Trager Switzerland
Written by: Bill and Gabriela Scholl
“The secret to having good ideas is to have lots of ideas, then throw the bad ones away” - Linus Pauling
We want to offer some thoughts to you about what we have done within the Swiss Trager Verband (association) to make things work better and, above all, be easier and more inclusive for all of us.
We began with one simple organizational idea: Our Swiss Trager organization has two functions. These are practitioner support and education. We decided that anything we do will support one or both of these functions, or we would not give it our time and energy. Some years ago, we looked inward by dropping our representation in the international community to focus on what was needed to build our local community. After about four years, we felt ready and returned to TI, participating again.
The Trager Verband is primarily focused on practitioner support. We have the normal officers in the Verband, and meetings are held, in person, every few months. The single most successful change is that anyone who attends the meetings is a board member for that meeting and has a voice and a vote on any issues that are on the agenda. Decisions for the Verband are made by those who are present. This has ENDED ANY UPSET about decisions of the board! If someone wants something done (or not done), they have to show up! The Verband secretary is a paid position, and all organizational communication flows through her.
The Verband uses its income from dues to provide services as requested within the practitioner community. Most recently, this includes postcards advertising the new tragerforburnout.ch website, which practitioners can use to help build their practice. This website is both in German and English. At each annual meeting, there is someone who offers a half day workshop on different topics. There is a group currently working to develop video in Swiss German. Another group is developing a new website, which is specifically designed for the public, to assist anyone who wants to find a practitioner or have a better understanding of what Trager is. There will be a link for those who want to know about the education, as well, and a link for our members.
The Trager School consists of 4-5 regular participants, currently including the three Swiss instructors and our secretary, who manages enrollment. Anyone in the Trager community may attend and participate. We meet every few months in person, usually in Zurich. The school plans all classes, invites the teaching staff (instructors, tutors and assistants) and communicates with Kientalerhof, which is our certified school in Switzerland. Students are not required to pay dues during the student phase. If they wish to have a vote in the Verband, they pay a nominal annual fee for the right to do so, and we have some students who want this privilege and participate fully.
The Trager School serves under and provides regular reports to the Verband. This same group is finishing up the details and (hopefully) the final draft of the documents for the federal acceptance of Trager. In addition, the specifics of what is taught at each level (20 classes of 25 hours each) of the 500 hour program is being completed in detail and in educational language. (See attached document)
Our secretary receives a payment per class organized, and those of us who meet regularly receive 50 CHF per meeting to cover expenses. Currently a few practitioner level classes are sponsored by the Trager School and most by Kientalerhof. (Kientalerhof.ch) This school sponsored classes provide enough funds to meet any expenses the Trager School might have. On classes organized by Kientalerhof, the teacher gets a percentage of class income and all expenses paid. It works out to about the same amount as usual for the teacher. Assistants get some financial support depending on the size of the class. This usually includes meals and housing.
You may notice that we no longer have individual class organizers. This system never worked very well for the Trager community, so we have found this new solution. We can say now, after some years, that it works extremely well!
We have been working to become a professional method, recognized as such by the Swiss government. This has been an enormous task, in time and in money, and we feel that we are moving closer to completion. We are in our fifth year of writing and rewriting the documents to meet the exacting standards. All of our language must be clear to someone who does not know what Trager is and has never experienced the work.
Once we have been accepted by the government as a Complementary Therapy, we will be happy to share the completed documents with TI. We plan then ask Trager Plus for some support to help cover a part of our substantial expenses.
The Complementary Therapy program was put together over 15 years by a number of methods working together, including Trager, Feldenkrais, Rolfing, Cranio, Esalen Massage and many more. These groups worked with the government to get alternative touch methods approved. This is in place and each method must individually show that it meets the standards required to become an approved therapy.
A major factor that we have found to support our successes in Switzerland is that we are consciously aware of and benefiting from geography. There are approximately 4.5 million German speaking citizens, most of whom live within two hours of Zurich. This close proximity makes it easy to meet in person. Our students can meet together and can easily arrange tutorials and sessions with practitioners.
We consciously stay in this geographic region because it is easier to market our work. People interested in Trager can come to introductory events without having to travel far. We currently have 5-7 intros per year, and the goal is to have one each month. Many of our intro events are two days, some are one day or a half day. Some are done for different organizations (continuing education for the Medical Massage Association) and all are open to the public. Each year we prepare a printed flyer with dates and locations of the intro events and give those to our practitioners and students to share. We also keep a list of people who have indicated interest in learning Trager, and we send out a newsletter to them a couple of times a year.
Our new educational program consists of two blocks of 250 class hours each. Each block is broken into four days of 25 hours. The first block of ten classes (250 hours) is equivalent to the current international program (208 class hours) to become a Trager Practitioner. The second block is another 10 classes totally 250 hours and is part of the requirement to become a federally accepted Trager Therapist. We hold four class blocks per year, all at the same time and at Kientalerhof. All of our class schedules are organized at least two years in advance, so when students enter the program, their education program is clear.
Between each class in the first 250 hour block, students give 10 practice sessions, receive three sessions, with at least one session from a practitioner, attend one tutorial and on several occasions, bring one of their clients to a tutor and observe a session being given. This last detail is new, required for the 500 hour program and, we have found, is exciting and useful for the students. Students also learn and practice writing case studies and have time and support to develop marketing skills. Our students stay in the same group through the first 10 classes. This allows our students to work and learn together through their first 10 classes.
We hope this information is helpful, and we look forward to meeting with you all!
CLICK HERE to view the 500-hour Class Structure List