Work From Your Heart, Not Your Head
Tips on Developing a Body-Centered Practice

By Cathy Ulrich

Placing my fingers on the client’s forearm, I felt for tightness, direction of restriction, depth of fascial layers. I tried with all my might to apply the techniques I was learning. My teacher walked over to the table, smiled, placed his hand over his own sternum and said, “Work from here, not here,” and pointed to his head. At that moment, my focus expanded. I felt the client relax.

I was so mentally focused on the client’s body I had
forgotten about myself and, in the process, had missed the kinesthetic wisdom that goes beyond intellect. The simple suggestion — work from your heart, not your head — has been a lifelong goal since that first experience in my basic Rolfing* training and has never failed to keep me present in a session.

As a teacher years later, I watched my student “Ann” grapple with the same issue. In trying to feel, she was using her mind to do the work when the best tool for the job was her body. She was an experienced bodyworker, yet her body language revealed the struggle. She leaned over the client with her head above her hands, as if somehow, having her head in the field would help her feel the tissue. As I guided her to relax and get her head out of the mix, her kinesthetic sense took over, and we both felt the shift. The client took a deep breath — that wonderfully satisfying place where the release occurs. Ann beamed and nodded in understanding.

It seems so simple — be in your body while working. And yet, how many times during a busy day do you find yourself thinking about the next client or your obligations when you leave the office? How many times have you started a session with the best of intentions only to realize halfway into it that you’ve been on automatic pilot? Or worse, you’ve been drilling away so hard at that trigger point, you don’t notice you’ve had a cramp in your hand for the last five minutes?

It’s an age-old problem. In a society where intellectual prowess is revered, we are encouraged to think, not feel. Throughout our educational experience, we’re rewarded for our ability to read, do math problems, and regurgitate facts. In our formal bodywork training we learn anatomy, physiology, properties of soft tissue, and technique. We’re taught the physical skills of the bodywork field and how to be more body-centered, but when we’re tired, stressed, or just busy, we go back to what’s familiar — mental focus.

Of course, it’s important to integrate our minds and bodies in the work we do. We use our minds to analyze, differentiate, and plan our sessions. But frequently we get out of balance — and the mind dominates. We’re fortunate to be able to do work that, by its very nature, is body-centered, but this doesn’t automatically mean we’re aware of our bodies. Ours is a mental culture, and we as bodyworkers are part of that culture. Being body-centered takes work, focus, concentration, and practice, but the rewards are many.

When we’re able to quiet our minds and feel through our bodies, we create a space of safety and presence for ourselves and our clients. We can stay open to intuitive insights that arise — those gut feelings that are so important in our work with others. We’re aware of our own bodies, which reduces risk of injury to ourselves. We’re aware when we’re causing discomfort for the client simply because we’re present. Most importantly, when we’re in our bodies we’re able to be in the moment with our clients. We can avoid judgment and stress simply because the space we share is sacred and fresh. In my years as a Rolfer and Rolfing Movement Practitioner, I’ve found several techniques that work to help me stay body-centered in my sessions.

• Focus on the breath
Notice your own breath as you work. We tend to hold our breath when we’re not in our bodies. Inhale as you prepare for a stroke and exhale when you apply pressure for a release.

Notice the client’s breath. Apply your pressure as the client exhales; soften your hands as she inhales. This is a great technique for working anywhere on the body.

Match your breath with the client’s to create a sense of synergy. You can often identify when the client is anxious by their breathing pattern. A rapid, shallow breathing pattern is a clear sign of stress or anxiety. Coach the client to slow their breath and, at the same time, slow yours. You’ll gain a relaxation response as the client’s breathing entrains to your respiratory rhythm.

• Work through your feet
We’ve all heard the term — stay grounded. One of the easiest ways to stay grounded is to remember to feel your feet as you work. I imagine that I have eyes in my feet (like the sweet spot on a tennis racket). As my “eyes” keep me connected to the ground, I feel lines of transmission moving up from my feet, through my legs, pelvis, torso, and directly into my arms. My arms are the contact point. My feet do the work. By staying connected with my feet, I also stay focused on my body as a whole.

• Keep your pelvic floor open
An often hidden area where we hold tension is the pelvic floor (the perineal area), which prevents transmission of force from the feet through to the arms. Since the pelvic floor is a diaphragm which responds to the movement of the respiratory diaphragm, keeping it open allows for full expression of the breath and movement of the torso. Practice relaxing the pelvic floor, and see how your work changes. (See Relaxing Your Pelvic Floor, page 30).

• Stay heart-centered
Simply remind yourself to let your work come from your sternum. Feel your shoulders relax as you lead from your heart and notice how your mind quiets. Does your touch change, your perception, your insights? The simple suggestion — work from your heart, not your head — is a powerful reminder of the gift we have to share as bodyworkers. It reminds us that feeling is our primary gift.

Putting It All Together
Practice these techniques separately, then gradually incorporate them into your sessions, noticing how your perception and touch changes with the addition of each. As you work from your feet, keep your pelvic floor open, focus on your breath, and stay heart-centered. Allow yourself to feel the transmission of energy and force from the ground all the way through to your hands. Gradually, you’ll find you do this naturally without the need to remind yourself of each step.

Remember, the mind is a valuable tool that allows you to organize your sessions and apply your knowledge. Remember, too, that the line of transmission from your feet through your heart to your hands doesn’t include your head. Use the best tool for the job — your mind for the planning, your body for the work — and in so doing you’ll be able to stay clear, present, and fresh.

*Rolfing® and Rolfing Movement Integration® are legal trademarks of The Rolf Institute.

Cathy Ulrich , P.T., is a Colorado author and bodyworker with more than 20 years of experience in physical therapy (sports medicine and orthopedics), craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, Rolfing, Rolfing Movement Integration, and visceral manipulation. She can be contacted at cathy@circleofbeing.com.

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