Upcoming Workshops:
November 10th - Thinking Body, Moving Mind | November 11 - The High Art of Touch
Anita Mischuk’s Alexander Technique Journey
Anita Mischuk is a Certified Contemporary Alexander Technique instructor. After spending her early life in Cologne, Germany, she now lives and works in Tucson, AZ. In 18 months, she transformed from a burned-out single woman teaching French and History to a fulfilled member of a loving marriage, running her own business. She found the key to change in an unlikely place.
A lesson in reflection
It all began with voice lessons. Anita has always been passionate about music. Her love for singing in particular led her to seek instruction from Sieglinde Schneider, a German Soprano and vocal coach. But the lessons took a puzzling turn when Sieglinde told Anita to open her mouth. Anita was befuddled. She obviously had been opening her mouth to sing for years.
Later, trying to understand, Anita found the answer in a mirror. While looking at herself, she discovered she could open her mouth much more than she’d ever realized.
She still could not solve the problem though. Next her instructor said her jaw was locked, which Anita also could not figure out. She had no pain in her jaw. She could sing and eat. What could this feedback mean?
More confused than ever, Anita turned to Google. Her searching led her to something called the Alexander Technique. Not long after, she happened to see a poster for an AT workshop. Deciding the universe was trying to tell her something, Anita signed up to attend.
Teaching by touch
For Anita, the workshop proved to be transformational. Simply by touching Anita lightly on the jaw, one of the instructors drew her attention to what her voice instructor could see but not explain. Anita was holding tension in her jaw without even knowing. As soon as she felt this, she could let go. Just like that, Anita set her voice free. Her sound improved and she felt amazing.
Anita did not stop there. She signed up for a package of lessons with Celia Jurdant. Her sound improved further and she was hooked.
Impressed by Anita’s progress, Celia convinced Anita to join the Alexander Alliance Germany summer camp. There Anita learned that the Alexander Technique is not only for musicians. One participant had pain in her hips, one wanted to explore chopping vegetables, a third wanted to improve their skills teaching groups. The Alexander Technique had a solution for all these issues!
Anita was so impressed, she decided to pursue AT teacher training. During her four years in the AT teacher certification program, she learned to let go of pain in her knee, especially when she had to climb stairs. She also learned that back and neck pain are not necessarily a sign of an aging body but are related to poor posture (slumping).
It can take only seconds to notice and let go of pain and tension. AT drew Anita’s attention to places where she was stuck.
Learning to help others
In 2017, Anita graduated from the Alexander Alliance Germany with a teacher certificate in Contemporary Alexander Technique. She moved to the US and began to teach. Her favorite thing about AT has been using her new understanding to help others achieve more body awareness, greater ease, and better posture.
It is Anita’s mission to empower her students and clients with tools to find ease and freedom in any activity and in life. She particularly loves giving performing artists better tools for expression.
Working with Anita
Anita would love the opportunity to guide you on a journey to better posture, less pain, personal growth, and a more mindful and meaningful life. She brings compassion, curiosity, kindness, knowledge, and creativity to her work.
» If you’d like to work with Anita, you can schedule an appointment here.
Additional qualifications
Anita has served on the faculty of the Des Moines Symphony Academy and Dancing Prairie Massage Therapy College (both IA) and taught at the University of Iowa and Meadowmount School of Music, NY. She taught regular individual and group classes in Dayton, OH, at Oberlin College, Cleveland Institute of Music (both OH) and University of Texas - Arlington. She is also the Co-Director of the Southwest Branch of the Contemporary Alexander School and teaches Professional and Personal Enrichment Programs.
Other practices that inform her teaching are hypnotherapy, EFT, Craniosacral Therapy, energy healing, and meditation.
When she is not teaching or studying, Anita loves to cook, walk in nature with her husband and two dogs, play tennis, sing, and play the recorder.