How we breathe is how we live, and the ways that we occupy the spaces of our breath reflect distinct physiological and psychobiological potentials. The author deftly describes our different modes of breathing and encourages us to strive for balance, teaching us how we can help ourselves and our clients.

Rolfing and Rolf Movement Instructor Lael Katherine Keen gives a detailed overview of how to incorporate arm work into the Ten Series to support integration not just of the upper limb but the whole body.Rolfing and Rolf Movement Instructor Lael Katherine Keen gives a detailed overview of how to incorporate arm work into the Ten Series to support integration not just of the upper limb but the whole body.

Trauma is a part of human existence and leaves a lasting mark on the body, mind, and spirit of those who have suffered from it. In this article, we will look at the progression of how trauma reprograms the autonomic nervous system (ANS), how this affects our capacity for orientation, and how our capacity for orientation organizes both our movement patterns and our structure. Some tools for addressing trauma within the context and scope of a Rolfing Structural Integration (SI) practice will also be discussed.

Author’s Note: Part 1 of this article was published in the June 2011 issue of Structural Integration: The Journal of the Rolf Institute®. In it, the arches of the feet and the lower legs were discussed in detail. It is recommended reading as a basis for what follows.

Question: I have noticed that some of my clients seem to have a primary pattern involving an over-activated nervous system. Their problem seems to be systemic rather than local. There is a high level of tone throughout the body, with all their muscles tight and holding. We have lots of techniques for releasing restricted fascia and joints, but what is the best approach to help relax an amped-up nervous system?