Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects the person’s movement.  It starts sometimes with some tremor, or with stiffness.  It affects facial expression, speech, arm-movement, hand-movement, walking, getting out of the chair, and range of motion:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055  Other symptoms might include, for example, mood and sleep disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16848656/

How can the Alexander Technique help patients who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease?

The Alexander Technique is an educational approach.  It teaches how to change patterns of functioning.  The teaching takes place both verbally, and with gentle hands-on guidance.  With the help of the Alexander Technique – the person suffering from Parkinson’s Disease learns how to perceive the body more accurately, how to move with greater ease, and how to coordinate the movement in a way that will lead to improved balance, less difficulty in performing daily activities, less difficulty with fine and gross movement, and more body-comfort.  In addition,  research reports on reduced depression as well.  One of the studies reporting on these benefits appears in Pub Med:  “An evaluation of the Alexander Technique for the management of disability in Parkinson’s disease–a preliminary study.”  To read the full article – go to   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9065355/    More studies are available.

In the UK – the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) has a separate section on PD:  https://alexandertechnique.co.uk/benefits/parkinsons

Here in USA – the Poise Project initiates, and provides research on the Alexander Technique and Parkinson’s Disease.  It creates programs for people with PD  based on the Alexander Technique Principles.  And it is honored to be the recipient of five grants from the Parkinson’s Foundation.  To read more about the Poise Project –go to https://www.thepoiseproject.org/alexander-technique-for-parkinsons .

Both Julie Shelton and Shula Sendowski are listed in the Alexander Specialists section of the “About” of the Poise Project, as teachers who’d trained with the Poise Project.

For additional information feel free to contact Julie at 1-310-625-5566, or e mail Shula at shula.alexander@gmail.com