Structural Therapy Experience: Session 3

Session 3: The Lateral Seam

After a three week break we were back on the massage tables learning the next step on the 10 session Structural Therapy path.  This was my favorite session so far.  When the session was over I could breathe easier, see better and I actually was an inch taller!!  I was measured before and after the session.  I've always had a short waist and I actually felt longer in my torso after the session was over.  I slept so well Saturday night.  However, I could barely drag myself out of bed Sunday morning.  Your body heals itself during sleep.  My body was so busy healing it didn't want to stop!

A few emotions have surfaced for me as well.  Being so open in my midsection was a very vulnerable feeling.  I think I usually shrink down a bit through my torso to protect myself and feel safe.  Sometimes this can cause me to get stuck.  I have been feeling a little stuck lately.  When this was released Saturday some feelings of irritation and frustration surfaced.  Since I had so much release in this area those feelings rose up and then were washed away quickly.  I don't feel as stuck as I was.  Several other students felt an emotional release as well.  There is something to having your body stretched out and elongated allowing freer movements.  It's amazing what we hold in our torsos. 

I feel more comfortable performing the work.  I'm getting into a groove.  It's becoming more natural to feel the tissue move under my hands.  John told us to view the body as spherical and that this session helps us work the body as a sphere.  Working down the side of the body connects the front to the back and reminds the body that it is indeed 3 dimensional.  It really is a shame that we forget about so many parts of our body.  In our day-to-day lives we live mostly in our heads.  The rest of our body gets forgotten, neglected and ignored.  Pain comes and we shift our posture to compensate; then we get stuck.  Releasing the fascial tissue that has been bound up in those compensatory patterns is the basis of Structural Therapy.  In my almost 15 years of practicing massage therapy I have never seen postural changes like this.  I love this work

Structural Therapy Experience: Session 1

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!