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Karen Price: As Rolfers, we are Building the Research Base approaching the body structurally. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, indeed most ® medicine is approaching the body through with the Rolfing ‘Recipe’ function. In contrast, Rolfng SI structurally enables clients to move (function) in a way as close to normal as possible. Movement for Reproducibility sculpts the brain. And specifcally with CP, By Karen S. Price, Certifed Advanced Rolfer™ and Marie Terrill, Certifed Rolfer it’s not as though these kids are just laying in a crib and their brains sculpt on their Introduction own. Since CP is a movement disorder, their original movement starts out even by Marie Terrill more disorganized than non-CP children. Karen Price has been a Rolfer since 1979 For example, when you watch babies move, and specializes in working with children, they all show movement that is relatively the including children with spastic cerebral same, developmentally normal movement. palsy (CP). CP is a neurological motor That kind of movement is what stimulates, disorder. Some types of CP originate with an sculpts, and prunes the brain. When we hypoxic injury (lack of oxygen) to the brain, work on the body, we bring it as close as either in the womb or shortly afer birth. possible to its anatomical position, and that Although the original insult to the brain invites appropriate movement. Organizing has been described as non-progressive, CP the structure organizes the functioning in is developmentally progressive in that as many ways. the child develops, there is an increasing What I rediscovered working with a lot of burden of neurodevelopmental disability kids with CP is the main tenet of Rolfng with increasing motor severity. Although Karen Price SI: that we’re balancing the body in gravity. there are no cures for CP, new and efective In order to walk, we need to be balanced therapeutic approaches are needed. Self- in and with gravity. Say you’ve got a child described as a ‘closet-scientist’, Karen with a lef-side hemiplegia (spasticity on recently had the opportunity to work one side), meaning mainly the right side with a research team led by Heidi M. of the brain is affected: with standard Feldman, MD, PhD, Medical Director of therapeutic approaches for this condition, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at the the child will only have his afected (lef) leg School of Medicine at Stanford University, worked on. But a lot of times, if the right looking at the efects and benefts of Rolfng leg is not supporting him, in Rolfng terms, Structural Integration (SI) for children with he’s never going to walk. He literally doesn’t spastic CP. The project took six years to have a leg to stand on. complete and culminated in three seminal publications. The last one was published MT: So you’re talking about having an in 2015 in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics. integrated perspective of a client, and not This research is discussed in a second just focusing on one area or one part, even interview with Karen on page 29. with a client who has gross structural and Marie Terrill functional discrepancies across sides? How Karen connected with Dr. Feldman and came into research afer thirty years 3. After you discover what you’re KP: Yes, with many of these children, I with a private practice and no formal interested in, fnd your research partners was working the other, non-afected side training as a scientist is an incredible story. through these interests, and make sure of the body. When that part became more There are many lessons to be gleaned they receive some Rolfing sessions integrated, then they had something to by the Rolfng community from Karen’s themselves! work with. Then they could jump; then experience. Specifically, Karen offered they could run. Otherwise, they’re trying 4. Develop a study design, collect some several pieces of practical advice for to do the best they can, but they can’t do it. pilot data, and plan on doing some pro Rolfers who want to do research, but are bono work Our approach of working the whole body unsure where to start. Here are the items in Rolfng SI is a global approach. Rolfng SI listed below, and a more comprehensive 5. Do the Recipe for reproducibility! was conceived at the ‘level of relativity’. Ida discussion follows: Rolf talked a lot about Korzybski’s ‘levels 1. Become ‘integrally informed’ Marie Terrill: What do you mean when of knowing’. The basic idea here, and this you say Rolfers should be ‘integrally is an example of being integrally informed, 2. Discover what you’re interested in: what informed’ and how will this help on the is that there are fve levels of knowing. The is it about the Rolfng work that keeps path to research? frst level is knowing through superstition. you interested and engaged? That’s self-explanatory, but let’s just imagine

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I say, “It’s cold out.” Then you come along MT: You can feel it. then how can we shift our worldview, and you say, “Well, is it really cold out? and move more into relativity – what KP: Yes. They were communicating Let’s measure.” So, the second level is you’re talking about – which is not about verbally and non-verbally that they did measurement. You go measure it, and you this versus that, structure versus function, not want to be there. For my part, as the say, “Yes, it’s zero degrees, it’s cold out.” nature versus nurture, but rather that [practitioner], I have to be very aware of The third level is cause-and-efect: what they’re inseparable, infuencing one another how I’m approaching them to get them to measurable event is happening to cause synchronistically? If you work with one, cooperate with me. To show them, “This the cold? This is where the medical world you’re inherently working with the other. is going to be fun. This is going to be and the research world get stuck, in chasing cool. You’re really going to like it. We’re This is such a great point you make of being cause and efect. going to have a great time. You’re going integrally informed as we follow a potential MT: Yes, it can be a very linear way of to see benefts right away. It’s not going to path to research. If we try to ofer Rolfng thinking. hurt. You don’t have to do anything. You SI to the scientifc community as something can just play and hang out.” I have to be important to measure, and the scientifc KP: Ida Rolf was an amazing thinker. She communicating all of this to them, with my community comes back and says, “Great. was so far ahead of her time. Rolfng SI is whole person, generally non-verbally, to get Let’s measure cause and efect,” then whoa, conceived at the fourth level, the level of their cooperation. look at all of the potential that we’re going relativity: how does this all relate? How do to miss. the parts of the body relate to each other? We see this with adults. Somebody comes How do we relate to the larger field of in, and maybe it’s a partner of someone you KP: Right. Yes, that’s absolutely true. You gravity? We need to move research into the work with, and he doesn’t really want to be said it beautifully. Finally, one last thing level of relativity, which is going to include there, but his partner has insisted, and he’s about this is that if we continue to stay the subjective as well as the objective sceptical, asking, “What are you going to in the level of quantifcation of cause and dimension. We are whole people; we’re not do for me?” Or people who are so invested efect in research, this also inevitably cuts just a statistic. in their story that they are coming to you up a human being into just one level as well. for further validation that there’s nothing The ffh level is synchronicity, which is MT: Your next point for Rolfers is to know that can be done to help them. You see that. really the level where Rolfers can exist what you want to study and why. You see that right away. We’ve all seen that. while working. During a Rolfng session What do you do? As Dr. Rolf said, “Just roll KP: Yes. So my example is: I love working itself, I think all of us have experienced up your sleeves and get to work.” with children. It’s my thing. I’m good at it. synchronicity at some point. For example, It’s fun. I enjoy it. As I’ve goten older, it’s a you don’t know why you suddenly move to This whole thing, this whole dimension, litle easier on my body. I’ve been drawn to another part of the body. The client says, “I this whole relativity, moving beyond cause it since 1978 from my experience auditing was just feeling that in my shoulder,” and and efect, is something that we as Rolfers a Ten Series with a child, and then the frst you were on his shoulder before he ever can really contribute to the feld of research child I worked with as a Rolfer, where I said anything. That’s really the level we to integrate across disciplines, including witnessed dramatic changes. always already function at, only we can’t medicine and research. quite maintain it, or we don’t know we’re MT: Perhaps another way to describe it is MT: Yes. I agree with you. I think that this functioning there. discovering what you’re interested in. We is also an incredibly important point for were all drawn to Rolfng SI for some initial Another tremendous resource for Rolfers Rolfers, and really for researchers in the reason, and then through doing the work, with regards to becoming integrally entire scientifc community. I see this so we discover what we’re actually interested informed is the work of Ken Wilber. I much. What question you ask shapes the in and what our strengths are through strongly recommend becoming familiar response that you get, which in turn shapes the process. with what he calls the Integral Approach. a worldview. If you ask about cause and efect, then the interpretation of the results KP: Right, if you discover that you enjoy Any research about Rolfng SI really has will be in the domain of cause and efect, working with the low back and relieving to be conceived in terms of relativity. I since that is what you are anticipating. The back pain, then go fnd a physical therapist think this is the point: we’re not looking interpretation of what you already were [to network with for research]. If you for causes. When you look at the whole anticipating, what you already ‘knew’, are drawn to working with depression body of a child with CP, or of any person, then feeds back into your worldview, and then try to connect with a psychologist what is that whole body, that whole you continue to see the world as made up or psychotherapist. body/mind saying to you? What’s being of cause and efect. communicated? For example, a lot of the MT: So, moving onto your next piece of kids that came to see me were outwardly It’s like the questions that are being asked in advice, which is to find your research cooperative because they’d been going to a scientifc community, more than actually partners through your interest. Can therapy their whole lives and were used telling us more about the world, are actually you describe how you connected with to it. But a lot of them were burned out on telling us about our collective mindset, and Dr. Feldman? therapy. They already could tell, even litle how we perceive the world. What you can KP: Yes, to start with, Dr. Feldman is a ones, that it wasn’t doing any good. They learn about us right now in this age in the pediatrician. She’s an MD and PhD, and hated going. They’d come in, they’re way scientifc community is that we conceive of she specializes in children with disabilities. too young for eye-rolling, but you know . . . the world in a cause-and-efect relationship She’s on several boards and consults with with itself. If this is how we see the world,

18 Structural Integration / June 2016 www.rolf.org ENGAGING RESEARCH the California Children’s Services Program. MT: It’s really exciting that you’ve done pro bono. They ended up not using the data. But she doesn’t have a background in this. How you came across Dr. Feldman is That was another ffy sessions. Rolfng SI. Feldman and I crossed paths really amazing, and apparently we all need Now, this doesn’t mean your entire practice because she received Rolfng sessions from to go and give Rolfng sessions to doctors is free. Maybe you’re adding three to fve my husband, Jim Price. Jim was trained by who are afliated with medical schools that more sessions a week that are pro bono. Rolf in the late 1960s and was the frst Rolfer have access to grant-writers and funding! That’s it. And the project will have a discrete around this area. Feldman was referred KP: Exactly! timeline, so for a while you’re very busy. to him from another client. She had had But the returns that you get make it all a longstanding back problem. She’d tried MT: That’s really a great strategy so that worth it. There is a huge opportunity for acupuncture, chiropractic and, since she’s they can experience it themselves. That’s creativity; you’re free to think and work also a yoga teacher, used yoga to help the power of Rolfng SI. Once you have that outside the box. You’re learning. It shows her back. But no one could give her more experience of the changes that it can bring your commitment to the work, which leads than temporary relief. Afer she worked about in your own body, then you start to to a full practice. Finally, it brings many with Jim, he completely resolved her back get excited about the potential that it could blessings that you will continue to discover problem and it has not returned. have for others. throughout your career and your life. Look We knew Feldman was a pediatrician, but KP: Right. That’s the way I’ve run my at it like doing an internship. Internships are not [that she was] such a ‘heavy hiter’, so whole practice. We never really advertised common these days, to gain experience to to speak, being a professor at Stanford and or anything. It’s just: do your work; do your get a job. During your ‘internship’ you are with all that she does. I said to Jim, “Tell work to the best of your ability and let that gathering preliminary data and can then go her about my work with children,” because speak for itself. out and fnd a grant, which leads to geting I wanted more MDs to know what Rolfng paid. And you also learn what works and MT: That’s really beautiful. I love it that SI can do for children. Afer fnishing the what doesn’t for the study design so you you had already been [practicing] Rolfng Ten Series with Jim, the three of us had a don’t waste time later on. SI for thirty years before this opportunity meeting and we talked about Rolfng work came along. To me, that’s great. Exactly MT: I like how you’re making the for children. I showed her a picture from illustrates what you just said. Do your work connection between internships and doing [the monograph] The Promise of Rolfing and who knows what’s going to happen. All a preliminary study as a Rolfer. You’re Children of a litle girl with CP and how her of which is a nice lead-in to your next piece learning; you’re gathering data. I just have legs changed from the Rolfng work. Heidi of advice for Rolfers interested in research, to say this for the beneft of our readers, looked at that and said, “Let’s do a study.” which is: expect to do some pro bono work that in terms of funding, no project is going I said, “Great!” in the beginning, particularly while you are to get funded just for an idea if there isn’t MT: Wow. So from there, you slowly gathering preliminary data – and that this enough promising preliminary data. What gathered your team. Can you talk more atitude will bring a whole host of benefts you say is good advice. about who the team was comprised of? to your practice! KP: Finally, the last thing I’d say to Rolfers KP: At frst it was just Alexis Hansen (a KP: Yes, I think this is really important: interested in research is to do the Recipe so frst-year med student at Stanford at the do your initial projects pro bono. Don’t the study can be reproduced. The Recipe is time), Heidi, and myself. We did an initial worry about getting paid. If you make our strength for scientifc reproducibility. pilot study to gather data and presented a [geting paid] the focus, then it becomes a MT: Yes, the ability to reproduce a study poster together at a medical conference (the big stumbling block, because the truth is is essential. If a study is not repeatable and poster can be seen on my website). This then you’re probably not going to get paid. Yes, reproducible it is not considered science. led to our small initial team geting a large we all need to work and earn a living . . . grant from the Gerber Foundation to fund but you know what? We all can make time KP: That was actually something writen a much bigger study and be able to have a in our schedules. Both the personal and in all of our papers; that one of the reasons more comprehensive team. Because Heidi professional benefts are enormous. Rolfing SI was chosen as a modality and Alexis were at Stanford, we had many in the study was because of the ten- MT: Set it aside, know that you’re not going resources to help us. session series, and that the sessions are to get paid, and do it. repeatable. Other therapeutic modalities MT: And who else was part of the team? KP: Right. Just do it. First of all, you’ll get don’t necessarily have this; for example, KP: We were able to recruit a professor the greatest number of subjects possible, even acupuncture doesn’t always have a and doctor of pediatric physical therapy because people will respond positively: protocol. Same thing with chiropractic, from University of California, San Francisco “Okay, I don’t have to pay for it, I’ll go physical therapy, even yoga therapy. The to do the assessments; a very well-known try it.” The frst study I did about ninety progression of a session and the progression pediatric physiatrist from Oakland sessions pro bono. I gave Rolfng sessions of the sessions within the Rolfng Ten Series Children’s Hospital; a pediatrician doing to all eight children in the study, plus we are well-defned. her fellowship in Heidi’s lab; as well as a had another child that was a case study MT: Karen, thank you so much for your wonderful research assistant who really who didn’t fnish the Series, and a few other time. It has been such a pleasure to get held it all together. We were seven fantastic free sessions for the children that we didn’t to know you a litle bit throughout this and dedicated women. accept. The second study I did, we also had interview. You are an inspiration. fve children, aged four to seven that I, as well as everyone on the team, worked with KP: Thank you, my pleasure.

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Karen S. Price graduated with honors from women and children. For more information neuroscience, with a specifc focus on epilepsy Northwestern University in 1974. After on Karen, please see the bio on her website and epilepsy research. Additionally, Marie has receiving Rolfng SI in 1977, she began her rolfngchildren.com. an ongoing interest in the therapeutic aspects Rolfng training in 1978 and graduated from of movement, dance, and yoga, all of which she Marie Terrill is Certifed Rolfer and Certifed The Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration incorporates into her Rolfng practice. She has Structural IntegratorCM with a small private in 1979. She received her advanced Rolfng been a dedicated yoga practitioner since 2006 practice in Eugene, Oregon. She is also certification in 1988. She is a long-term afer sustaining a major injury, with a practice Secretary of the Rolf Institute® Research meditator and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT- most recently fed by teachers in the feld of Yoga Commitee. Marie studied molecular biology 200). Karen has maintained a private practice Therapy and from the Iyengar tradition. Her at The Evergreen State College and has ten in the same location in Palo Alto, California for website is www.mindbodyrolfng.com. years of experience in the feld of functional thirty-seven years, specializing in work with

Advanced Rolfing Instructor Pedro Researching of the Art and Prado introduced the case study into our curriculum. Prado (2016) notes: ® I believe science is a communitarian Science of Rolfing SI efort and not solely the result of By Valerie Berg, Rolfng Instructor, Rolf Movement® Practitioner one well-intended mind. We need to develop a community that thinks We are all observers. Rolfers™ are taught to think of what we do as magical, more scientifcally and that communicates to ‘see’, to open our focus and observe all ethereal, mysterious. And while the efects [its] thinking. As an instructor, I try aspects of a client’s way of being in gravity. of our work do sometimes seem magical, to include case studies in all classes We approach our clients with questions in Rolf’s legacy is not well served by this and give brief orientation to the our minds: “What would happen if. . .?” We resistance to the scientifc method. students. As students see the results take this inquiry into our sessions. Through of systematic thinking around trial and error, the ever-evolving methods Research in the their clinical work in class, they developed by seasoned colleagues, and the RISI Curriculum get ‘enlightened’ (if this is not too strong a word . . . ) and encouraged tried-and-true efects of the ‘Recipe’, we Research literacy is a place to begin. to continue investigating, thinking, gain experience that afords us the ability The RISI faculty and Board of Directors and sharing. to predict certain outcomes. believe we should elevate the standard We educate our clients with movement of understanding and discussion about The case study required in Phase III of the and functional input. We fnd articles and relevant research in our field. Online basic Rolfing training teaches students research to share with clients who wish resources boast a myriad of claims in the how to think about the Ten Series and to understand the reasoning behind the name of ‘new studies’. But how many of understand each client’s response to the efcacy of Rolfng Structural Integration us are educated to assess the legitimacy of work. Students are taught to assess, refect, (SI). We explain the anatomy and function the research that is out there? Four years work, and re-assess. Throughout Phase of fascia based on what we have learned ago, RISI ofered half-day workshops in III they develop observational skills and and continue to study. We dazzle them with research literacy. Unfortunately, these clinical strategies. They utilize SOAP notes the beauty of the latest research on fascial were not taught in ways oriented to our (subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) connections and relationships. work. The inclusion of research in our for each session of the Series and the three basic certifcation must be relevant to the movement sessions. They then write their Dr. Rolf was a scientist. She was concerned clinical work we do to be accessible and case into a paper for presentation to the that the public image of Rolfng SI be linked applicable to new RISI students. To this group. Following the presentation of the to science in order to be taken seriously by end, the Research Commitee will ofer an paper, I have had small student groups the scientifc and medical communities. online research literacy course for Rolfers come together to discuss each others’ case She made research one of the missions of interested in creating solid research. studies. Before-and-afer client photos are ® the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration included for the group to analyze. Students Most students come to RISI motivated by (RISI). Acupuncture and massage therapy evaluate practitioner-client progress. programs already include a research some aspect of the work that changed their component (making them eligible to apply life. What if they could pursue that interest This is beginning science: observing and for grants). However, RISI is still working and passion in a way that educated the ‘measuring’ according to a given standard. to engage faculty and students in the world on the efects of our work? What if As research goes, the case study is a ‘sof’ relevance that research plays in our practice we could capture and nurture that interest design. Richard Ennis [(2016), whose and profession. from the beginning? Paula Stal (who has article appears on page 9] notes, “The published research on Rolfing SI and strength of this design is it ofen informs Why is this so? Some of us recoil at the fbromyalgia) and I will be helping RISI about interesting specifc cases that might idea of research. Perhaps we believe it’s not faculty create ways to harness the inherent not be found in a larger study with many how our minds operate. Maybe we prefer curiosity of beginning students. participants. It can also be the initial basis

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