Rocky Mountain College OTD Students Dive into Aquatic Therapy Lab at Fortin Pool
BILLINGS, Mont. — March 2026 — Students in Rocky Mountain College’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program traded their lab coats for swimsuits on Friday, March 20, as they stepped into the Fortin Pool for a full morning of aquatic therapy training.
As part of OTD 607: Health and Well Being in Occupational Science, taught by Dr. Randi Hanson, the lab gave students hands-on experience with four well-known aquatic therapy approaches: Halliwick, Ai Chi, Watsu, and Bad Ragaz. The goal was to help future occupational therapists understand how water can be used as a powerful medium to support healing, function, and participation.
Bringing Aquatic Therapy into Occupational Science
Aquatic therapy is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool in occupational therapy practice, particularly for clients who experience pain, weakness, limited mobility, or fear of movement on land. In the Fortin Pool lab, Dr. Hanson introduced students to the physical and psychological properties of water that can support:
- Reduced joint stress
- Increased freedom of movement
- Sensory calming and regulation
- Confidence and safety in trying new or challenging movements
Students worked in pairs and rotated through roles, taking turns as “therapist” and “patient” to experience each aquatic method from both perspectives.
“I wanted students to feel what these methods are like in their own bodies,” Dr. Hanson explained. “When they experience buoyancy, support, and gentle movement firsthand, they better understand how aquatic therapy can change the way a person moves, feels, and participates in daily life.”
Halliwick Method: Building Confidence and Control in Water
The lab began with the Halliwick Method, a 10-point program designed to integrate both the psychological and physical aspects of water as a healing environment. Originally developed to help children with disabilities become safe and independent in water, Halliwick principles are now used across age groups.
In the pool, OTD students practiced:
- Helping their partner adjust to the water and feel safe
- Guiding simple rotational movements and balance challenges
- Supporting gradual progression toward more independent movement in the water
By participating as “patients,” students felt how carefully graded support can build body awareness, balance, and confidence, especially for individuals who may be fearful of water or uncertain in their own movement.
Ai Chi: Water-Based Tai Chi for Balance and Regulation
Next, students explored Ai Chi, a water-based form of Tai Chi that uses slow, flowing movements coordinated with breathing. Standing in chest-deep water, students practiced sequences that emphasized:
- Deep, diaphragmatic breathing
- Trunk rotation and weight shifting
- Relaxed, continuous upper body movements
From an occupational therapy standpoint, Ai Chi can be used to address:
- Balance and postural control
- Stress reduction and emotional regulation
- Gentle strengthening and endurance in a low-impact environment
Students experienced how Ai Chi can be calming yet physically engaging—a strong option for clients with chronic pain, anxiety, neurological conditions, or those who benefit from a slower, more mindful approach to movement.
Watsu: Gentle Stretching and Relaxation in Water
The lab then moved into Watsu (short for “water shiatsu”), a technique designed to provide gentle, slow stretching and massage in warm water.
Working in pairs, students:
- Supported their partner in a cradled or floating position
- Used slow, rhythmic movements to rotate, flex, and extend the body
- Focused on breathing, relaxation, and trust between therapist and client
As “patients,” students felt how Watsu can:
- Promote deep relaxation and reduced muscle tension
- Ease pain and stiffness
- Support individuals who may have difficulty letting go of tension on land due to pain, trauma, or anxiety
In discussion, Dr. Hanson linked Watsu to trauma-informed occupational therapy, highlighting how carefully supported movement in water can help some clients feel more at ease in their own bodies.
Bad Ragaz: Strength and Motor Control with Support
The final method of the day was Bad Ragaz, a technique developed in thermal pools in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland. In this approach:
- The “patient” is supported in a floating position using rings or pool noodles
- The “therapist” guides the body through proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns
- The water provides resistance and support while the client practices specific movement sequences
Students practiced moving one another through patterns that target:
- Strength, coordination, and range of motion
- Trunk and limb control
- Sequencing of movement that can later transfer to functional tasks on land
The key message: Bad Ragaz can be especially helpful for clients recovering from stroke, orthopedic injuries, or other conditions where motor control, alignment, and endurance are major goals.
“Bad Ragaz gives therapists a way to support the body while still challenging it,” Dr. Hanson said. “Water lets us safely try movement patterns that might feel too difficult or scary on land.”
Connecting Aquatic Therapy to Everyday Function
Throughout the Fortin Pool lab, OTD students were continually asked to link what they were learning back to function and occupation:
- How could Halliwick support someone learning to trust their body again after a fall or injury?
- Where might Ai Chi fit into a plan for a client with chronic pain or high stress?
- How could Watsu contribute to a sensory regulation strategy for someone with a trauma history?
- In what ways could Bad Ragaz patterns translate to walking, transfers, or upper extremity use in daily activities?
By experiencing these methods as both therapist and patient, students deepened their understanding of how aquatic therapy can be a powerful component of occupational therapy doctorate-level practice—especially in a state like Montana, where creative, resourceful interventions are essential in serving diverse communities.
Preparing OTD Students for Innovative Practice in Montana
This aquatic therapy lab is one of many hands-on, lab-based learning experiences built into Rocky Mountain College’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program in Billings, Montana. Alongside labs in play therapy, prosthetics, canine-assisted therapy, equine-assisted therapy, and more, it reflects the program’s commitment to:
Integrating health and well-being into occupational science
Teaching future OTs to use varied environments—including water—to support function
Preparing graduates to serve clients in hospitals, rehab centers, community clinics, and rural Montana settings
By the end of the session, students left the Fortin Pool not just knowing the names of Halliwick, Ai Chi, Watsu, and Bad Ragaz—but having felt their impact, understood their clinical applications, and seen how aquatic therapy can help people move toward their goals with greater ease, safety, and confidence.
