Structural Therapy Experience

Let me first introduce myself, I am Rebecca Pollock, LMT, President of the Chicago College of Healing Arts (CCHA). I have been a massage therapist for almost 15 years and love everything about the holistic health and wellness field. That is why I chose to buy a healing arts school. I want to be fully involved with my school so I am currently enrolled in the Structural Therapy program we have here at CCHA and I would like to share my experiences about this amazing work over the next 6 months after each weekend.
Session 1 - Releasing the Sleeve
Well, we are finishing up the first weekend of the Structural Therapy Program and I cannot wait to continue! I came into this program not really knowing what to expect. I know Structural is a deep tissue technique and very similar to myofascial work, but beyond that I didn't know what to expect. I have been pleasantly surprised so far! I look around the room at my classmates and I'm amazed. There are so
many different backgrounds, levels of experience and personalities, but
one thing is the same - we all want to learn. We all want to give
something to back to people. I feel so honored to be in class with
these amazing bodyworkers. Everyone has their own unique style and gift
to add to the process. This first session is about creating more space in the body and releasing the most superficial tissue. I am the model for one of the demos from an instructor so I will be getting the ten sessions from one of the professionals.

The work begins with releasing the diaphragm and the intercostals, those muscles that live in between your ribs. I know I hold a lot in my abdomen, but oh my goodness was it tight! It felt so good to have those muscles released. I am breathing far deeper than I was at the beginning of the weekend and I'm more aware of my breathing. I'm also more aware of some feelings that have surfaced. Slight irritations, frustrations mostly at myself. I know this work has an emotional component to it that is very powerful. Your muscles have memory and hold things far longer than you need or want to. I noticed that my posture has been collapsing in the front. Perhaps I'm protecting myself from something, that instinctual fetal position. My chest is collapsing in, shoulders slumping forward and my back is rounding. Perhaps I have had this posture for awhile and now I am aware of it. All that matters now is that I
am aware of it. Each time I have caught myself collapsing this weekend, I correct myself. I've been aware of my posture before, but never to this depth. I can
feel how collapsing my chest affects my breathing and my ribcage. Multiple levels of feelings are bubbling up inside of me, and it will be curious to see how they present themselves. Right now I just feel open.
Stay tuned, session 2 is next weekend!