Back to active

Meet the team

Mireille

Mireille worked as a mixed and farm animal vet for 10 years, dealing with severe chronic back pain for most of those years. She ended up leaving the profession as a consequence. Having tried everything else first, from NHS pain clinics to hypnotherapy, she found the Alexander Technique was the only thing that helped. She then completed the 3 years full time training to become an Alexander Technique teacher.

Now Mireille helps people in and out of the veterinary profession with persistent musculoskeletal pain. She is dedicated to sharing evidence-based help for pain, and giving people the skills and knowledge to get themselves better.

I am fully insured through my professional body the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique and I have an enhanced DBS.

Website

I have been learning from Mireille and it’s been a wonderful journey. As I have hypermobility, I have many habits which, in the long run, make my joints achy. I have found these lessons have taught me techniques to lessen the stress and aches. Mireille gives excellent verbal cues which helped me visualize what my body should be doing. It’s been a joy to work with her! Now that I’m back to work, I hope to use these techniques to be more comfortable in my everyday work life.

Heidi, Veterinary Surgeon

I came across Mireille and her work via social media and was intrigued to find out more about her approach and the Alexander technique, too. As a fellow vet with a similar pain story, I got in touch and we set up an initial call.
Needless to say, I signed up to the Pain Freedom Pathway. For me, having a structured program to work through and learn more is an important part of this. The course is easy to follow with great little videos that are not too long and easy to implement. I valued the live Zoom calls with Mireille, too. She is great at spotting tension held in the body and has really made me understand and use key elements of the Alexander technique in my everyday life....

...Her approach is very individual and she always took my progress and challenges into account during each session and ensured that the work we did during the online session was applicable and meaningful in what I was trying to do in real life.
I recommend working with Mireille if you are suffering from persistent pain and want to learn a different (and more gentle) approach to moving, reconnecting with your body and creating more awareness around movement patterns and habits.

Sandra

Company overview

Back to Active has been operating since 2016, providing training to support movement efficiency, body awareness, and relaxation to find relief from work-related stress and musculoskeletal pain. The approach combines mind-body skills with pain education, addressing common misconceptions that can hinder recovery. Back to Active specialises in supporting veterinary and others in similar professions working in physically and emotionally demanding roles.

Mireille also runs the Constructive Rest Club with 2 other Alexander Technique teachers:

Gemma Williams

Gemma has been supporting her clients with their pain management path for over 25 years; leaning heavily on her teaching experience in the Alexander Technique and her own journey with Hypermobility. Gemma is especially focussed on the process of emotional health, and its subsequent benefit to the physical body.

and

Natalie Gibellini

Natalie has been working in wellbeing services for 17years. First in Psychological Therapies, now teaching Alexander Technique, predominantly to people with hypermobility, persistent pain and long-term conditions. She is Alexander Technique Advisor for the charity SEDS Connective (hypermobility & neurodivergence).

Company values

Following the Evidence

I offer practical, trustworthy support that respects both the evidence and your lived experience. I have challenged my own beliefs and approach over the years, and made changes to what I do as a consequence, and I’ll continue to learn and adapt.

Promoting Self-Efficacy

Everything I teach is about helping others build skills for life, not creating dependency. You're the expert in your own body. My role is to support you in making choices that truly work for your context, with confidence and clarity.

Promoting Self-Understanding

Understanding pain, and yourself, better gives you the chance to make better decisions for your recovery. Lasting change often means untangling habits; of posture or movement, yes, but also of ways of thinking and reacting. Unravelling these in a self-compassionate way is where change happens.

Care and Respect

My time living with pain taught me that care and respect aren’t just nice to have, they’re the foundation for any meaningful support. It goes beyond basic decency. When someone’s navigating stress or pain, they need space, patience, and a little extra care to feel safe enough to try something new.

What services/products do you offer?

Pain Freedom Pathway
Personalized 1:1 session package with comprehensive online resource access. (£695)

Group Programs
"Vet Self Care Skills" online programs designed specifically for veterinary professionals (launching soon )

Workplace Self Care Skills
In-practice workshops with ongoing online support (POA)

The Constructive Rest Club
Guided rest and relaxation for pain and stress.

What discounts do you offer the VSGD community?

£100 off Pain Freedom Pathway 1:1 coaching

Group programmes - a 5-15 % discount depending on final price point.

What is your top piece of career advice?

Look after yourself as a priority - you only have one body (and mind).

For a sustainable career - whatever that might turn out to be- you need to be healthy and happy.

in VSGD Approved

# Wellbeing/ Coaching

Flexee

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