain is alleviated. I still find it difficult to let go, not having to do anything – only thinking the directions. Yet after even only a few lessons with Harriet I could notice an effect: my back pain is more seldom and when I do have it I now have tools and know-how which help me to alleviate the pain.
I find it particularly impressive to discover how many other areas of my life are connected to my body posture – everyone must discover that for themselves – but I can integrate the Alexander Technique and the body awareness it brings into my daily life in many different ways.
To summarise:
The Alexander Technique deals with the causes of back pain and tension by correcting bad posture and unfavourable habits of movement as well as beliefs. The Alexander Technique can easily be integrated into daily life and helps to mobilise new energy.”Alexandra, business executive
“I had coaching in the Alexander Technique with Harriet Anderson in 2010. Since then I cannot imagine my daily life as a university professor of singing without AT; I have integrated its ideas and ways of observing into my teaching and into my daily life and have become calmer.
My students are developing a greater ability to recognise certain harmful patterns in their own use, particularly in the neck, head, back area, as well as refining their own body awareness. As a result they are producing much better sounds.
These improvements are also the result of the workshops which Harriet has held at our Department. I am most grateful to her. I and my students certainly hope that further workshops will follow.”
Regine Köbler, Professor of Solo Singing, Department of Singing and Musical Theatre, University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna
“I have profited enormously from the Technique. It has made me more aware of my body and how I use it in everyday situations. The voice coaching I’ve had from Harriet Anderson has been very beneficial to me especially in my professional life, which involves a lot of speaking. It helps me to use my voice more efficiently and with greater ease.”
Dr Gunther Kaltenböck, University Lecturer
“About one year ago I first came across with the Alexander Technique. I had had an operation and for a long time afterwards I suffered from pain, my posture was incredibly bad, and everyday life was just exhausting and draining. In my search for therapies I came across the Alexander Technique and after a few sessions I decided to stay with it. The kind of awareness and way of thinking which you learn in the Alexander Technique has made my life not only much easier and pleasanter, it has also enriched it and made living more interesting. It’s incredibly fascinating to experience how thought influences the body (and vice versa) and to keep on learning new things about yourself. And what’s of course really important is: the Alexander Technique works! My physical state improved massively, particularly in the first few months. Although the quick results and successes have stopped now, I still experience in the sessions with Harriet Anderson that there is always more room to come up and that you can always move through life more easily.”
Bernhard Gösweiner, student
“I took part in a workshop of Harriet’s and I really appreciate what she did and how she did it. It was a truly amazing experience.”
Martina, teacher
“Since I am a priest and a teacher, I have to speak in front of large groups. I soon noticed that after teaching for several hours or presiding at two Masses, I was exhausted and barely able to speak. I suffered from back pain and tension in several parts of my body. A friend told me to try Alexander, and during my first lesson, I soon felt free and discovered a much more dynamic way of interacting with myself and those around me. I was refreshed, not so quickly tired, and my communication skills improved noticeably.
Now, after weekly lessons with Harriet Anderson, I find there is hardly any part of the day that can’t be enhanced through the Technique. From praying to studying, from individual counselling to public preaching, I often think back on my weekly lesson and apply the principles I have learned. Working with Harriet is a treat for me because she is very practical. I often bring things to the lesson from my daily life (how to read, write, speak, sing) and we work on them according to my own pace and my own needs. Some people ask me how I am able to master an immense work load and still remain centered and calm. I often then think to myself that without AT, I would not be able to do so.”
Pater Dr Alcuin Schachenmayr O.Cist., priest and teacher
“Working with Harriet Anderson and the Alexander Technique has made me aware of how tense my whole neck area used to be – and my voice sounded like it, too! With Harriet’s guidance I can now make free, supported and tuneful sounds. Altogether my awareness of my body and above all my breathing has increased. And – last but not least – I have learnt that in every way less is more.”
Renata Schmidtkunz, Journalist, film maker, and moderator for Austrian national radio (ORF)
“A friend suggested I try out Alexander Technique to help me with pain in my neck, shoulders and knee. Beforehand I had tried chiropractors and masseurs. These various therapies were all good, but Alexander Technique teaches me to get to know my body better and to return to the home which is my body. I learn how to let go of tension and alleviate pain myself.”
Hillary Keel, teacher and writer
“Initially I went to Harriet because I wanted to improve my voice, especially for public speaking. The more I worked with Harriet, the more I improved my posture, and the more I realized that I could move with less stress, being more true to myself. It has and continues to be a great journey of self-discovery that has made me happier. Harriet is a great teacher. I truly recommend her.”
Roberta Meyringer, former UN employee
“Harriet Anderson is an excellent Alexander Technique teacher whose 1-to-1 sessions are working wonders for my physical and mental well-being.”
Helen Limer, teacher and musician
“I came across Harriet Anderson and the Alexander Technique because I wanted to go in a new direction as regards the voice. … In the sessions with Harriet I discovered the Technique in a very individual way. I learned how I could apply it to the most diverse everyday situations and how to apply it to breathing and vocalisation. Harriet answered my questions in a very practical and understandable way and was happy to deal with my special requests. … Gradually I noticed what a positive impact the Technique was having on me as a person, on my body, my voice and my mood. …It was always very harmonious and enriching and I got a lot of good ideas about how to go about my everyday life. The sessions with Harriet did me good; I’m very grateful.”
Elisabeth Bertsch, speech and voice therapist
“My first experience of the Alexander Technique was in Tokyo in 2000. I am a professional concert pianist and it was recommended to me by a pianist friend and colleague. I was immediately impressed by the changes brought about in my body. When I moved to Budapest six years ago I started lessons with Harriet, travelling to Vienna to do so. I immediately felt comfortable with Harriet and knew I wanted to continue learning the Technique with her despite the journey. The Alexander Technique has helped me become much more aware of what I’m doing with myself. My playing has become much easier, I have fewer technical problems, and generally I feel much calmer and clearer when performing and teaching. Altogether I can manage my life with less stress and more energy. I also notice the Alexander Technique has had a beneficial impact on my relationships.”
Hiroko Ishimoto, concert pianist and piano teacher
“Through Harriet’s sensitive, precise and varied teaching, I’m able to recover my true, naturally effortless way of being. Instead of forcefully correcting bodily ailments, we work by gently raising awareness of old habits (postural, functional, behavioural,..). When letting go of them using the AT, we uncover the most precious gift: authentic, unforced movement. Every routine task or new activity suddenly becomes so easy, so delightful. By using the energy released from unnecessary tension, so much becomes possible. With curiosity and playfulness I become aware of the AT’s applicability in all situations of life, at every moment, every breath. I see the AT as the epitome of self-determined ‘medicine’. Everybody can take care of themselves, and this is certainly one of the most efficient and unvarnished ways. This is what I love about it. Thank you so much, dear teacher!”
Thomas, medical student
“I have been learning the AT with Harriet for almost three years now and I am still intrigued by it. The intriguing thing is that I am not really aware of learning anything at all, but during the course of the lessons I have discovered a better way of dealing with the business of everyday life. This has brought with it an increased sense of well-being – a sense of being more in tune with myself and living life – to a greater degree – on my terms. I don’t want to give the impression that learning the Technique has solved all my problems, but what it has given me is a new way of dealing with worrying or stressful situations that are part of normal life. In learning this skill I have discovered new, often simpler, ways of doing things – with surprisingly good results. It is important for me to say that I believe that I have found an excellent teacher in Harriet. She has an expert knowledge of the Technique and a personal commitment to it, but she also has had the patience and understanding to be able to show me how to make good use of the Technique in my situation.”
Janet Beyer, mother, housewife and part-time teacher
“I came to Harriet for help to prevent tightness in my throat that often developed when I used my voice in my work, and to help me express a richer, freer sound. Harriet is an excellent voice coach, taking things right back to basics. She has been incredibly patient and encouraging and it has paid off! During our sessions I’ve discovered that when I prepare my posture properly I can make rich and beautiful sounds that feel effortless. It’s very exciting!”
Emma, hypnotherapist
