My name is Nicola Hanefeld, I am English but I live in Germany, in the Black Forest. I was born in 1958 in London, UK.

I have a combined Honours degree in Botany & Zoology from the University of Reading, England and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of London.

In 2021 I completed my PhD at the University of Hull researching how women use the Alexander Technique in the postpartum.

Freiburg in south-west Germany has been my home town since 1981 and I have German nationality along with my British one.

I have been a freelance teacher of the Alexander Technique since 1989. SPEEK, my own company, was founded in 2000. I'm an overseas member of STAT.

Further training led me to become a person-centred counsellor, the approach developed by Dr Carl Rogers, based on authenticity, empathy and unconditional positive regard.

I'm mum to three (wonderful!) grown-up children. I'm a member of the German Green party, ‘Bündnis '90/Die Grünen’ and Greenpeace. Some of my interests are photography, writing and genealogy.

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How my LifeStories project came into being

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