“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”
— F. M. Alexander
I want to teach people how to let go of perfectionism, conquer their fear of failure, and find the joy of becoming fully present.
Welcome! My name is Serena Venditto and I fell in love with the Alexander Technique when I was introduced to it by Dr. Meade Andrews in my college theatre program. I was a life long perfectionist, consistently rewarded with praise and attention for my hard work and dedication. But, college was a rude awakening and I was suddenly a much smaller fish in a much bigger pond. When I decided that I wanted to drop my safe Music Education major for Voice Performance and Theater, I quickly found that the tools that had gotten me success up until this point, were no longer serving me.
I was sure that if I worked hard enough, I would get what I wanted. However, the feedback was clear…”You’re trying too hard…You want it too much…Just relax!” All of my teachers echoed the same message, but I didn’t know what to do with this information. How could I want less? Isn’t it my passion and hard work that got me here in the first place? And, truly, when has anyone ever been able to relax after being told to do so?!
Luckily, I found teachers like Dr. Meade Andrews that offered me something new. Alexander Technique classes became a playground to experience true mind-body connection. My mind quieted, my body eased, and I was finally able to experience to joy of living in the moment. I found freedom in something that wasn’t about the end result. I found a process to focus on and, for me, that process is the Alexander Technique.
Your body can be a safe place
I’ll always love theatre and story telling in all its forms, but Alexander Technique had a different pull on me. This practice had changed me as a person and would continue to change me. I wanted more, so I decided to earn my AmSAT certification at the Riverside Initiative for the Alexander Technique (headed by Nanette Walsh associate directors Lori Schiff & Ariel Carson)
I thought a lot about this practice and how it could help people. I couldn’t help but think of so many people that didn’t have the luxury of a college theatre program with a robust Alexander Technique faculty. So many people can benefit from this work, but there wasn’t a lot of access at the time that I found the practice. I plan to be part of the generation of teachers working to make Alexander Technique more accessible, inclusive, and well-known.
Your body can be a safe place, a place of interest, an opportunity for curiosity. I hope I can help you discover these truths and help you come back home to yourself.