The principles and theoretical
foundations of RSM

Each individual is unique:
Rubenfeld Synergists approach clients and their sessions with this principle of honoring their uniqueness.

The body, mind, emotions and spirit are dynamically interrelated:
Each time a change is introduced at one level, it has a ripple effect throughout the entire system.

Awareness is the first key to change:
By bringing the unconscious into awareness, clients have the opportunity to explore alternate choices and to develop possibilities for emotional, physical and psychophysical change.

Change occurs in the present moment:
Clients may experience memories of the past and fantasize about the future, but change itself can occur only in the present.

The ultimate responsibility for change rests with the client:
Rubenfeld Synergists can support clients to recognize dysfunctional behavior and guide them to try new ones. They cannot force clients to change.

Clients have the natural capacity for self-healing and self-regulation:
Innate healing ability already exists in clients, waiting to be actualized. Rubenfeld Synergists do not "cure" or "correct" but rather facilitate clients' healing.

The body's energy field and life force exist and can be sensed:
Rubenfeld Synergists use gentle touch to sense energy, its pulsations and movement. When tight holding patterns in the body/mind are released, there is a marked change in the energetic quality.

Touch is a viable system of communication:
Rubenfeld Synergists develop "listening hands" to dialogue with clients, thus opening new gateways to their unconscious mind.

The body is a metaphor:
Clients' postural positions and movements may represent emotional issues in their lives.

The body tells the truth:
Often what clients communicate verbally is not congruent with their body's story. Rubenfeld Synergists guide their clients to listen to their body's message.

The body is the sanctuary of the soul:
Rubenfeld Synergy sessions may progress toward a spiritual dimension when clients deal with their "soul" issues—questioning their life values in relationships, families, communities and the world.

Pleasure needs to be supported to balance pain:
Rubenfeld Synergists help clients contact their strengths and joy so that they can experience pleasure to balance pain.

Humor can lighten and heal:
Appropriate humor, not sarcasm, interrupts habitual, painful patterns. Laughing invites deeper breathing, releases tense muscles and can heal pain.

Reflecting clients' verbal expressions validates their experience:
When clients hear what they have said, they often use this opportunity to reflect on their initial statements and take them to a deeper level.

Confusion facilitates change:
Confusion ususally interrupts habit patterns, creating a window of opportunity in which the client can experiment with new and non-habitual behavior.

Altered states of consciousness can enhance healing:
Altered states are pathways to the unconscious mind. They facilitate heightened awareness and enable clients to access physical and emotional memories that still inhabit their bodies

Integration is necessary for lasting results:
Many physical problems change when their associated emotional material is processed. Unless clients integrate their new insights and behaviors into their daily lives, they may revert back to their previous problems.

Self-care is the first step to client care:
Rubenfeld Synergists are trained to take care of themselves from burnout by maintaining personal boundaries, paying attention to their physical environments and listening to their bodies, minds and emotions.