Become an AMSAT certified instructor
~ Meet the instructors of NCCAT
~ Meet the graduates of NCCAT
The Single Most Important requirement needed by a teacher of the Alexander Technique to convey effectively its principles:
“The capacity to sustain a particular quality of attention, a form of heightened self-awareness reachable through the process of inhibition and direction, which awakens in the pupil a similar quality of attention.”
Editorial “The Alexander Journal”, Number 13, Autumn 1993, Published by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, London, UK
Teacher Training Course
'The Northern California Center for the Alexander Technique' is a three - five year program leading to certification by the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT). The curriculum is devoted to helping students embrace the principles of the Alexander Technique and enjoy a time of non judgmental self discovery. Classes are located in the Sunset District of San Francisco and in the beautiful Portside complex adjacent to San Francisco Bay in Redwood City, California. George Lister is the director of training, and he is assisted by his wife Sally Munro who is a professional singer and singing teacher as well as Alexander Teacher.
Class hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. There are 36 class weeks per year divided into three, 12 week semesters. (see calendar). The school year begins mid September and concludes mid July. Visiting teachers are welcomed and study exchange programs with prominent certified training courses are encouraged and accredited. Upon completing the minimum three and maximum five years study, students will have accumulated the 1600 hours necessary for certification by AmSAT.
Students receive hands on work each day from the director, associate director and visiting teachers and are gradually encouraged to interact amongst themselves to experience the power and intimacy of one on one work. Using the medium of hands on work, students learn to develop and incorporate a strong foundation of inhibition, the most basic and important of Alexander's principles. Creating a willingness to inhibit (ie stop and re consider), allows students of this training course to reach a deeper understanding of themselves and their intentions and goals, maintain the integrity of Alexander's principles and teachings, and fulfill their potential as teachers of the Alexander Technique. For further discussion about inhibition, refer to the essays, "Leaving Yourself Alone" and "Page 124" on The Alexander Technique page on this site.
The curriculum at NCCAT includes the reading, study and lively discussion of all four of Alexander's books - The Use of the Self, Man's Supreme Inheritance, Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual and The Universal Constant in Living (published by Mouritz, UK), the talks of Walter Carrington compiled in The Act of Living and Thinking Aloud (Mornum Time Press), The Alexander Journal (published by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, London, UK), etc.. Students are encouraged to investigate additional written material about the Technique and bring their discoveries to class. George Lister conducts our Tuesday and Friday talks encouraging trainees to be open to their feelings and sensitivities as we journey through the marvelous history of our profession. Excerpts from these talks are available on this website.
The Northern California Center for the Alexander Technique has become a true hub for the Alexander Technique in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to the Training Course, we host frequent teacher and trainee exchanges, workshops in the Alexander Technique and related topics, and visiting Alexander teachers and trainees from the Bay Area and beyond. NCCAT offers teaching terms to graduates of certified training courses and offers short term programs of 2 – 6 weeks in order to experience the training course environment prior to a matriculated commitment.
George Lister received his Alexander training from The Center for the Alexander Technique, Menlo Park California. He was certified as a teacher by the American Society for the Alexander Technique in July, 1994. He teaches private lessons in San Francisco and Redwood City, and he founded The Northern California Center for the Alexander Technique in September, 2004. He is a regular visiting teacher and workshop presenter at the Constructive Teaching Centre in London.
Sally Munro trained with Frank Ottiwell and received her certification from the Alexander Training Institute of San Francisco in 1996. Her singing career has included solo performances in concert and recital in the United States, Europe, Russia and South Africa, and many years singing with the San Francisco Opera. In addition to her considerable experience teaching hands on work, she offers the opportunity to learn to integrate the principles of the Technique to be more aware of the use of the body when speaking or singing. Her once a week voice class helps students to identify and consider habits that interfere with breathing and the freedom to make an easy, unforced sound.
You will find complete information, histories and biographies of Sally Munro and George Lister on their pages on this web site.
The training course shares time in the City of San Francisco and on the beautiful peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area, immediately adjacent to San Francisco Bay and convenient to both San Francisco and San Jose. Temperate, year round climate and nearby beaches and mountains provide a wonderful setting for many outdoor activities, and the proximity of San Francisco offers the culture and entertainment of one of the world's truly cosmopolitan cities.
We would be pleased to hear from you and to have the opportunity to arrange a visit to the training course.
