An Instructor’s Overview of Phase II
Phase II of the Rolfing Structural Integration (SI) training is entitled “Embodiment of Rolfing and Rolf Movement Integration.” The purpose of the class is to learn at a beginning level about “the Recipe,” theory, touch, therapeutic climate, movement, etc. that make up all that we do in Rolfing SI. As an instructor, one of my main purposes is to not only teach these technical aspects but also how to be a Rolfer. In what ways do practitioners need to transform within themselves to be able to be most authentic and efficient in our work? As many of you remember, the format of four days per week for eight weeks makes the class very intense, not only because of the amount of material, but also because of the intrapersonal and interpersonal “uncoverings” that can occur. Students are giving and receiving thirteen sessions in seven weeks, which is something few of us would do in our private practices.
In addition to the classroom learning, students are also given outside assignments intended to enhance their understanding of the work. After the conclusion of Phase II, students must write a paper about the Ten Series and the three movement sessions learned in Phase II. This assignment helps deepen their understanding of what is occurring during the series and movement sessions, how the principles of Rolfing SI apply to each session, how the functional goals of each session reinforce the structural goals, and how the sessions build on each other and flow together.
Students are also asked to give an in-class presentation during Phase II relating to one of three topics – diaphragms, tonus, or the feet. At times, students may ask to research and present something of special interest relating to our work that is outside of these topics. The purpose of these presentations is to clarify the anatomical information learned during Phase II, develop critical thinking skills, and give students the experience of doing oral presentations to a group, a valuable skill for practice building. The presentations let instructors see how well students articulate their knowledge and experience of the class, embody the series, and express just what is it that we do in Rolfing SI sessions.
The following is a summary of such a presentation by Vivian Gettliffe, in which she researched what she calls the “trans-structural” aspects of the students’ experiences of receiving the work. The inquiry that Vivian undertook and presented was very informative, and I encouraged her to publish it in Structural Integration: The Journal of the Rolf Institute. Much of what Vivian presents is understood by experienced practitioners, but she has added information from a quantitative survey to verify what each of us has experienced in our own beings and those of our clients.
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