CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

---------------------------------------

Phone: 865-387-7600

Lilly @ LillySutton dot com

---------------------------------------

About the Technique

Lessons

About Lilly

What Students Say

Guided Rest

Resources

Lilly’s Music

  Classes

There are no classes currently scheduled. Here are descriptions of past classes.

Alexander Technique Introductory Class--A Different Approach to Posture and Stress Relief

What:  An Introduction to the Alexander Technique

When: TBA

Where: Knoxville Healing Center, 313 N. Forest Park Blvd, near Earth Fare in Bearden

Cost: 80, Preregistration with email confirmation is required.

Contact: Lilly Sutton, 865-387-7600

The Alexander Technique can help you release tension you didn’t even know you were holding and discover a sense of freedom and support that you didn’t know was possible. Posture becomes more balanced, movement becomes easier, thinking becomes clearer, and life becomes more enjoyable in the present moment.

Most people try to have good posture by holding themselves up in a stiff position, fighting against gravity. It’s the familiar “stand up straight, chest out, shoulders back” posture. It’s an uncomfortable position that makes it hard to breath and contributes to neck, shoulder, and back pain. Most people give up, going back to a familiar slump.

“Good posture” requires a redefining of what posture is. It’s not a set position, but a dynamic balance. When you cooperate with gravity, it connects you to the ground, and sends you up. It gives you a “spring in your step”.  It improves not only your appearance, but often relieves back pain and helps you feel lighter and more centered. Daily activities, such as walking, working at the computer, or even breathing can be done with much less effort.

_____________________________________________

What:  An Introduction to Mindfulness in Everyday Life with the Alexander Technique

When: TBA

Where: Knoxville Healing Center, 313 N. Forest Park Blvd, near Earth Fare in Bearden

Cost: 119, This class is offered through the UT Non-Credit Programs and it requires preregistration through their office. This link will connect you with them.  https://aceweb.outreach.utk.edu/wconnect/ace/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15FA366-1

Contact: Lilly Sutton, 865-387-7600

“The quality of your attention is equal to the quality of your life.”—Lilly Sutton

In this class you'll learn how to be mindful as you go about your daily life—while drinking your tea, talking with a friend, walking down the sidewalk, or reading an email.

Mindfulness can help you:

  ~ Feel calmer, less stressed

  ~ Be present rather than preoccupied

  ~ Move beyond judgmental thoughts that keep you stuck

  ~ Release excess muscle tension

  ~ Release blocks to creativity

  ~ Enjoy the simple pleasures of life

“I’ve been practicing what you showed us, and I’m amazed how well it works.

I’ve tried a lot of other techniques, and this is the quickest, easiest, and most effective … It helps me feel calmer …

I  can feel my whole body relaxing, especially my shoulders … I’m feeling less stressed and I’ve been sleeping better.

Thank you so much. I am truly grateful.”

– Mary Jane Campbell, Grandmother of Charlotte and Tessa

_____________________________________________

What:  Free Your Voice with the Alexander Technique

When: TBA

Where: Knoxville Healing Center, 313 N. Forest Park Blvd, near Earth Fare in Bearden

Cost: 85,  Preregistration is required. You will receive an email confirmation when you are preregistered.

Contact: Lilly Sutton, 865-387-7600

The Alexander Technique was born from Alexander’s investigation of his own vocal issues. As he learned to free his voice, he discovered how to free his whole person. In this mini-workshop, you’ll learn a practical process for releasing the excess tension that inhibits vocal freedom. You may be surprised how freeing your voice helps you release overall tension, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back.  This class will be helpful for speaking, as well as singing. You’ll learn the 5 fundamentals of vocal freedom to help you:

   ~ Increase vocal volume without strain

   ~ Sound more confident and be more confident

   ~ Improve vocal resonance

  ~ Achieve true vocal support

  ~ Expand vocal range

  ~ Increase vocal flexibility and expressiveness

It’s hard to fully describe the subtle, but profound changes in my voice and in myself …

as I spoke, my voice sounded fuller, deeper, and more resonant. It felt like there was no effort required to project my voice--like it was just happening naturally. Others said that I sounded more confident,

and I felt more confident and grounded ...

I appreciated the supportive atmosphere and the way that

we were helping each other…

Since the class, I’ve been practicing the techniques that Lilly showed us and I’m making continual progress.

I look forward to attending the next voice class that Lilly teaches!

–Sara Matayoshi, Violinist, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Yoga Teacher

_____________________________________________

What:  Performance, Presence, and Poise with the Alexander Technique

When: TBA

Where: Knoxville Healing Center, 313 N. Forest Park Blvd, near Earth Fare in Bearden

Cost: 85, Preregistration with confirmation is required.

Contact: Lilly Sutton, 865-387-7600

What would it be like to feel confident and at ease?

If you’re like most people, you’ve experienced some degree of performance anxiety. It comes in many forms: mild jitters before a presentation,  feeling anxious during a conversation, worrying about a presentation for weeks in advance, or   having a panic attack during a performance.

Whether it’s mild or severe, performance anxiety prevents you from being your best. It interferes with you sharing your unique talents and ideas. It robs you of the joy of the moment.

Well-meaning friends may say, “Just relax… You’ll do fine…. Calm down…. Don’t worry…”, but this advice is rarely helpful.

What can you do about this seemingly automatic, uncontrollable reaction? Coping with performance anxiety is a skill that everyone can learn. The Alexander Technique offers a method for retraining yourself so that you have more control, more choice in how you respond to performance pressure or to any stressful situation. 

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

~How to build your confidence from the ground up

~How to train your attention to serve your intention

~How to get more results with less effort

           ~How to get more results with less effort

~How to quiet your inner self-critic

“During one of my lessons, Lilly helped me prepare for a job interview.

The next day, during the interview, the employer commented on how poised and eloquent I was.

She said I seemed more comfortable than anyone else she had interviewed.

My lessons with Lilly taught me not only to appear comfortable when the pressure is on, but to actually be comfortable. They offered me the job the next day!”

                                                                                                                    -–Sara Baker, M.S. Writer and Consultant

Even though this workshop addresses performance anxiety, non-performers are welcome to join us. The practical skills that you learn will help you in any situation.

Back Pain—A Different Approach Based on the Alexander Technique

After having limited results from various treatments, many back pain sufferers conclude, “I’ll just have to live with it.” However, in most cases, there are ways that you can help your back feel better.

Most back pain is not caused by an incurable structural defect, but by how a person sits, stands, and moves. Everyday habits, such as slouching or overarching your back compress the joints and create imbalanced pressure through the spine.

The Alexander Technique teaches you how to coordinate your movements in such a way that the spine is less stressed. You learn how to have a flexible and supportive alignment that balances the pressure through your system.

Of course, it’s important for a medical professional to assess any medical contribution to back pain. However, in all cases of back pain, there are things that you can do to help yourself feel better.

The British Medical Journal published a study

on the effectiveness of the Alexander Technique for back pain.

To learn more, click here.

In this class, you will discover how to take advantage of the factors that are in your control. You’ll learn enjoyable practices that can alleviate many instances of back pain.

_____________________________________________

Body Mapping for Freedom in Movement

Each one of us has a “body map”--an internal representation of how our body is put together. Whether we're aware of it or not, we try to move in accordance with our body map.

It is common for parts of our body map to be “off” a bit. When your idea of how you move doesn’t match with your actual design, you end up working against yourself. This extra work causes excess muscle tension, and over time, can lead to pain, and even injury.

When the body map becomes more accurate, posture is improved, and you feel more balanced and connected. all activities can be performed with less effort. Everything from breathing, to walking, to working at a computer, to playing a guitar becomes easier.

In this class, we’ll use a life-sized skeleton model so you'll see how each major joint works. Then you’ll experience where that joint is inside yourself. As you explore movement with your new and improved body map, you’ll discover the difference an accurate body makes.

This class will be especially helpful to those who perform repetitive movements, like musicians, office workers or artisans. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort with specific actions you may be particularly motivated to learn how an accurate body map can contribute to the solution.

You may be surprised at the number of “Aha!” moments you have in this class. For most people, correcting the body map is the quickest and easiest way to relieve excess tension and move more freely.

_____________________________________________

Free Your Voice, Free Your Self!

The Alexander Technique was born from Alexander’s investigation of his own vocal issues. As he learned to free his voice, he discovered how to free his whole person. In this mini-workshop, you’ll learn a practical process for releasing the excess tension that inhibits vocal freedom. You may be surprised how freeing your voice helps you release overall tension, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back.  This class will be helpful for speaking, as well as singing. You’ll learn the 5 fundamentals of vocal freedom to help you:

    ~ Increase vocal volume without strain

    ~ Sound more confident and be more confident

    ~ Improve vocal resonance

  ~ Expand vocal range

  ~ Increase vocal flexibility and expressiveness

_____________________________________________

The Alexander Technique as a Mindfulness Practice

What would it be like to feel at home in your own body?

Mindfulness is a way of using your attention so that you are aware of the present without being distracted by judgment or internal chatter.

While some forms of mindfulness practice involve silently sitting with crossed legs on the floor, this class will teach a practice that you can do in any position, sitting in a chair or lying down, and can even be done while in the midst of your daily activities.

Mindfulness can help you:

    ~ Feel calmer, less stressed.

    ~ Be more compassionate, less judgmental

    ~ Be more present, less preoccupied

    ~ Be more responsive, less reactive

  ~ Think more clearly

To learn more about mindfulness, including the benefits, click here.

It links to one of my favorite authors, Mark Williams, who wrote Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World

_____________________________________________

Easy Breathing for Everyone

Do you ever feel like you’re not getting a full breath?

Easier, fuller breathing is good for everyone! It helps all systems of your body, and it’s especially useful for issues like anxiety and asthma. Of course, singers, athletes, wind instrument players, and public speakers can all improve performance with easier breathing.

Besides that, it feels terrific to breathe freely! After our breathing work, students often describe having a sense of lightness, like a natural high, feeling calm and energized at the same time.

In this 2-hour introductory workshop you’ll learn:

~How to use an extended exhale to relieve stress, tension, and anxiety

~How to breathe more freely with less effort

~How to release shoulder and neck tension that restricts breathing

_____________________________________________

Performance Anxiety--Getting Out of Your Own Way with the Alexander Technique

What would it be like to feel confident and at ease?

If you’re like most people, you’ve experienced some degree of performance anxiety. It can come in many forms mild jitters before a presentation,  being tongue-tied in a conversation, worrying about your recital for weeks in advance,  difficulty thinking clearly during a test, or  an incapacitating panic attack during a performance.

Whether it’s mild or severe, performance anxiety prevents you from being your best. It interferes with you sharing your unique talents and ideas. It robs you of the joy of the moment.

Well-meaning friends may say, “Just relax… You’ll do fine…. Calm down…. Don’t worry…”, but this advice doesn’t seem to help.

What can you do about this seemingly automatic, uncontrollable reaction? The Alexander Technique offers a method for retraining yourself so that you have more control, more choice in how you respond to performance pressure or to any stressful situation.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

~How to build your confidence from the ground up

~How to train your attention to serve your intention

~How to get more results with less effort

~How to quiet your inner self-critic

Even though this workshop addresses performance anxiety,

non-performers are welcome to join us. The practical skills

that you learn will help you in any situation.

______________________________________

Relief and Prevention of TMJ Pain

When people are stressed, angry, or anxious, they tense the muscles around their jaw joint. It’s such a common occurrence that the name of the joint – the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ – is often used as a short-hand term for any TMJ pain or dysfunction.

While some TMJ pain can require medical treatment, it may be that learning a new skill is all that is needed to relieve your painful tension. If you’ve been told to “just relax”, you know that it’s not that easy! However, everyone can learn how to release jaw tension and feel more comfortable.

The Alexander Technique teaches you:

    ~ How to recognize your tension triggers

    ~ How to stop harmful tensing habits

    ~ How to calm your mind so that you don’t get as stressed

Click here to hear an interview about TMJ with a dentist who is also an Alexander Technique Teacher. 

_____________________________________________

Alexander Technique Knoxville   |   Lilly Sutton   |  865-387-7600   |   Lilly at LillySutton dot com