Like all Rolfers, I was trained in the traditional ten-session series. It is possible to work towards the same goals outside of the ten-session format; however, this format allows for a great deal of flexibility in dealing both with overall balance in gravity and with your particular problems or issues, in a way that will leave your body in good shape to hold the results over time.
Please note that the specific areas to be worked in a session might vary widely from one person to the next. I have listed some examples just to give a general idea of how it might unfold. Please contact me for more information about work both within and outside the 10 session format.
Listed below is an outline of a typical 10-session series.
The “Superficial Sessions”
Session 1 – The first session begins work towards several goals: establishing a freer breathing pattern, lifting and lengthening the torso, establishing better balance, and focusing on the client’s specific structural issues.
Session 2 – The second sessions aims to create a more stable base of support for the upper body, focusing on the legs and feet.
Session 3 – This is an integrative session that begins to tie the first two sessions together. It is the last of the “superficial” sessions and an important point for both Rolfer and client. This session works to balance the front and back, so that when the “core” sessions begin, your body’s outer fascial layers are working in balance.
The “Active Core” Sessions
Session 4 – The fourth session focuses on the body’s active core and is the first of the deep sessions. (Note: deep does not mean painful.)
Session 5 – The fifth session is a continuation of the fourth and works to improve the relationship between the superficial abdominal muscle and the deep-seated hip flexor. It is recommended that no more than two-three weeks separate the fourth and fifth sessions.
The “Spinal” Sessions
Session 6 – The sixth session focuses on the length of the back, freeing movement and improving stability in the pelvis and lower back area.
Session 7 – The seventh session is a continuation of the sixth and concentrates on balancing the neck and head in relation to the spine.
The “Integration” Sessions
Sessions 8-10
The final three sessions change focus again, in Ida Rolf’s words, from differentiation to integration. Now that your body’s segments are freer and less stuck in old patterns, sessions 8-10 aim to relate them to each other and to the field of gravity, to achieve an easy sense of balance. These sessions also give us a chance to continue working on issues that need to be addressed in your body, or any areas that haven’t quite “caught up” with everything else.