Born in Tasmania, as an actor in Australia F.M. Alexander frequently suffered hoarseness and even complete loss of voice. After doctors failed to help him he came to realise that his own misuse was the cause of his problems. He spent a number of years retraining himself so that he was able to avoid causing tension in his neck and throat whenever he went to speak. His problems then disappeared and his breathing and general health improved. He started teaching his Technique in Australia before coming to England in 1904. He taught right up to his death in 1955.

He wrote four books about the Alexander Technique. In 'The Use of the Self' he describes his initial struggles to change his use, and carries on to detail how it works, and how we can use it to work on ourselves. This is the shortest of his works and the most readable.