Why Ten Sessions?
Each session of the ten series has a specific goal to accomplish. Each session builds upon the last session and prepares the body for the next session. The time in-between sessions allows the body to integrate the new information or changes that were experienced in the session. The session is not over when the client gets off of the table; it is a continuous process of opening, shifting, unfolding, and organizing into an increased sense of wholeness. I will briefly describe the goals of each session below.
Session One
One of the goals of the first session is to encourage the superficial fascial layer to open and expand. In doing so, we begin to create the space necessary for the major segments of the body to begin shifting into a more balanced relationship.
Session Two
The foundation of the human structure is in the arches of the feet, the ankles, legs and knees. Creating a balanced foundation is the primary goal of the second hour.
Session Three
In this session the idea of balancing the major segments of the body around a central vertical axis is put into action, and becomes more visible. The client often begins to feel lighter, more upright, and even taller.
The Core Sessions
Session Four
In sessions four and five we are creating space and organization throughout the body. They are considered “core” sessions because we are addressing restrictions that the body may be holding within the deeper anatomical structures of the body. In session four the territory that is covered is along the inside line of the leg — the ankles, calves, knees and thighs.
Session Five
In session five we continue to create length and organization through the core of the body, this time working in the torso. We start by lengthening the most superficial layers of muscle and connective tissue that cover the ribs and gradually drop down into the layers of the deep belly.
Session Six
Session six aims to free the sacrum of restrictions, allowing for greater fluidity of movement in the pelvis and along the entire length of the spine. In addition to working in the pelvis, we cover the back line of the legs as well. The feet, the calves, and of course, everyone’s favorite, the hamstrings!
Session Seven
The goal of session seven is to balance the cranium on top of the spine. By releasing the tension and stress held in the soft tissue of the neck, shoulders, face and cranium, we gently bring the head to rest on top of the body. When we are able to relieve muscles that have been working to hold the body upright, we suddenly find ourselves with much more available energy.
Putting the Body Back Together
Session Eight
In sessions eight, nine, and ten we begin “putting the body back together”. In the first seven sessions we are creating length and space in the tissue and encouraging order in how the segments of the body relate to each other. In session eight, we begin to further refine those relationships. Often times we find ourselves back in the legs and exploring how we may create more order in the legs so that they can best support the weight of the torso.
Session Nine
Session nine is a very integrative session. We may focus more on the upper half of the body, the torso, shoulder girdle, neck and head. We balance the relationship of the arms with the shoulder girdle, the shoulder girdle with the torso, the neck with the cranium etc. We may do more work with movement.
Session Ten
Graduation day! This is the session where we are working for overall integration and balance through all of the joints of the body. It’s a day of fine tuning and celebration. We continue to work with the relationships of the central vertical axis to horizontal hinges, or joints, in the body. We tend to cover most all areas of the body in this session, reestablishing information from all of the previous sessions.
“In Structural Integration, we expect to give a cycle of ten sessions. There is a reason for this. We are not dealing with local problems. We are not dealing with the kind of thing that you can say, “Well, I fixed that, that’s all.” We are dealing with an intent to make a body more secure, more adequate within the field of gravity. This requires that muscles be balanced, and need to be balanced around a vertical line. And, when I talk about balancing muscles, I’m talking about balancing the right side against the left side. About balancing the front of the body against the back of the body, and finally, about balancing the innermost muscles against the outermost, the inside against the outside, this is the most important of those balances, and we start from the outside working in, and it takes us ten hours before we can get to the place where we can really balance the outside against the inside.”
– Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.
