Craniosacral Therapy Alexander Technique
Three Principles
in Exeter
"Trying is only emphasising the thing we know already."
F. M. Alexander
Founder of the Alexander Technique
Exeter Practice
Hello, I'm Fumiaki.
I practice at Therapy Rooms Exeter in the heart of Exeter, offering
-
Three Principles - wellbeing coaching
Craniosacral Therapy in Exeter
Many people come for Craniosacral Therapy sessions in Exeter when they are feeling stressed, depleted, or unable to fully unwind — sometimes after trying other approaches without finding lasting relief.
Sessions are gentle and aim to support the body's natural capacity to settle and reorganise, often helping people feel more at ease, both physically and mentally.
People seek sessions for a wide range of reasons, including ongoing neck and back tension, headaches or migraines, jaw tightness, and periods of stress or overwhelm.
Some people also come following stressful or traumatic experiences, when the body continues to feel tense, unsettled, or unable to fully relax, and are looking for support in calming the nervous system.
I practice at Therapy Rooms Exeter, located in the heart of Exeter city centre, close to the library and Exeter Phoenix.
If you would like to learn more, please read the Craniosacral Therapy page.
Alexander Technique in Exeter
Many people come for Alexander Technique lessons in Exeter when they are experiencing ongoing tension or discomfort, such as back, neck, or shoulder pain, or when they become aware of patterns of strain in how they sit, stand, or move.
Lessons are simple and gentle, often involving everyday movements such as sitting and standing, as well as time spent lying down, which can help release built-up tension. Over time, many people find they move with more comfort, better coordination, and more freedom in daily life. The technique is widely used by people dealing with the stress of everyday desk-based life, as well as musicians, actors, and performers.
Sessions are available at Therapy Rooms Exeter, located in the heart of Exeter city centre, close to the library and Exeter Phoenix.
To find out more, please read the Alexander Technique page.
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive hands-on approach that supports the body's natural self-healing process and encourages greater ease and balance.
The body has an innate healing potential, but it can be disrupted by stress, accidents, chronic tension, illness and other life experiences. By working with the body's subtle rhythms, Craniosacral Therapy supports the body's capacity to self-correct and heal. Many people find that Craniosacral Therapy encourages a shift from an over-stimulated fight-or-flight state towards a more settled rest-and-digest response.
During a Craniosacral Therapy session, I listen carefully to the subtle movements within your body. I hold the body lightly as you are — neither pushing nor pulling — and allow it to respond in its own way. It is often this quality of neutral holding and quiet presence that the body registers as a feeling of safety and security, allowing deeply held patterns to gradually soften and unwind.
Some patterns of stress and overwhelm can sit below the level of conscious thought and language. Gentle hands-on work can sometimes reach these deeper layers, supporting the nervous system to gradually settle and release long-held tension.
Many people experience the sessions as deeply calming. Some clients say it feels profoundly relaxing, as though their body is gently floating.
What is Alexander Technique?
Developed by F.M. Alexander in the late nineteenth century, the Alexander Technique helps you become more aware of your posture, movement, and habits that may contribute to tension and discomfort in everyday life.
Many people spend years sitting at desks, working on computers, looking down at phones, driving, or repeating the same movements day after day. Over time, these habits can affect posture and place strain on the body. Forward head posture is a common example. It places extra strain on the neck and shoulders and can contribute to headaches, jaw tension, stiffness, and discomfort.
By noticing and changing these habits, it is possible to reduce tension and move with greater ease and freedom. Many people find they feel more comfortable in their bodies and move more easily in everyday life.
Research suggests that the Alexander Technique may be helpful for people experiencing long-term back pain and neck pain.
Consider this: if you sleep for 8 hours a day, you spend the remaining 16 hours upright. That is over 100 hours every week, and nearly 6,000 hours every year of practising your postural habits. Over a decade, that's almost 60,000 hours.
Just as a constant drip of water can wear away stone, these small habits — repeated tens of thousands of times — can gradually shape how the body feels and functions. Poor posture and harmful movement habits may gradually contribute to chronic discomfort, tension, and pain without us being fully aware of it. Because these habits are repeated day after day, they come to feel normal and familiar. However, familiar does not always mean correct.
Many treatments can help release tension and reduce symptoms, which can be extremely valuable. However, if the underlying habits that contribute to the tension remain unchanged, it is not uncommon for the same patterns to gradually return.
The Alexander Technique helps you recognise these harmful habits and provides practical tools for changing them into healthier ones. By improving how you sit, stand, and move, and learning how to let go of excessive tension in everyday life, you can reduce unnecessary strain, take a more active role in your own wellbeing, and support lasting change.
Practice Information
It is located in the back of Gandy Street, between the library and Exeter Phoenix. It is roughly behind Zizi restaurant. The Argyle House is a light blue house with an iron gate.
Please note:
Because the postcode covers the whole of Gandy Street, searching by postcode on Google Maps won’t show the exact location — Please use the map below for accurate directions.
Directions:
On Gandy Street, go through an alleyway next to Seasalt.
When you come out, turn left and go through the iron gate.
It is an off-white building with a red door.
Please note: There is no sign saying Therapy Rooms Exeter.
Parking:
There are many car parks nearby. The closest one is the Guildhall Centre car park.
Train stations:
Exeter Central station is about 5 min away.
Exeter St Davids station is about 20 min walk.
"Fumiaki is a professional and knowledgeable therapist in both Craniosacral and Alexander technique therapies. He gave me confidence in his ability to explain the therapy and procedure so that I had a clear understanding.
Fumiaki’s expertise and gentle technique enabled me to relax and find healing from Craniosacral therapy for painful arthritis.
The Alexander technique helped me to understand and realign my posture caused by long term painful arthritis."
Val Turner
"I recently resumed Alexander Technique lessons after a 25 year period,
and was fortunate to meet Fumiaki Tanaka, an excellent teacher.
I have been very impressed by Mr. Tanaka's teaching ability from the very beginning of our lessons together.
We did both table and chair work, and it wasn't long before my body remembered the Alexander work I had done so many years ago.
I found Mr. Tanaka to be very patient and encouraging, while holding to excellent standards. His teaching style is simple, natural and easy to follow.
I recommend his lessons very highly."
Steve Beimel
"My weekly visit to Fumiaki is always a highlight as he has the ability to wash away the pain. It’s as if he can see deep inside me and his understanding of the human body both physically and spiritually is remarkable.
Have been in pain for over 26 years and met many practitioners along the way. Sadly could count on one hand the practitioners in every field of wellbeing I’ve visited who have managed to break down mental/physical issues. Fumiaki is most definitely one of them and upon leaving my session I feel as if I have just been on a glorious beach holiday.
For anyone out there looking for help or simply looking to improve posture I urge you to go see this guy. He’s special :-) "
Edward Margulies
"In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added.
In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped.
Less and less do you need to force things,
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone."
Lao Tzu
- ancient Chinese philosopher and the author of Tao Te Ching
Fumiaki Tanaka - Alexander Technique & Craniosacral Therapy
Address:
Therapy Rooms Exeter
Argyle House, Gandy Street, Exeter EX4 3LS
Tel: 07305 577700