"When your body is not aligned, The inner power will not come. When you are not tranquil within, Your mind will not be well-ordered. Align your body, assist the inner power, then it will gradually come on its own."

Nei-yeh

When she developed Rolfing® more than 50 years ago,  Dr. Ida P. Rolf Ph.D., first called her work structural integration.  The genius of the work rests on Dr. Rolf’s insight that the body is more at ease and functions most effectively when its structure is balanced in gravity.  She observed that, over time, the field of gravity actually accentuates the body’s imbalances and diminishes its flexibility.  Based on these core observations, she developed her original method of hands-on manipulation which later became known as Rolfing® to reduce gravity’s adverse effects on the body.

So what’s gravity got to do with it?

Is it a sharp pain in your low back when you bend over for the morning paper?  Or perhaps a persistent neck ache that’s aggravated by long hours sitting in front of the computer?  If tension, constriction and pain have become chronic in your life, it’s an important signal a signal that your body is struggling with a structural imbalance.

Like an old house settling on an uneven foundation, as we grow older our bodies lose balance and symmetry.  Cracks start showing in the walls, old doors won’t shut.  You can patch the walls, you can reset the hinges, but you can’t stop the symptoms of imbalance in gravity without going straight to the foundation.

That’s why thousands of people have turned to Rolfing®.  Its hands-on approach to releasing deeply ingrained patterns of tension and strain has been proven effective in treating everything from neck and back pain to impaired mobility, repetitive stress injuries and other chronic tension.  Rolfing® goes well beyond conventional therapies and other forms of bodywork to balance the body in gravity for permanent relief.

For more information go to www.rolf.org.

BENEFITS REPORTED BY CLIENTS

Improved Posture

Greater flexibility and range of motion

Decrease in pain and tension

Improved coordination and balance

Improved body usage patterns

Greater awareness of body, mind, and heart

Psychological and emotional growth

 

Why Rolfing®?

People seek Rolfing® as a way to ease pain and chronic stress.  As years of old postural habits, injuries and the physical manifestations of emotional trauma give way to new patterns and experiences through Rolfing®, your body begins to take on a new form centered in health.

For many, Rolfing® has deepened the practices of yoga, dance, martial arts and other body oriented disciplines.  When you are at ease with your body and balanced in gravity, you experience an enhanced sense of flexibility and freedom.

Professional athletes, actors, musicians and singers turn to Rolfing® to improve performance in their professional and daily activities.  Rolfing® serves a uniquely effective role with people who rely on their bodies as a professional tool, enabling them to find a freedom of expression through enhanced grace, poise and greater ease of movement.

Rolfing® is a perfect fit for anyone looking to improve the way in which their body works and feels.  And best of all, your body will be better able to adapt to life’s demands and stresses in a way that doesn’t result in physical constriction, tension and injury.

What can I expect?

If you can imagine how it feels to live in a fluid, light and balanced body free of pain, stiffness and chronic stress, then you can begin to appreciate the depth of the Rolfing® experience.

While every Rolfing® session is unique, addressing your specific physical problems and patterns, each session works with the manipulation of fascia at varying depths in the body.  Thus, the sensations can vary from mild to strong and range from pleasurable warmth to momentary discomfort.

Rolfing® gained a reputation in the early 1970’s for being a painful process, a reputation that is unfortunate and, thankfully, outdated.  I always endeavor to keep the intensity at a level tolerable to the client.  New training and techniques allow us to work together in ways that are effective, gentle, and considerate of your experience.

Early in the first session we will establish a level of physical sensation that you are comfortable with.  Often, within the first few sessions you will notice a palpable release of tension and tightness.  Many people report feeling lighter, taller, and more balanced.  Sometimes the effects build more gradually, with an increasing fluidity of movement and greater sense of ease as well as increased alertness and energy.

Rolfing® typically begins with a series of ten, 75 to 90 minute sessions spaced a week or two apart.  The process is designed as a comprehensive approach to integrating your entire body.  Post-ten sessions provide you with an ongoing way to mitigate the damaging effects of stress, to enhance performance and to remind your body of its most efficient balance.

During the sessions you will be in your underwear so I can best analyze and address your specific structural patterns.  Often people are uncomfortable with this aspect of the process.  Most times, once the process is underway, clients become engaged in the change they feel in their bodies and are excited to be able to see the physical changes in their body.  However, if you are uncomfortable with this aspect of the work, shorts and loose shirts are acceptable.  Your comfort is my greatest concern.  No one should miss out on the important benefits of this work due to discomfort or embarrassment.

While there are some contraindications to Rolfing® where deep touch may not be appropriate, many conditions respond favorably to the work.  It is always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any new therapy.  It is important to remember that Rolfing® do not diagnose or treat specific disease.  Rolfing® is a healing method that works with your whole system to promote health and well-being.  The benefits of Rolfing® stem from this holistic approach to the body and from the caring relationship between Rolfer and client, a relationship centered on health.

Rolfing® is open to everyone including children and the elderly.  Rolfing® for children is particularly effective in dealing with and preventing many childhood patterns and disorders.  Scoliosis, pigeon toes, knocked-knees, rounded legs, poor posture and even adolescent growing pains are addressed with great success in the Rolfing® process.  Work with children is always gentle and comfortable and rarely requires the time that adult bodies do.

Consultations are free and are approximately 30 minutes long.  I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the process and can offer you an example of what Rolfing® touch feels like.  Rates are $120 per session.  Unfortunately, most insurance does not cover Rolfing®.  I will provide receipts upon request if you wish to pursue insurance reimbursement.