Think of the ten-series as a journey
Ida Rolf taught Structural Integration as a sequence of ten sessions. Each session has a particular focus, and is related to all other sessions in the sequence. The sessions of the ten series are cumulative. Each session prepares your body for the next. For example, a session with a lower body focus is usually followed by a session with an upper body focus. Superficial and deep work are interwoven in a way that allows your body to optimally receive the work.
- The first three sessions open up and balance the superficial fascia, just below the skin. Experience has shown that the body benefits more from deeper session after the top layer has been allowed to let go.
- The next four sessions work deeper; each session releases tension in several areas. In these sessions, we address the psoas, piriformis, and other deep muscles and the tissues around them.
- The final three sessions integrate the opened areas with a special focus on movement cues.
After a sequence of ten sessions, many clients return for additional or advanced work three or four times a year. Additional work is especially useful if there are special demands on the body such as an athletic event or an injury. As an Advanced Practitioner, Renate is certified to practice post-ten work and the advanced five-session series.
The journey itself is as important as the destination
The Client Handbook of Hellerwork Structural Integration can give you a flavor of the sequencing and focus of the sessions. Josef Heller was a student of Ida Rolf and developed his own sequence based on Ida’s work, distinct but still very similar to Ida Rolf’s Ten Series.